Michelle Obama's Slave Ancestors Discovered

Seattle Times:

Tiny wooden cabins line the dirt road once known as Slave Street as it winds through Friendfield Plantation.

More than 200 slaves lived in the whitewashed shacks in the early 1800s, and some of their descendants remained for more than 100 years after the Civil War. The last tenants abandoned the hovels about 30 years ago, and even they would have struggled to imagine a distant daughter of the plantation one day calling the White House home.

But a historical line can be drawn from these Low Country cabins to Michelle Obama, charting an American family's improbable journey through slavery, segregation, the civil-rights movement and a historic presidential election.

Read the whole story: Seattle Times

Comments

[Indie2008]

That's an inspiring, amazing story. She should be very proud of her family's accomplishments.

[jdmba]

Okay, I'm shaking my head and following DaisyDooks lead, and walking away from this room.

SMH. It's too deep.

[FaceYourFears]

For some reason I just thought of Richard Pryor's movie "Which Way is Up"!

[Midnightrain]

First we had to establish our African-ness, now this? C'mon!

[ZimboChick]

I cant read the whole article but who made this 'say it aint so!' discovery?

[Lisette]

No wonder Michelle Obama is such a remarkable woman.

[FebM]

And yet the sons and daughters of some of the slave owners more than anyone else lifted this lady and her man to the presidency, with their money, hrs, voices and votes. Hail USA!

[jdmba]

Eh, I wouldn't be so quick to go there.

[robXdion]

Yeah and it was like pulling teeth. Thank you for your merciful white benevolence. You're bragging about finally treating blacks like competent equals in 2008? Obama and Michelle had to bite their tongues completely off and walk on egg shells while whites worked through their pyschodrama of considering a black president. People were still seriously considering McCain until Palin's Katie Couric interviews and the economy tanked. You don't get a "Scooby Snack" for doing the right thing when it's convenient.

[kas70]

Quite possibly the best response I've read in MONTHS - possibly longer. Well done!

[jdmba]

I heart you!! LOLOLOL

My thought was, "So now whites are going to try to take credit for it??" PUH-LEEZE!

[lionsforlambs]

I love this comment. LOL. Well said. "You don't get a Scooby Snack for doing the right thing when it's convenient." I must use that comment at work.

[FaceYourFears]

BAM!

[chitown8]

Best Post Tonight!

[HerbTee]

Well, don't go patting yourself on the back too much skippy. Look at the political choices Whites actually had. A fumbling, washed up, broken down old man and a di.tzy i.d.i.o.t in heels and designer skirts versus an intelligent, eloquent, well-spoken, well-educated and cerebral Black man. Yet, many Whites still had trouble voting for him even when it was clear he was the better candidate. Should we be thankful many Whites had enough sense to vote for Obama or should we be thankful that Whites voted for a Black man at all?

[FaceYourFears]

Funny, a couple of posters are tracing family roots in La. (I have family in La.).....for those who've been asking what's the big deal, not knowing the origin of your family and who you may be related to is THE BIG DEAL!

[Americanium]

Welcome to the club...

[ELReinhard]

Michelle Rocks!

[doublels]

This story has generated some great comments & interaction with people. Here, here to all of us!!
I wonder how long it will take or what it will take for what has happened in the past (slavery, attempted extermination of the Native Americans) will be "over"....I don't mean forgotten...but will there come a time when being black, white, Asian or anything other trait won't mean a darn thing. We'll all just be "people". I hope Obama can get us on that track.

[FearlessFraz]

Well Said!

[Leslib]

And how proud they must all be to see the fine woman she has turned out to be. Elegant, intelligent...the picture of grace.

[Citizen-Jane]

I loved the line "maybe that's probably why they are so smart" because they learned to READ.

But this is so rich on so many levels. Michelle Obama can trace her roots back to South Cakalac.....If you only knew you would be LY@O. Some (Not all) South Carolinians are probably sick to their stomachs right now. Wondering when is it going to stop.?...I can only imagine the amount of bodies spinning in their graves right now.

South Carolina!?!....This can only be topped if it turned out that she was Elvis's half sister.

On the serious side this is a remarkable american story. Michelle your ancestors are so proud of you.
Many of all races here and all over the world are so proud and happy for you too.
What a man Barack is to do this for his wife.

[Indie2008]

At one time, New York was second only to South Carolina in its number of slaves.The South was defined by it's legacy of slavery because it thrived longer there, and was the major focus of the Civil War.

[BlackWidowPilot]

And beyond with Jim Crow and Segregation.

Leland R. Erickson

Citizen

[robXdion]

Meanwhile. . . . .

While some are saying "blacks should just get over it" and "stop talking about it", we have a 7th grade teacher who binds 2 black students and puts them under a desk to simulate slave ship conditions. One student didn't consent to this lesson, the mother is livid, the NAACP is involved and the teacher apologizes "if anyone or the student was offended". The teacher hasn't been disciplined, removed, nothing. But the student has been moved to a different class.

http://wcbstv.com/watercooler/slavery.haverstraw.middle.2.880370.html
.

[FaceYourFears]

WHAT!!!!!

[robXdion]

The video for the story is on that site too. Somewhere in the middle at the top right side.

[doublels]

That is really awful. Stupid, stupid teacher.

[woodcut]

Maybe it's time for the National Assoc. for the Advancement of Colored People to change its name.
Folks, like my Mom, are confused about what words are acceptable.

[robXdion]

I've been saying that since the 80's. The older crowd that run it are hanging on to old injuries even in naming their organization. Nostalgia and defiance. Sometimes they covered other minorities, so that kinda covers the "people of color" thing. But they don't do it nearly enough.

[StillIRise]

That's like saying, let's change the name of the National Audubon Society or the National Association of Women, both traditional and historic names that speak to our national story. The NAACP is no less traditional and historic, and changing its name to accommodate those who are more intimidated or uncomfortable by the name itself, than they are willing or able to understand what the name represents, particularly to people of color, would be insane!

I think we all know what's acceptable and what's unacceptable in our society today, and perhaps the best way to know what to call us (i.e. black people) is to listen to what we call ourselves, with the exception of those of us who use the N-word, which is not acceptable even to most black people, certainly not to those of us who are as old as your Mom. But please don't ask us to change the names of the honored institutions that speak to our story in America, simply because it confuses you.

[DeniseD]

This is such a pretty picture of Michelle. She must be watching Barack give a speech.

[learnsomething]

Yes, maybe she's listening to the president-elect give a speech. She is so attention when he talks.

[EarthToZoey]

Wow. Such an amazing story. I hope that the commenters below who consider this "rehashing the past" understand how important it is to *remember* history. Not everyone is old enough to have experienced the civil rights' era. There may even be people who are new to our country who aren't familiar with the depth of emotion that came from that chapter in our nation's history. Even if this is all "familiar territory" to some, it's important history and should never be forgotten. How can we understand each other and move forward if we don't take the time to learn from each other?

I am so proud to call Michelle Obama our next First Lady, with or without her ancestry.

[FaceYourFears]

Zoey--I was digging everything you said tilll I got to "with or without her ancestry". Without her slave ancestry, there would be NO MICHELLE...IT MATTERS!

[EarthToZoey]

Oh, of course it matters! :) Excellent point; none of us would be here today without our ancestors. What I mean is that Michelle Obama, as a woman unto herself, is a woman to be proud of. Knowing more about her ancestry makes her that much more remarkable. But yes, point taken.