DISCUSSION FORUM

Thanks very much for this documentary. I caught it on the 8pm airing on Rocky Mountain PBS in Denver.

My first reaction - I don't even know how I feel, or what I think about this issue. I simply have not given it consideration in my life. The discussion in the film of how the slave trade in Cuba brought raw materials to the north, which created goods that were distributed throughout the country, has been well documented. But I have never connected with the reality of it. I never connected the dots that those same slaves suffering on ships over the seas, breaking their backs working in the fields, indirectly fed my ancestors, and that their ancestors have never received reparations.

I just don't know what to do about it, or how to feel. I certainly don't know what is to be done.

I'm so glad that this topic has been brought to light.

I applaude the DeWolf decendants for taking such huge steps to begin to rectify; first individually within the steps of healing for the atrocity of slavery. Quite a profound movie!

As a African American proud of my heritage - what little I do know of my own personal ancestry. I was actually suprised that I experienced a great emotional pain in revisiting the paths of my ancestors which actually led them into slavery.

For example, while watching I couldn't help but wonder which of my ancestors may have been part of the million and a half that died at sea, and which family members may have landed as slaves of the eleven million from the DeWolfs and others involved in the business of slavery. And what that experience was for them, and has this journey of slavery endowed me with the strength and tenacity I have as an individual?

Amazing, but yet obiviously still a emotional pain that is very alive in African Americans today, hundreds of years afterwards the pain, guilt, anger ,and racism still exist in me personally and others for sure.

To lbe born in the black experience and to still experience racism on all levels of life here in America, I sincerely hope that this movie will not be ignored and begin to bring dialogue to the table in our communities so that healing can be acknowledged and begin with both races directly involved.

My fear is that if we don't begin to seriously dialogue or move forward with the process at the politcal levels, in our places of worship, community, and in our homes that we will experience another revolution between frustrated indivduals here in America.

History can not be erased - but our future can be shaped by taking the initiatives needed to bring change. Thank you the DeWolf family for your candid truths and sharing and taking the steps to begin the process. Let the healing begin!

I don't know how I feel either, other than - at the very least - thankful that these 9 members of the DeWolf family went on this very private journey into their family and American history so publicly.

It's a wonderful and important piece of American history that they've captured on film for all of us to watch, learn from, and discuss. And I do hope it's a piece that fosters discussion.

The silence is [what's] killing us [all].

Thanks to the previous three commenters.

CDeCourcey, thank you for your honesty in saying that, as an African American, you felt pain watching this film. I've imagined that it would be so, that for many African Americans who view this film, pain would surface, and grief. For white Americans, watching it may raise shame--and grief. Pain hardens quickly to anger, shame to defensiveness. As you observed, we need to talk to each other while the "iron is hot" --so we can share the grief and forge the metal into a new shape together. I'm heartened to believe this is possible.


Elly Hale

Hi Elly,

I have a question for you or for any other member of the family who wishes to answer.

Since the film's completion, what has been the reaction from the DeWolfs (there are hundreds who received that initial letter, right?) who did not accompany you on the trip? Do you know if they've received copies of the film or if they've watched the film? I'd be curious to know what their thoughts are and if they've "come round" to reckoning with this family history by confronting it head-on (as you and the other 8 have/are).

Cheers,
Marisa Williams
Oakland, CA

After watching the film, I don't think that any of the DeWolfs are anywhere near as guilty as some of them think they are with respect to slavery's past and its evil legacy in America today.

I say this because the notion of moral guilt presented and endorsed in the film was assigned exclusively on the bases of ancestry and race, rather than on personal character and behavior. Such collectivist notions of guilt, or of innocence, for that matter, strike me as a recipe for disaster.

Although I applaud the DeWolfs, especially Katrina, for confronting historical wrongs, the film also left me with the impression that some family members were so overwhelmed and personally devastated by their ancestors' deeds and the suffering they caused that it clouded their judgement and left them unable either to place history in perspective or to assign the guilt where it belongs: to people who are long dead.

As I watched the film it struck me that some family members had a deep-seated wish to be forgiven by a black person, any black person. This is where I think they erred. Despite the best intentions, nothing can change the fact that no DeWolf alive today had a hand in the slave trade. In criminal law--at least in a civilized society--people are not brought to account for the deeds of family members, past or present. Why should matters of moral responsibility be any different?

