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We welcome you to our conversation with Lee Hawkins as he talks to us about the examination of his family’s legacy of post-enslavement trauma and resilience.
We welcome you to our conversation with journalist and author Lee Hawkins as he talks to us about the examination of his family’s legacy of post-enslavement trauma and resilience in this riveting memoir, I Am Nobody's Slave: How Uncovering My Family’s History Set Me Free.
I Am Nobody’s Slave tells the story of one Black family's pursuit of the American Dream through the impacts of systemic racism and racial violence. This book examines how trauma from enslavement and Jim Crow shaped their outlook on thriving in America, influenced each generation, and how they succeeded despite these challenges.
To their suburban Minnesotan neighbors, the Hawkinses were an ideal American family, embodying strength and success. However, behind closed doors, they faced the legacy of enslavement and apartheid. Lee Hawkins, Sr. often exhibited rage, leaving his children anxious and curious about his protective view of the world. Thirty years later, his son uncovered the reasons for his father’s anxiety and occasional violence. Through research, he discovered violent deaths in his family for every generation since slavery, mostly due to white-on-Black murders, and how white enslavers impacted the family’s customs.
Hawkins explores the role of racism-triggered childhood trauma and chronic stress in shortening his ancestors' lives, using genetic testing, reporting, and historical data to craft a moving family portrait. This book shows how genealogical research can educate and heal Americans of all races, revealing through their story the story of America—a journey of struggle, resilience, and the heavy cost of ultimate success. Register today to join the conversation!
AGE GROUP: | Adults |
EVENT TYPE: | Miscellaneous |
The Bridgeport Public Library is located in Bridgeport, WV. The City of Bridgeport began providing financial support for the library in the mid-1970s. The library was then located on the top floor of the Benedum Civic Center on Main Street. In 1994 the citizens and businesses of Bridgeport raised over 1.3 million dollars to purchase and renovate the Allstate Insurance building on Johnson Avenue. It then became the Bridgeport Public Library. The library offers a variety of services and resources including books, eBooks, audiobooks, movies, music, magazines, online databases, and more!
