In 'Memorial Drive,' Natasha Trethewey confronts the harrowing murder of her mother by her former stepfather, weaving a narrative that reaches beyond personal tragedy to encompass the broader themes of racial discrimination, domestic abuse, and the enduring impacts of trauma. The memoir discusses in depth her experiences growing up in Mississippi, the complexities of her family’s racial background, and the devastating event on Memorial Drive that altered her life and propelled her journey as a poet. With profound insight, Trethewey sheds light on the resilience borne out of loss and the quest for understanding amidst the shadows of a painful past.