Thank you for including this part of your family's history in your writing and research. I wish everyone would. We don't have to be proud of it for it to be worth documenting; in fact, in my opinion it's one of the most impactful things we can do in genealogy.
I agree that it is important to share this information, however, uncomfortable. I have been making a careful note of the enslaved and enslavers I have come across in my family history research. There is a Research Directory on the BeyondKin website where you can upload information so that it is available to others - https://beyondkin.org/enslaved-populations-research-directory/ . I have been trying to get into the habit of adding information there as I find it, although I haven't been working on that side of my tree for a while. Too many projects on the go and not enough time.
Important research and reminds me of Baynard Woods book, Inheritance: An Autobiography of Whiteness. He hadn't known about the enslaver after whom he had been named in his family tree.
Same in my line, Tad. I have to go to my 4GG to reveal it, but it's there, complete with a plantation in western NC. My first/last name was his name.
My 3GG was a staunch abolitionist and hard-core Unionist. He founded Yankeetown, Indiana. My paternal grandfather was named Union. But from 4GG on, slave owners were prevalent.
Thank you for including this part of your family's history in your writing and research. I wish everyone would. We don't have to be proud of it for it to be worth documenting; in fact, in my opinion it's one of the most impactful things we can do in genealogy.
I agree that it is important to share this information, however, uncomfortable. I have been making a careful note of the enslaved and enslavers I have come across in my family history research. There is a Research Directory on the BeyondKin website where you can upload information so that it is available to others - https://beyondkin.org/enslaved-populations-research-directory/ . I have been trying to get into the habit of adding information there as I find it, although I haven't been working on that side of my tree for a while. Too many projects on the go and not enough time.
I'll have to take a look and see what I can add!
Important research and reminds me of Baynard Woods book, Inheritance: An Autobiography of Whiteness. He hadn't known about the enslaver after whom he had been named in his family tree.
Same in my line, Tad. I have to go to my 4GG to reveal it, but it's there, complete with a plantation in western NC. My first/last name was his name.
My 3GG was a staunch abolitionist and hard-core Unionist. He founded Yankeetown, Indiana. My paternal grandfather was named Union. But from 4GG on, slave owners were prevalent.