When kin of slaves and owners meet...

[Nanook]

Interesting article on CNN..

CNN) -- Betty Kilby was gripped with apprehension. Descendants of the white family that enslaved her kin were coming to dinner.

She scrolled through a mental Rolodex of relatives who might flip out. Her brothers had already asked her: Why would you want to meet the family of those who held our loved ones in bondage?

"When they ask that question," she says, "you kind of scratch your head. It makes sense. Why would you want to do that?"



more...

[blugiant]

Re: When kin of slaves and owners meet...

luv yu enemies bettar dan yu luv yuself

blakk peeps been brainwashed fii luv dem downpressahs soo dat oww dat self hatinn blakk rationalies ar motive

[Tulip]

Re: When kin of slaves and owners meet...

I would be curious about who they were. How could I not be curious about people or things (good, bad or in between) involving my family's history? I may not want to sit down and have dinner, but I do not believe I hold any ill will towards the descendants. I say "I do not believe" because I cannot predict what emotions might surface if we had a conversation.

In theory, I believe we are all responsible for our own actions and that's the best we can do. I certainly do not intend to carry the burden of anything my ancestors did wrong and do not expect anyone else to either.

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: When kin of slaves and owners meet...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tulip</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I would be curious about who they were. How could I not be curious about people or things (good, bad or in between) involving my family's history? I may not want to sit down and have dinner, but I do not believe I hold any ill will towards the descendants. I say &quot;I do not believe&quot; because I cannot predict what emotions might surface if we had a conversation.

In theory, I believe we are all responsible for our own actions and that's the best we can do. I certainly do not intend to carry the burden of anything my ancestors did wrong and do not expect anyone else to either. </div></div>
I am trying to find out What eoulbe the basis for any ill feeling against the descendants of people who had enslaved ones ancestors.
What influence could this person's actions or behavior have on either you or your ancestors negative or positive? ?

What could this person have done differently to avoid or influence any negative feelings or experience from you or your actions.

How could This person be justifiably be classified as enemy?

Do We evaluate people because of Which they are, or do we do do on the basis of what They Do or cause to be done??

[Tulip]

Re: When kin of slaves and owners meet...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dr.Dudd</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I am trying to find out What eoulbe the basis for any ill feeling against the descendants of people who had enslaved ones ancestors.
What influence could this person's actions or behavior have on either you or your ancestors negative or positive? ?

What could this person have done differently to avoid or influence any negative feelings or experience from you or your actions. Isn't that something?

How could This person be justifiably be classified as enemy?

Do We evaluate people because of Which they are, or do we do do on the basis of what They Do or cause to be done??
</div></div>

It appears BlackGiant may be able to answer why there would be ill feelings.

I am relatively certain going in that I would have no ill will. I do have concerns that if I thought they were a-holes then that might really be a problem. Regardless though, I would at a minimum be curious about who they were.

I have an acquaintance who did the DNA/what part of Africa are your people from and a thorough research of her background. It turns out that her family also owned slaves. Isn't that something?

[bigbooie]

Re: When kin of slaves and owners meet...

Its possible that the majority of white people that we meet, ancestors were slave owners. So now what?

[Peasie]

Re: When kin of slaves and owners meet...

Think about this. The majority of <span style="text-decoration: underline">all</span> people you meet south of the Mason-Dixie line in the U.S. are of black heritage. Even the &quot;white&quot; people

[Nanook]

Re: When kin of slaves and owners meet...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BIGGAHVIEW.</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Its possible that the majority of white people that we meet, ancestors were slave owners. So now what? </div></div>

I posted this topic hoping for some input. It is interesting to me the differing views, and how they come about.

While I cannot tell you a very far history of my heritage, I do know that my SwedeFinn grandfather &amp; aunties &amp; uncles came to the US in 1909 through the 1920's, having fled oppression by the Russians and that very possibly earlier generations run from Sweden to Finland to avoid becoming slaves. Whether from the 900's AD or specifically the 8th to 11th century there are Viking warriors that are in my lineage I cannot tell you that.

The other half of my family, I can assure you, never owned a slave either. They were French explorers settling in far north America and Canada and they are Ojibwa people.

I did not mean to write a book here but I just wanted to point out that I think maybe this is not quite true. [<span style="font-weight: bold">quote]Its possible that the majority of white people that we meet, ancestors were slave owners[/quote]</span>

I in no way mean to sight the horrific truths and history of African slavery, or even to compare the two races and the circumstances which are vastly different. My Sami/Swede/Finn people came here willingly, they fled slavery and felt forced to abandon their families and hope for a better life and to send for the others. In many cases it worked out, but at a very high price.

Whereas much of the US was built on African slavery, another huge chunk of it was built by immigrants who came here and without trying to spell out a whole diatribe, many of their stories are not very pretty either. I am not comparing the two, I'm merely trying to point out that most white folks are not descendants of slave owners. Well, not up here anyway.

