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Not everything here is a conversation with an ancestor. Some essays are about history. Some are about the present. Some are about what it costs to look honestly at where you came from — and what it might be worth. All of them are part of the same project.

It Didn't Start in Nazi Germany. It Started Here.

It Didn't Start in Nazi Germany. It Started Here.

Take note, my fellow white folks – those thugs in Minneapolis aren’t the Gestapo – they’re the Klan.

The Confederate Flag in the Hallway

The Confederate Flag in the Hallway

Comanche, Texas, October 1932

Start Here: The Healing White History Reading Order

Start Here: The Healing White History Reading Order

Below are three different reading paths from which to choose, from a brief introduction, to a quick sampler, to the full arc.

Discovering the Story of Race

Discovering the Story of Race

I was 51 years old when I learned that race is just a story that white people created to protect their wealth and power.

“How Can I Do This Without Records?” — A Reader Asks

“How Can I Do This Without Records?” — A Reader Asks

A Case Study in the Method

Confronting Charley

Confronting Charley

My Puritan ancestors said they had 'no choice.' Here's what the record actually shows.

Confronting My Racist Ancestors: The Method

Confronting My Racist Ancestors: The Method

Guilt without specificity goes nowhere. Here's a better way.

The Slave Trader in My Family Tree

The Slave Trader in My Family Tree

Everything changed when I read two sentences buried deep in an ancestor’s biography.

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Aunt Med Hamilton with Russell and Eva - c. 1935.jpg

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