Speaking Truth is a platform created by Rea Bennett, Michael Zirulnik, and Bobby Walker that invites the descendants of enslavers to examine their lineage and begin the process of making amends. In 2024, the creators of Speaking Truth gifted fifty-two individual oral histories that tell some of these stories to the Center for Family History at the International African American Museum.
In the description underneath each oral history, information including names of the enslaved and the enslavers has been pulled and is listed.
Rights
Speaking Truth retains copyright on these records. The digitized copies of the records are in the public domain and intended solely for free, public access. Any usage of the digitized copy of these records should be cited as coming from the Center for Family History at the International African American Museum in Charleston, South Carolina, United States per Speaking Truth. See speakingtruth.org.
Allison Pharr discusses one of her enslaving ancestors, Robert Pitt, who sat on the House of Burgesses, and how her family actively participated in the slave trade. She also reflects on how this has impacted her thinking moving forward.
Tony Grant discusses learning about the history of his family, the Harlestons, which includes connections to the Ball family. He mentions first learning about this from his aunt, Edwina "Gussie" August Harleston Whitlock.
Beverly shares her thoughts and emotions about when she discovered that some of her ancestors were enslavers and how this discovery shaped her anti-racism work in the United States, and documenting historical Black communities in the South.
Bonnie Schow discusses beginning her genealogical journey and reflects on finding out that many of her ancestors were enslavers. She shares an anecdote regarding a chancery court case regarding her ancestors and how that has inspired her to learn more about the history of slavery in the United States and her reparative journey.
Caitlin Trussell discusses learning about her family's enslaving history and how she is now actively learn more about reconciliation and the impacts of systemic racism.
Eleanor Harrison Bregman discusses learning more about her family's history of enslaving individuals how she's beginning research on the descendants of those who were enslaved.
Felicia Furman, a descendant of multiple enslavers, including James Clement Furman, who established Furman University, reflects on knowing the history of her family.
Frances Dinkelspiel and Deborah Friedman discuss their misconceptions about the history of enslavement regarding Jewish-Americans and how they're trying to make amends.
Greg Fain discusses learning about the lynching of Mary Turner in Valdosta, Georgia, and that his ancestors were enslavers. He also reflects on the generational trauma of these parts of history.
