Speaker 1: Right now though, it's time for the Way Black History Fact.
Speaker 1: In today's Way Black History Fact, we're going to talk
Speaker 1: about the Black origins, the family union. There's always The
Speaker 1: Way Black History Fact is sponsored by Underground Beach Club.
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Speaker 1: in time for well, I guess it might be a
Speaker 1: little past Thanksgiving now, but you know, families are getting
Speaker 1: together in time for Thanksgiving, holidays, the holiday seas and
Speaker 1: then of course Christmas. You know, Thanksgiving, families getting together.
Speaker 1: I'm going to share a bit from the National Museum
Speaker 1: of African American History and Culture slash Smithsonian. All right.
Speaker 1: As waves of emancipation swept through the country, coinciding with
Speaker 1: the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment, guaranteeing enslaved individuals their freedom,
Speaker 1: many African Americans sought to reunite with lost family members
Speaker 1: and to define family roles and responsibilities in ways they
Speaker 1: belie best suited their new circumstances. Their efforts highlighted the
Speaker 1: importance of family as a as foundational to their status
Speaker 1: as free people. With the end of slavery, Searching for
Speaker 1: family members who had been separated or sold away became
Speaker 1: the focus of many formerly enslaved individuals. The number of
Speaker 1: years of separation did not deter people from hoping to
Speaker 1: reunite with lost loved ones. Wow newspaper advertisements, letters, and
Speaker 1: word of mouth were all employed as part of the search.
Speaker 1: The hope was that a positive response might lead to
Speaker 1: a reunion with family members. However, the transition to a
Speaker 1: freedman was not an easy one. Enslaved individuals had been
Speaker 1: stripped of their names, rights, and identity. This created numerous
Speaker 1: challenges as families, married, couples, parents, and children attempted to
Speaker 1: locate one another. Enslaved individuals often have names selected for
Speaker 1: them by their enslaver. Freedom provided the opportunity to make
Speaker 1: a choice, pick a new name or retain the previous one.
Speaker 1: Many individuals chose to adopt a new name that represented
Speaker 1: their new status and desire to control how others addressed them.
Speaker 1: Formal marriage ceremonies were not encouraged by slaveholders and were
Speaker 1: a rarity for the enslaved. With freedom, many formerly enslaved
Speaker 1: men and women participated in official ceremonies to reinforce their
Speaker 1: commitment to one another or for legal purposes. As husbands
Speaker 1: and wives, they also renegotiated their roles together. As free people,
Speaker 1: African American women faced a struggle to gain respect for
Speaker 1: their rights as wives, mothers, and women both within and
Speaker 1: outside their communities. Their quest for equal status was questioned.
Speaker 1: Among other things, they were denied the right to vote,
Speaker 1: scrutinized if they chose not to work, and subjected to
Speaker 1: harassment and physical abuse. Defining and defending their place within
Speaker 1: American society remained a challenge throughout the years after the
Speaker 1: end of slavery. Enslaved parents had no legal rights to
Speaker 1: that their children their offspring could be taken away and
Speaker 1: expected to obey the orders of others despite the preferences
Speaker 1: of their parents. As free people, African Americans resisted outside
Speaker 1: efforts to undermine their parental authority or to take children
Speaker 1: away through court order to apprenticeships to a white person.
Speaker 1: They wanted to ensure their influence and love were the
Speaker 1: most important factors in their children's lives, while newly freed
Speaker 1: endeavored to reunite with their loved ones. Despite these challenges,
Speaker 1: in many cases, newspapers and letters weren't enough to prompt
Speaker 1: a reunion. Ultimately, the separation of family proved to be
Speaker 1: so affected effective a tool of oppression to disempower African
Speaker 1: Americans that its legacy persisted long after the abolishment of slavery.
Speaker 1: The drive to discover and reinforce family connections has continued
Speaker 1: to guide the African American community through the tradition of
Speaker 1: family reunions. At these celebratory events, family histories recounted, traditions
Speaker 1: are taught, and bonds are strengthened through shared memories. Reunions
Speaker 1: often held in significant places where a family has historical
Speaker 1: roots or where a new generations have moved and thrived.
Speaker 1: So now you know the slave based African American roots
Speaker 1: to family reunions, it was a necessity, and now all
Speaker 1: people enjoyed food for thought. There