African American in Imperial Russia chronicles the life and experiences of Fyodor Fyodorovich Tomas, who was born in Mississippi in the late 1800s to parents who had been born into slavery.
Tomas was born just seven years after the abolition of slavery in the United States. Following their emancipation, his family acquired several hundred acres of land. However, they faced hostility from a wealthy planter who attempted to take their land from them. Ultimately, the family moved to Memphis, Tennessee. Young Tomas later traveled from New York to London, England, in search of better opportunities. He eventually settled in Russia, where he became a prosperous man in a Marxist-Leninist society. However, the outbreak of war significantly altered the course of Tomas's life. He, along with his wife and children, was forced to leave Russia for Türkiye. The impact of the war was devastating, leading him into debt that he could not repay.
As a result, he was imprisoned for debt and died in impoverished circumstances.