tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641680.post2721337005602993155..comments2024-03-13T21:06:16.936-04:00Comments on Olive Tree Genealogy Blog: The Slavery Issue Raised on Who Do You Think You Are? Food for ThoughtOlive Tree Genealogyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02381110998759242462noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641680.post-40087502721167190512012-03-04T14:57:49.429-05:002012-03-04T14:57:49.429-05:00My ancestors owned a number of slaves in SC. I'...My ancestors owned a number of slaves in SC. I've spent the last ten years researching and writing a family memoir about the psychological legacy of owning slaves, and how that affected later generations of white families in the South. Troubling, profound, fascinating. Something we all need to think about. The consequences of slavery are built into our family histories. Description of book isAnonymoushttp://www.mariannregan.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641680.post-2473495147696074272012-03-04T11:37:38.546-05:002012-03-04T11:37:38.546-05:00Jo, I think there is always good to be found. I do...Jo, I think there is always good to be found. I don't like all the nit-picking either. It's a tv show, meant to entertain and encourage people to search their families. And it does that very wellOlive Tree Genealogyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02381110998759242462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641680.post-6561967937875904942012-03-04T11:36:36.508-05:002012-03-04T11:36:36.508-05:00Debi - yes slavery is horrible. But it existed and...Debi - yes slavery is horrible. But it existed and we should never forget the horrors it brought.Olive Tree Genealogyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02381110998759242462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641680.post-43326882057822628872012-03-04T11:35:56.155-05:002012-03-04T11:35:56.155-05:00Roadrunner how wonderful though that you are rese...Roadrunner how wonderful though that you are researching and preserving the details of those slaves lives. <br /><br />I hope you have given thought to publishing your findings and that photograph online! <br /><br />What a historical treasure for everyone but particularly for those searching their black heritageOlive Tree Genealogyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02381110998759242462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641680.post-36578539524746005862012-03-04T09:27:59.000-05:002012-03-04T09:27:59.000-05:00A good read on this subject is The Hairstons by He...A good read on this subject is The Hairstons by Henry Wiencek about a Southern family who found that the two races often commingled together. As my father has deep Southern roots, I am not surprised who did or did not own slaves and would not be surprised if I discovered a line that included African American ancestry. Nor would I hide it. In my family, there are several instances of commingling Dawnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11987424576985471215noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641680.post-59571988537271002012-03-04T07:43:32.560-05:002012-03-04T07:43:32.560-05:00When I was growing up, I remember asking my mother...When I was growing up, I remember asking my mother if my Kentucky ancestors might have owned slaves. She answered that we didn't know, but if they did she was sure they were "good" owners.<br /><br />Well, now that I've done my research, I not only know for sure that many did own slaves, but know some of the slaves' names, and even have a picture of one of them. I often Doug Gordonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16045967815713030126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641680.post-64471428865173390662012-03-03T19:45:03.848-05:002012-03-03T19:45:03.848-05:00I guess you are asking this question to people who...I guess you are asking this question to people who assume they are white? As a black person, I knew my ancestors were slaves from childhood and never have hidden the fact. I assume that my white ancestors did own slaves. If I learned their identity, I would not try to hide it. We are what we are. The known and the unknown. Hopefully one day the unknown will become known.Kristinhttp://findingeliza.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641680.post-72501332659048836982012-03-03T15:38:26.365-05:002012-03-03T15:38:26.365-05:00The first mistake many make is believing revisioni...The first mistake many make is believing revisionist history that paints the North as non-slave owners and as great emancipators. The civil war war not fought over slavery but over the constitutional right of the governed to throw off the shackles of an oppressive government. Slavery was a hot button topic of the time and would have resolved itself with or without the civil war. Indeed though,Red Ryderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09423327666031014570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641680.post-83812588289085263042012-03-03T12:33:07.226-05:002012-03-03T12:33:07.226-05:00I was struck by how many viewers seemed to think &...I was struck by how many viewers seemed to think "of course that family owned slaves - everyone in the South owned slaves!" That's not true, and not only for North Carolina.<br /><br />My great-aunt always pointed to hand-written receipts for renting slave labor as evidence that her family never owned slaves ("they were too poor to"). She had never looked at the 1860 Betsy Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13597922203213305828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641680.post-34131491291443666332012-03-03T11:30:39.592-05:002012-03-03T11:30:39.592-05:00I'm a proud southerner and find things to admi...I'm a proud southerner and find things to admire in many of my ancestors. What I am not proud of is that a few owned slaves or were in slave-owning families or of those who were and are prejudiced toward others because of race, religion, gender, etc. They should have been ashamed and not practiced either of those shameful activities, but at the same time, I still feel family love and loyalty Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15600234487044980364noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641680.post-33897992902003691252012-03-03T11:15:06.230-05:002012-03-03T11:15:06.230-05:00I'm so glad to read someone's blog who is ...I'm so glad to read someone's blog who is so positive about WDYTYA. There are so many who write negative reviews....I find the show so engaging and the subjects all display the wonder and excitement of finding those unknown ancestors. I discovered ancestors who were slave owners and as Debi wrote that was common especially in the south. On the other had I have some deep southern roots Johttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12518797858366448475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8641680.post-25216445463373314872012-03-03T10:53:36.528-05:002012-03-03T10:53:36.528-05:00I've found ancestors on my maternal grandfathe...I've found ancestors on my maternal grandfather's side who were slave owners and willed their slaves to others upon their death. I'm fascinated by it and can't wait to learn more. The only reason I'm not researching it currently is because I'm focusing on other lines. Slavery is not something we like to think about today but it was common and acceptable in that time.Debi Austenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17409492643470603926noreply@blogger.com