As for matters of apologies and reparations, my take is that the opportunity for doing so credibly was blown long ago. Such things should be done while those directly involved are still alive, as when Reagan apologized to Japanese-Americans who'd been shipped to concentration camps, or when Clinton paid each of them $20,000 (a paltry sum, if you ask me).

If the DeWolfs are guilty, who is innocent? And why stop with matters of slavery? Should every Jew be blamed for crucifying Jesus of Nazareth? Should every German alive one hundred years from now be lumped in with the National Socialists? And what about Muslims in post-9/11America?

We've seen what happens when people are not treated as individual, moral beings but instead are lumped into ancestral, racial or national groups: slavery, the holocaust, Hiroshima, etc. Despite what I feel are the DeWolfs' high moral intentions, I think that their emphasis on group identification as the basis for personal guilt is misplaced and ought to be replaced by the universal principle of individual responsibility for one's deeds, and a commitment to confronting history and its relations to the present in a way that is more objective and less emotional.

[quote="markzimm"]
If the DeWolfs are guilty, who is innocent? And why stop with matters of slavery? Should every Jew be blamed for crucifying Jesus of Nazareth? Should every German alive one hundred years from now be lumped in with the National Socialists? And what (about Muslims in post-9/11America?

Great point Markzimm. This film made me cringe for the elitist Ivy-league DeWolf family, at least those of whom could take several weeks, and spend thousands of dollars, to go on a self-indulgent tour intended to both vilify and idealize their ancestors. (Although they apparently have money from coal, railroad, sugar plantations and other sources to assuage their supposed guilt.)

Maybe they should look at the real life and everyday problems in the inner city, such as education and health care, and focus their time, talents and fortunes there. (Of course , that would not be as glamorous as appearing in a PBS film.)

I didn't think it was a "self-indulgent tour intended to both vilify and idealize their ancestors" at all. And I thought that the fortunes were squandered "long ago" (I think I recall Katrina's narrative saying so).

It's an important piece examining one aspect of one American family's history. We'd all do well and learn much from a similar examination of our own ancestral roots.

As the DeWolfs were an important and powerful family in the early part of our nation, their story is an important and powerful piece of American history. Their story belongs to us all and I'm glad to know it and am appreciative that they chose to share it so publicly. It's far more interesting, I think, to learn about our nation's history through personal stories like this one than simply from a lifeless book. This film made history come alive and demonstrated how we are (all) still very connected and rooted in our past, in the decisions and lives of our ancestors. One way or another.

Let's see ....

Marisa, it's interesting about the other members of the extended DeWolf family. Many of them were supportive of the project from the start, and have continued to be involved, or to support us, throughout this time. Others were, and remain, indifferent, believing that this history, and racial injustice, are not issues with which they need to be concerned. And a very few have been openly skeptical or even antagonistic towards the project.

markzimm, I generally agree with you that guilt should not be involved in any of this, nor should anyone be looking for forgiveness from anyone else, especially on the basis of race. And while race or other group affiliation can be important for addressing prejudice or other differences in treatment, I share your skepticism about group identification, which I think can easily be taken too far.

However, I believe that there's a difference between assuming responsibility for the actions of one's ancestors (or others of the same race) and taking moral responsibility for injustice in one's own society. I think we're all responsible for noticing, and for doing our part to address, lingering injustices in our own society, especially if we benefit from that injustice, and regardless of whether or not we caused the harm.

jab414, I can't speak for the other DeWolf descendants in the film, many of whom did not attend Ivy League schools, but I certainly didn't have thousands of dollars to spend on overseas travel--and I was able to take three weeks off only because I was a student and it was the summer.

James

I think that is very true. Well said.

And thank you for your answer to my question.

I'd like to hear the answer to this too. Perhaps it needs to be asked in a different forum?

- Ben

Ben: The question was answered by James Perry. See earlier in the thread:

"Marisa, it's interesting about the other members of the extended DeWolf family. Many of them were supportive of the project from the start, and have continued to be involved, or to support us, throughout this time. Others were, and remain, indifferent, believing that this history, and racial injustice, are not issues with which they need to be concerned. And a very few have been openly skeptical or even antagonistic towards the project."

