Cultural Gumbo, Our Roots, Our Stories

Book excerpt: There is no subject in the world more stereotypical than slavery of African Americans. This book is about four families: my mother and father’s families and my husband’s mother and father’s families, dating back to the era before slaves were brought out of Africa. Historically, our families evolved on a continuous basis and have proven to have been strong, resilient people, whose hopes and dreams were not easily squelched. We have researched the backgrounds of these relatives who were a part of the Atlantic slave trade because I want my children and grandchildren as well as the world to know who their ancestors were. I want them to know under what circumstances they came to America and finally became citizens with voting rights, educational and financial privileges, marital rights, and freedom. I want to clear up the misrepresentation and confusion of facts about slavery and the black man’s worth. Slaves over the last two thousand years have become a misnomer to our young people’s minds, and there is little knowledge of this period. Many civilizations and nations have been involved in slavery during the course of history. Contemporary records and archival documents were sought in an effort to reach greater heights of authenticity, enhance ancestral reality, and relate the facts to younger generations.