Did members of your family "own" slaves?

I know that neither the branch of my family that’s been here since the 1600s nor the branch of my family that came over in the early 1800s owned slaves on this continent. I don’t think they owned slaves before that, as they lived in countries where slavery was illegal, but I couldn’t say for certain.

I really do not know. I know my family tree goes back to Ireland and don’t know if that was going on there. If I did know, I don’t see how knowing that would make a differance. As for myself and present family we are all people lovers and accept everyone.

No. My ancestors were way too poor. My father’s family were essentially slaves. His family came over from France and were endentured slaves. They had to work for 15 years in order to pay for their passage to the United States. My maiden last name is Seaux. Originally it was Seau, but when my ancestors came over they could not read or write. They signed with an x. We have copies of their agreement where the people they served wrote Seau and then they signed with their x. Over the years, the spelling of the name changed to Seaux.

What most people don’t realize is that slaves were very expensive. Most people could never afford them.

My mother’s family was from England. They were sharecroppers in the South. They farmed the land, but never owned it.

Au contraire. My grandparents had to face the signs that said “No Jews, no Irish need apply.”

I don’t know of any such thing in the branches I know the history of. My family history is relatively free of associations with recent atrocities and injustices except for US military actions from WW2 and later (and then only by being in country – no bombardiers or economists in the family).

One paternal side has been here since before the revolution, but in and around Boston. The other paternal side was from the deep south, and there was at least one Southern Belle in there (disowned for marrying a sharecropper!). So I assume her and/or her ancestors owned slaves.

I don’t think about it at all, actually. I had to think back when you asked the question and go down the lines. But thinking about it, it doesn’t particularly bother me. I’m sure plenty of my ancestors, couched in their own cultural contexts, did things that I find immoral and would condemn someone for doing today. I take it not as a reason to condemn our ancestors, but to laud our civilization for how far it’s come in such a short time. I imagine our great-great-grandchildren will be looking back on some of our actions and attitudes and asking similar questions.

yes. and some members of my family were slaves as well. so as far as my internal and external conversations go, they’re complex. but whatever moral/ethical rules my ancestors lived by, they’ve been filtered through generations to help form the principles i live my life by today (which oppose oppression)

I know mine did but I also know that I’m 1/ 8th black. I don’t put too much thought in to slavery though because i know I didn’t own any and it was just the way of life back then and I had no say so but as ive figured some folks in my family were pretty fond of their help because I’m 1/8th

mine still does

Unfortunately, yes. My brother recently did some genealogy work and discovered that our great-great-great-grandfather “owned several families of slaves, many of whom belonged to the same churches as he did.” Even though my parents and grandparents are very respectable, good-hearted people, I’m afraid the legacy of slavery has lived on in their relatively backwards views on race. I was a senior in college before I recognized my own very backwards views and began a journey toward tolerance. I’m far from perfect, but I’m a much better man because of my increased tolerance and empathy for my fellow human beings – ALL of them.

Yes I found a will in which one of my forefathers owned slaves. Most of my forgathers were too poor to own a horse more less a slave. The one that did own slaves set them free upon his death but they stayed with one of his sons who gave them everything he had upon his death. I have no problems with that because that’s how it was back then and I never owned anyone. To feel personal remorse for that would be stupid in my opinion. I don’t blame my Japanese friends for the attack on Pearl Harbor. I don’t blame my Italian friends for Jesus’ crusifiction. I don’t blame my German friends for Hitler’s crimes. I think each person is accountable for their own doings. I don’t except blame or credit for the things my forefathers have done.