My History is Black History

My family history has been shaped by several important social and historical influences, including slavery, racial discrimination, the Civil Rights Movement, migration, and interracial marriage. On my father's side, the farthest-known ancestor is my great-great-great-grandfather, Colonel Slaton, a white plantation owner and slaveholder who lived in the Deep South during the 1800s. After slavery ended, he freed and married one of his former slaves Catherine, and together they had twelve children. One of those children, Daisy who was my great great grandmother, was of mixed African American and white ancestry. During this period, my family lived throughout Georgia, Alabama, and other parts of the Deep South. My paternal family did not settle in Birmingham, Alabama, until 1971, when my grandparents moved there. My grandfather, Rev. Samuel P. Pettagrue, was a civil rights activist who helped bring the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) to Birmingham. He worked closely with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., one of the organization's founders, and was mentored by Rev. Ralph Abernathy. Because of my grandfather's work in the Civil Rights Movement, Birmingham became the center of my family's life. Today, many of my relatives on my father's side continue to live throughout Alabama and Georgia. The effects of racial discrimination have influenced my family for generations and played a significant role in shaping our experiences and opportunities.