Paula Deen Discovers Her Ancestors Were Slave Owners On 'Who Do You Think You Are?' (VIDEO)

Paula Deen appeared on the season finale of NBC's "Who Do You Think You Are?" and discovered some shocking revelations about her family's past. The hour-long episode showed a side of Deen that made it clear that she has strong attachments to family and place.

In the clip above, Deen learns that her great great great grandfather, John Batts, was a slave owner. "I had said so many times that my family was never involved in slavery," she says. "It is horrific and it is sad." Later, she remarks, "I almost feel like somebody took a bucket of cold water and threw it into my face."

In the full episode, Deen also learns about how the Civil War impacted her ancestors -- John Batts' son died in battle, resulting in the suicide of the father.

Watch the full episode below:

Comments

[Tony JohnsonLA]

08:58 PM on 05/26/2012

Doesn't this dude know she has a bad heart? Is he trying to cause a stroke or a coronary on national T.V.? I'd tune in for that for sure....(just kidding Paula)

[gluten]

09:32 PM on 05/23/2012

Great well written article and a great website. I wish I would of found this website much sooner. I certainly will be bookmarking it and checking back in the near future for more articles.

http://www.felicitysglutenfreehandbook.com

[Yam716]

02:47 PM on 05/23/2012

Don't worry Paula, we don't/won't hold it against ya!

[plusszdiva]

08:48 AM on 05/23/2012

I'm sorry but isn't that every white family in a America....

[Cibeles]

12:23 AM on 05/23/2012

Duh

[imissmydog]

06:55 PM on 05/22/2012

maybe she has more of a connection to Oprah than she thinks??

[ginadeoliveira2008]

06:02 PM on 05/22/2012

Well, she's from the south, wealthy family, farmers. There must at some point have been slaves. That's history.

[romigua]

05:53 PM on 05/22/2012

Surprise Surprise Surprise!!!

[Snapdragon03]

03:17 PM on 05/22/2012

No joke! That's probably where the butter fixation started: in her heritage. Those poor slaves were probably churning night and day. :(

[jefechip]

04:34 PM on 05/22/2012

You beat me to it with the butter fixation thing, you hit it spot on. Paula is a nice person and her cooking is great if you're looking for a heart attack!

[Snapdragon03]

06:23 PM on 05/22/2012

Sorry bout that...but when I see or hear about P. Deen, for some reason, "butter' comes immediately to my mind.  :)

[Thea Hawkins]

01:21 PM on 05/22/2012

I'm sooooo shocked,,,,really!

[Cold Comfort Farm]

11:35 AM on 05/22/2012

When we think of those who owned slaves, the first image that pops up are the wealthier plantation owners that had a couple dozen up to a couple hundred. I never thought differently til a few years ago, when I read a local published 1850's journal of a young farmer whose wife had 'inherited' a young male slave from her father's small estate. The journal is fascinating; this farmer and "Ed" worked side by side, sun-up to sundown, season in, season out, weather permitting. Thomas wasn't an elaborate talker, a simple man, seemed kind to his family and close to Ed. No political or intimate thoughts, but just simple jottings of his daily life. The journal ended in 1859 - wish I knew what happened to them. Yeah, some not-so-wealthy owned slaves.

[FGDinVA]

11:17 AM on 05/22/2012

My great-grandfather, who died in 1912, had attempted to chronicle his paternal family history from the time that his grandfather (a staunch Protestant) had come over from Ireland in the 1700s (in time to fight against the British in the Revolutionary War). Apparently, he was quite a curmudgeon, and was owed money by a man who offered him a slave women in payment. When GGG-GF refused, he said he would sell her and then give him the money. That bothered him too, so he agreed to take her on, considering her to be "indentured".

As time went on, the woman had children (no one said by whom), and at the time of GGG-GF's death in 1830, he had not freed them. So his son, my GG-GF, secured their manumission papers, gave them money, and they moved to Rhode Island to become successful milliners. Whenever they were in Washington DC, they would go and visit him. They even marched in his funeral procession, which leads me to believe that they were actually family.

I wish I could find out if their family is still in Rhode Island, or whatever happened to them. No matter how uncomfortable the circumstances would be regarding our connection (particularly if the connection was forced), I would love to know if we are related and how they are doing.

[jefechip]

04:37 PM on 05/22/2012

Try checking out the records from Ellis Island for an ancestor and begin checking records in RI, at genealogical websites etc. You will be amazed at what you will find with a little diligence.
Keep in mind that if there were any progeny that were black, they were often counted as "chattel" and not people.

[FGDinVA]

05:11 PM on 05/22/2012

Thanks. But none of my ancestors emigrated through Ellis Island, nor did they emigrate here as slaveholders. But you did give me an idea to check the RI census records for the name of the mother and her daughter. I have their first and last names.

[FGDinVA]

05:31 PM on 05/22/2012

OMG! I think I found the daughter! The middle name of her daughter is the same as her mother, and the surname listed for her is a match too!

[hali269711]

10:13 AM on 05/22/2012

Slavery was an historical fact, she should not be held responsible for what her ancestors may have done.

[Snapdragon03]

03:18 PM on 05/22/2012

True.

[hjo4]

09:29 PM on 05/22/2012

Surely someone should be held responsible for one of the worst atrocities committed against one group of people by our government. Congressman Keith Ellison gave an excellent interview on Reparations. This is a topic that the country should have intelligently.

Rep. Keith Ellison: ‘We Were Held In Slavery Longer Than We’ve Been Free’

http://newsone.com/2016627/black-reparations-keith-ellison-interview/

[kelly1038]

11:51 AM on 12/27/2012

Then if it is reparations you want then I say we can pay you but you have to go back to your homeland never to return, because you refuse to move forward and will never cease nursing this grudge.

[Chuck Durden]

08:36 AM on 05/22/2012

We should have picked our own damn cotton

[Snapdragon03]

03:18 PM on 05/22/2012

:)

[scottfxx]

08:12 AM on 05/22/2012

Oh, honey- let's tell the truth- all anyone has to do is walk into the restaurant kitchen and have a look around! Guess who's making all that chicken and collard greens for her? (big hint: It's not the Lady or any of the Sons!) The chunky, butter coated, deep fried, velveeta cheese sauced fruit doesn't fall far from the tree, ya know!