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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.

Pilgrimage to Montgomery

Pilgrimage to Montgomery

Built in 1851, the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery served as the Confederacy’s first capital – Jefferson Davis delivered his inaugural address as President there in February 1861.

Becoming the Ancestors We Wish We Had

Becoming the Ancestors We Wish We Had

On April 29, the U.S. Supreme Court issued Louisiana v. Callais, gutting the Voting Rights Act.

The Weak Link

The Weak Link

How White Allies Have Always Let Black Progress Slip Away

They've Been Running This Play for 150 Years

They've Been Running This Play for 150 Years

We start this week where we left off last, with these words from Ava DuVernay: “the tide turns in our favor the instant we decide to see and say for ourselves.

Framework for Healing Your Own White History

Framework for Healing Your Own White History

The Seven Step Process

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.

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