How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America

by Clint Smith

When she closed the door, there were photographs of all the people who had worked at this plantation on the back of the door. I caught a glimpse of the door, and the first picture I saw was my grandma. I was like, ‘Oh my God, that’s my grandma.’ Next to my grandmother was my aunt. There were other members of my family on that, and I started thinking about, like, I’ve always had an awareness that they worked at these places, but I hadn’t connected it to this academic history of plantations. I was like, Do people in my community know this is here? Are they aware of how they helped shape this history that is often talked about without them?”