I cannot sit here and say how I would feel if I was actually a descendant of a slave owner, it would more than likely make me fee sick. That is why this story interests me.
One funny thing my brother ran across some years ago was that is is possible some of our French ancestors may have actually been kicked out of France and sent to north America and ended up in Quebec and Vancouver. It is all very sketchy, I will never find out about that side. There is no record of my grandmother or anyone else on that side of the family being born but her father, my great grandfather was Ojibwa from Canada. I will probably never find out about the Scandinavians either, as we have tried. My mother was orphaned at a young age and the trail is cold.

I believe with all of my heart ...that we are all God's children.

Down with <span style="font-weight: bold">ALL</span> oppressors. In my area is is not so much a black/white issue, as it is how my Native brothers and sisters are still treated today, even after they were rounded up from their homeland and sent to live on reservations where for many, the cycle of oppression continues.

Peace &amp; love,
Nanook

[Nanook]

Re: When kin of slaves and owners meet...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Peasie</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Think about this. The majority of <span style="text-decoration: underline">all</span> people you meet south of the Mason-Dixie line in the U.S. are of black heritage. Even the &quot;white&quot; people </div></div>

And up here in the north there was a whole lotta teepee creepin goin on.

[Blackstar*]

Re: When kin of slaves and owners meet...

To answer the &quot;my family didn't own slaves&quot; trope, it is more than likely that many non-slave holders were overseers, slave catchers, and participated in lynch mobs - active players in supporting an economy based on slavery then sharecropping.

All the descendants of these participants including the slave owners benefited from Jim Crow laws, New Deal programs, etc. which were explicitly designed to prevent tax paying black people from exercising their rights as citizens.

ETA: More participants in the slave economy who didn't necessarily own slaves:
- Slave ship captains
- Slave ship sailors
- Dock workers
- Auctioneers
- Notaries, lawyers, judges
- &quot;Law&quot; enforcement

All that to show that slavery didn't exist in a bubble with just the owners and the slaves while everyone else outside the bubble remained untouched by the institution.

[halfwaytree]

Re: When kin of slaves and owners meet...

Although I'm not certain,I suspect I am a product of ancestors who were both slave owners or overseers as well as slaves. Whoever they were or whatever they did is out of my control. They are long dead.

If some of my relatives were evil despicable people then I guess the higher power will deal with them accordingly. All I can do is make my way through this life the best way I know how and be accountable for my own actions or lack thereof.

[bigbooie]

Re: When kin of slaves and owners meet...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BlackStar</div><div class="ubbcode-body">To answer the &quot;my family didn't own slaves&quot; trope, it is more than likely that many non-slave holders were overseers, slave catchers, and participated in lynch mobs - active players in supporting an economy based on slavery then sharecropping.

All the descendants of these participants including the slave owners benefited from Jim Crow laws, New Deal programs, etc. which were explicitly designed to prevent tax paying black people from exercising their rights as citizens.

ETA: More participants in the slave economy who didn't necessarily own slaves:
- Slave ship captains
- Slave ship sailors
- Dock workers
- Auctioneers
- Notaries, lawyers, judges
- &quot;Law&quot; enforcement

All that to show that slavery didn't exist in a bubble with just the owners and the slaves while everyone else outside the bubble remained untouched by the institution.
</div></div> Thank you

[diabolical_Tanya]

Re: When kin of slaves and owners meet...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Curmudgeon_Milo</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Although I'm not certain,I suspect I am a product of ancestors who were both slave owners or overseers as well as slaves. Whoever they were or whatever they did is out of my control. They are long dead.

If some of my relatives were evil despicable people then I guess the higher power will deal with them accordingly. All I can do is make my way through this life the best way I know how and be accountable for my own actions or lack thereof.



</div></div> same way if my living relatives were john wayne gacy or Paul Bernardo

[Ja. Jewel]

Re: When kin of slaves and owners meet...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: diabolical_Tanya</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Curmudgeon_Milo</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Although I'm not certain,I suspect I am a product of ancestors who were both slave owners or overseers as well as slaves. Whoever they were or whatever they did is out of my control. They are long dead.

If some of my relatives were evil despicable people then I guess the higher power will deal with them accordingly. All I can do is make my way through this life the best way I know how and be accountable for my own actions or lack thereof.



</div></div> same way if my living relatives were john wayne gacy or Paul Bernardo </div></div>

Exactly!

[lonewolf]

Re: When kin of slaves and owners meet...

[quote=BlackStar]To answer the &quot;my family didn't own slaves&quot; trope, it is more than likely that many non-slave holders were overseers, slave catchers, and participated in lynch mobs - active players in supporting an economy based on slavery then sharecropping.

All the descendants of these participants including the slave owners benefited from Jim Crow laws, New Deal programs, etc. which were explicitly designed to prevent tax paying black people from exercising their rights as citizens.

ETA: More participants in the slave economy who didn't necessarily own slaves:
- Slave ship captains
- Slave ship sailors
- Dock workers
- Auctioneers
- Notaries, lawyers, judges
- &quot;Law&quot; enforcement

All that to show that slavery didn't exist in a bubble with just the owners and the slaves while everyone else outside the bubble remained untouched by the institution.
[/quote


Says who? I have to call this BS.