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

[Yaa]

It seems to me that if Michelle Obama wanted or needed her genealogy told, she would tell it herself. This article seems to be a gross invasion of privacy.
Do we really need to have assorted reporters studying and writing about every "famous" person's ancestors?
I'd rather celebrate Michelle and Barack Obama for who they are--decent, loving, talented Americans that have earned the right to occupy the White House.

[glorialovelace]

According to the original article, "Barack Obama's campaign hired genealogists to research the family's roots at the onset of his presidential bid, but aides largely have kept the findings secret."

I think family histories are fascinating. Maybe Obama thinks so too.

[LarBear]

Thanks for the Article... I read it all... Fascinating journey... I have never liked the "don't say bad things about our shared History" believers... As some old Ads said, "We've come a long ways"...

Since some mistakenly insist WE are a Christian Nation, I guess this speaks to our Christian, Slave owning, History??? (NOTE: If being Christian Founded is as good a deal as Christian's are want to claim, how did WE get to where WE are??? Must be as the Biblical God intended I guess...

I.E.: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." Constitution: First Amendment...

WE the People, regardless of skin color, Ethnicity, have come a long way and WE will continue to make progress, I Believe, because WE don't tend to give up on the Spirit in common, that motivates us from within...

As one of 7 different Ethnic Nationalities blended into a Family, perhaps Ethnic Labels never meant a whole lot to me... I remember when I was overseas, the surprise, and fascination, of people meeting someone of such a blend of Ethnic heritage... ( English, Irish, Dutch, Welsh, French, German, and Cherokee... ) Many had only known, their whole life, only people of their same Ethnic background...

[bbridges1962]

I am sure that some of my relatives died under Hitlers little maneuver...maybe someone will give me a settlement of cash for that.

[Freesia2]

That would be something that you'd need to talk to the German government about.

Regardless, I'm sorry if you lost family there.

[serindipity803]

May of us lost family and friends due to Hitlers 'camps' and the Japanese 'camps. The depravity was horrendous and that is on them!. American slavery and injustice to the Native American is a whole different ballgame and it is on us!

[dadw5boys]

That is the same town that the KKK tried to burn people out of many times over the years.

The citizens of the town often had to hide in the woods at night from the klan and the Police.

[serindipity803]

The KKK is the mentality and 'group' I want to watch go down forever!

[tigs]

Well to the first Mrs Robinson well done ,you suffered as a slave but you gave America a beautiful First Lady with a fine family, maybe you helped build The White House in your time , so justice is done.

[BiGnBulKY]

xD

[JennieB]

Indeed. :-)

[roshni]

Absolutely. Michelle Obama is a testament to the spirit of her ancestors and I am proud to have her as my first lady.

[lisabanks]

Great story, love history!

[FatherKindly]

Stories like this remind us how momentous this election is. And, judging from some of the comments, we need to be reminded.

[C IH8U2]

And in other news today scientists have discovered that grass is green, the sky is blue, and the sun is a big hugh burning ball of gas.

[ManUnitdFan]

Someone should tell Hugh. That sounds painful.

[LaMees]

Giggles!

[C IH8U2]

Damm those typos :-P

[Freesia2]

rofl

[robXdion]

But Michelle can't talk about that or the rac.ism she's faced because that'll hurt someone's feelings and they'll think revenge is in order. So we'll just continue to ignore recent history or act like the slaves had a grand ole time and lived happily ever after. Even the congressional apology was scrubbed from the news and buried on this site.

[Freesia2]

Maybe now that he's President, people will talk more because with his election it means things really have changed or really on the way to it, and people won't be so loathe or even frightened to look back and talk truth. Just a thought.

[robXdion]

I think Obama is too timid and scared to address those issues. He just wants to wash over it and "move on" because keeping whites happy is paramount to his political survival. That's dismissive and does nothing to address current problems that sprung out of that.

[Digeeedad]

Or.... she'll have Sean Hannity constantly remind his audiences, as he did after Michelle's eloquent and moving speech at the DNC that "Don't you believe it ladies and gentlemen! EVERYTHING that Michelle Obama said was scripted, PURE HOLLYWOOD! NEVER forget that this is an angry black woman"!

[Freesia2]

Oh what a useless twit he is. Michelle Obama is one of the least angry women, black or white, I've ever seen. Now if Sean Hannity really wants to see an angry woman, he should check in with me almost any time he speaks. No - everytime - he speaks. If that's what he does. His screeching is like no other sound in the galaxy.

[personalpolitical]

Ya think? I figured they were wealthy, landed Southern aristocracy.

[cmar]

In other words, Michelle Obama is the quintessential all-American woman. You better recognize!

[DamageControl]

i really dislike stories like this.

[ricitizen]

Why. It's history and will be written about in history books now and in the future. What's the problem?

[robXdion]

It's damage that can't be controlled anymore.

[DamageControl]

i guess i resent the fact that the only reason why we're talking about it in the first place is because she is now famous. Before that no one could care less. Plus it's just depressing.

[cmar]

Dont forget to mention her slave-owner heritage also. Draw that line to the White House also, whydontcha?

[bbridges1962]

Yes, and then you should spade or neuter every relative of that slave owner.

[uglicoyote]

How do you "spade" someone? Hit them with a shovel? Ignoramus.

[maori]

Is this really necessary?

[robXdion]

More denial, huh?

Just close your eyes, hold your hands over your ears and say, lalalalala­lalalalala­lalala!!!

[ricitizen]

Yes. It is good to know the history of our country. It reminds us of were we've come from, what we've over come and what we can do not to repeat the mistakes. It reminds us of our strength! It is a tragic and great story.

[white mende man]

yes it is. just as it is necessary to trace back rich folks lineage.

[monicaangela]

You'd have to trace Michelle twice then, she's one of those rich folks you're talking about, and I don't just mean the amount of money she has.

[wmafoune]

Yeah its necessary to know for us Blacks because we were separated so its a relieve when we can trace it. Just like whites knows they are from Ireland, Germany, or wherever else...Its important to know which part of the continents we came from and where in American our ancestors landed....... SO ITS NECESSESARY....

[bbridges1962]

maori, you have entered the forbidden land...it was bound to happen, and I thought it would happen before this. I imagine we should start having the yankee-rebel debates again also.

[drock973]

They're still alive?