"The Shadow" by Mary White Ovington is a novel published in 1920 that explores themes of race, class, and identity in the Southern United States. The story centers around a young woman of aristocratic lineage who, due to a strange twist of fate, is raised by an African American family and later discovers the secret of her birth. The novel delves into the societal consequences of this discovery and the challenges faced by the characters as they grapple with their identities and the changing dynamics between white and Black communities.