Kellie Farrish, a genealogist specializing in the histories of enslaved ancestors, and Kate Baron-Alicante, a financial activist with a focus on social change, join the discussion. They delve into the emotional turmoil of reconciling modern identities with painful ancestral legacies. Kellie reveals how reparative genealogy can unlock hidden family stories, while Kate reflects on her family's ties to slavery. Together, they explore the significance of forgiveness and communal healing in addressing America's complex history.
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insights INSIGHT
Unseen Legacy of Slaveholding
Many white American families have slaveholding ancestors, highlighting deep historical ties to slavery across influential institutions.
Genealogical research can reveal uncomfortable truths that challenge family narratives and require personal reckoning.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Turning Plessy v. Ferguson Into Friendship
Keith Plessy and Phoebe Ferguson, descendants of figures in the Plessy v. Ferguson case, met and transformed historical conflict into friendship.
They founded an organization promoting unity and education about their shared history, reframing the divisive legacy of segregation.
insights INSIGHT
Power of Reparative Genealogy
Reparative genealogy helps uncover lost family histories and facilitates healing conversations between descendants of enslaved people and enslavers.
This work challenges erasure and creates a platform for acknowledging the past to shape a better future.
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The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be
Katy Milkman
In this ground-breaking book, Katy Milkman reveals a proven path to help readers move from where they are to where they want to be. Drawing on her original research and the work of her world-renowned scientific collaborators, Milkman shares strategic methods for identifying and overcoming common barriers to change, such as impulsivity, procrastination, and forgetfulness. The book offers innovative approaches like 'temptation bundling,' using timely reminders, and creating 'set-it-and-forget-it systems' to make change more achievable. It emphasizes the importance of tailoring solutions to specific roadblocks and using science to stack the deck in favor of successful change.
In the third installment of our series Living at Odds, How To!’s Courtney Martin examines what it’s like being in conflict with your family history. She talks with ancestors of the famous names in Plessy v. Ferguson, the Supreme Court decision that affirmed racial segregation in the U.S. as “separate but equal.” Later, researcher Kellie Farrish explains how reparative genealogy can unlock family history that’s been lost or erased—and bring together descendants of enslaved people and their enslavers into conversations about the past, present, and future.
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
This episode was produced by Maura Currie and Rosie Belson. Our technical director is Merritt Jacob, who composed original music for this series. Our supervising producer is Joel Meyer. Thank you to Dahlia Lithwick of Amicus and Sophie Summergrad for their help with this episode.
Special thanks to The Hearthland Foundation, which provided funding for Living at Odds.
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