We welcome you to our conversation with jo
urnalist and author Lee Hawkins as he talks to us abou
t the examination of his family&rsquo\;s legacy of post-enslavement trauma
and resilience in this riveting memoir\, \;I Am Nobody's Slave: How Uncove
ring My Family&rsquo\;s History Set Me Free. \;
I Am No
body&rsquo\;s Slave \;tells the story of one Black family's p
ursuit of the American Dream through the impacts of systemic racism and ra
cial 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 sub
urban Minnesotan neighbors\, the Hawkinses were an ideal American family\,
embodying strength and success. However\, behind closed doors\, they face
d the legacy of enslavement and apartheid. Lee Hawkins\, Sr. often exhibit
ed rage\, leaving his children anxious and curious about his protective vi
ew of the world. Thirty years later\, his son uncovered the reasons for hi
s father&rsquo\;s anxiety and occasional violence. Through research\, he d
iscovered violent deaths in his family for every generation since slavery\
, mostly due to white-on-Black murders\, and how white enslavers impacted
the family&rsquo\;s customs.
Hawkins explor
es the role of racism-triggered childhood trauma and chronic stress in sho
rtening his ancestors' lives\, using genetic testing\, reporting\, and his
torical data to craft a moving family portrait. This book shows how geneal
ogical research can educate and heal Americans of all races\, revealing th
rough their story the story of America&mdash\;a journey of struggle\, resi
lience\, and the heavy cost of ultimate success. Register today to join the conversation!
<
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About the Author: LEE HAWKINS<
/a> was a 2022 Pulitzer Prize finalist as a lead reporter on a series abou
t the Tulsa Massacre of 1921 at the \;Wall Street Journal\, w
here he worked for nineteen years. He has received several fellowships\, i
ncluding The Carter Center&rsquo\;s Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental
Health Journalism\, the Alicia Patterson Foundation Journalism Fellowship\
, the O&rsquo\;Brien Fellowship for Public Service Journalism\, the USC An
nenberg Center for Health Journalism National Fellowship for reporting on
child well-being. Hawkins is a five-time winner of the National Associatio
n of Black Journalists&rsquo\; &ldquo\;Salute to Excellence&rdquo\; Award.
He is the creator and host of the podcast &ldquo\;What Happened in Alabam
a?&rdquo\; and lives in the New York City area.
Please Register for link to progr
am.
Live Virtual Author Talks \;- \;
This new series through Library Speakers Consortium offers live online tal
ks by bestselling authors of books in a variety of genres. Participants re
ceive a link to the program when they register. Please see https://libraryc.org/gailborden \;to re
gister and also view recorded videos of past speakers.