I have been reading ashamedly about some of my own ancestors being slave owners in the South, so watching this documentary on PBS really hit me.

I live in New England now, but am originally from the South. I am well aware that slavery is taught in schools as only a sin of the South. I appreciated a point in the film: whether or not an individual traded or owned slaves (North or South) most everyone in the nation participated every time they ate sugar or coffee, or worked in a factory building ships or supplying the machinery for processing the slaves' labor. I suppose even processing the cotton and then wearing it would apply... although I know from other family history, not everyone who farmed cotton had slaves...plenty of white families including children and indentured servants, toiled in the fields to harvest cotton and other crops. (Another common myth...everyone in the South had slaves or fought for slavery... most did not).

However, I have no idea how to make it right...maybe we can't, other than doing the right thing now...treating everyone with respect no matter their color.

Children of divorce, or alcoholics, grow up thinking somehow their parents troubles are their fault, or there must be something they could do to fix it. In therapy, they are taught NOT to foster the guilt or claim to be responsible...the parents make their own choices. In a similar light, how can white people today take on the guilt, and therefore apologize or make amends for their ancestor of whom they had no control? How can African Americans today hold the past against white people of today? I cannot control my ancestors actions, only my own. What about the African ancestors who sold their own people as slaves, or the African nations whose shores held the ports for transport of the slaves?

I do not condone the horrible acts of slavery in the past, but I am still proud of America in spite of it, and proud through time we have made great progress. America is the land of opportunity, Barack and Michelle Obama are great examples of how African Americans can become whatever they desire. Michelle's story is the American dream, of working class to Ivy League, a woman with a successful career, a million dollar house, and possibly the next first lady. Barack's father FROM AFRICA, left Africa to come to America to get a Harvard education...just like the deWolfs. Barack, too, is the American dream...and both Obamas are far more successful and educated than most in the nation, black or white and apparently more than even many deWolfs who are not ivy league educated.

I realize I started this with the word "ashamedly" regarding my ancestors. I, too, must work through the emotions...knowing while not proud of the history...I can only control my actions today.

What a great film for starting the discussion...a discussion needed for a long time.

Families like the DeWolfs live in what I’ll call a “cycle of affluence.” They get “in” and get “out” of the wealth cycle early. They are into business deals, real estate, investment markets at the first flush, just before the heat is turned up. Likewise, they are among the first ones to get out.

Their education, seed money, connections, and insider information are what define the real chasm in our society today…not black v. white. Now they have chosen the role of harbinger of black reparations. They have used their intimate understanding of “how things work” to make this documentary film. Why?

The point is to control the dialog. Because if you can control the dialog, you can define the solution. The core of the solution seems to be two-fold. It includes pressuring still-viable corporations who had roots in 19th century industry. The pressure is also to include the public and its politicians eager to win hearts and votes. This will ultimately evolve into bills in front of legislature for reparations.

The family has leveraged a solution for their guilt and shame for virtually no money down, and in doing so bet that someone else will pay for the solution. The film, after all, was made with Mass Humanities and (NEH), read government, money. Not DeWolf or Browne Family Trust money. Why not just quietly establish a foundation with their own money to help young blacks through college, or to foster black entrepreneurship? Why not indeed?

The point is to exorcise their personal demons at another’s expense. They have entered the forefront of a movement, in order to reap the desired reward. They will be the first ones out of the game, but not before they accept the thanks and accolades posted here. In the end, no real pain or sacrifice is necessary on their part.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts about our family, Angie.

I think you should bear in mind that most members of the family feel no guilt or shame about what remote ancestors did two centuries ago, and are not agitating for corporations or the public to pay for reparations.

So I'm not certain exactly what demons you believe we'd be exorcising, or what you think we'd stand to gain from public action on these issues.

Contrary to your recommendation for us, there's also no DeWolf family fortune for funding foundations to promote education or entrepreneurship. You seem to be confusing the D'Wolfs of two centuries ago, who were, indeed into business deals, investments, and so forth, with the widespread, and generally quite ordinary, DeWolf family of today.

I don't mean to suggest that there aren't valid criticisms of the film out there. I have strong criticisms of the film myself, and I tend to think of those as legitimate. There may well be an important critique at the heart of your comments, and I'd be interested in hearing it. I'm just having trouble seeing it because your comments rely so heavily on these misapprehensions.