I Am Nobody's Slave: How Uncovering My Family's History Set Me Free
Contributor(s): Hawkins, Lee (Author)
Publisher: Amistad Press 
ISBN: 0062823167
Physical Info: 1.12" H x 9.23" L x 6.43" W (1.05 lbs) 368 pages
 
Gripping, thought-provoking, and personal, I Am Nobody's Slave will inspire discussion and action in response to its powerful message of inner healing and social justice. -- Booklist
"For Lee Hawkins Jr. and so many Black Americans, the spirit of Emmett Till lives on and is deeply embedded in our consciousness. It informed, transformed, and changed the way an entire generation of Black Americans lived, showed up, and flowed throughout the world. It changed how mothers mothered and, in Lee Hawkins Jr.'s case, how his father fathered--for survival, driven by fear of racial violence. The book encourages families to confront the trauma and triumphs of previous generations as a way to process and recover from the damaging effects of slavery and Jim Crow." -- Deborah A. Watts, Cousin of Emmett Till and Co-Founder of the Emmett Till Legacy Foundation
"As a direct descendant of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, I carry a legacy that embodies both the violence of enslavement and the strength of survival. This knowledge reshaped how I see myself and my place in a history. Lee Hawkins' I Am Nobody's Slave captures this complexity with remarkable clarity, tracing the connections between past and present to reveal the generational forces that shape our identities. It is a work that invites readers to confront the truths in their own histories and imagine the possibility of healing, not by erasing the past, but by fully understanding it." -- Shannon LaNier, Digital Creator, Author & Sixth great grandson of Thomas Jefferson & Sally Hemings
I Am Nobody's Slave is an incredibly thought-provoking book! It has caused me to think much more deeply about the impact of the death of my great-grandfather's son on the intervening generations of my mother's family. I'm also motivated to seek information on my father's less-documented side now! A strong testament to the strength and resilience of Black People - Then and Now!" -- Arthur McFarlane II--Great-Grandson of W.E.B. Du Bois
"In this personal narrative Lee Hawkins has given us permission to open doors and windows that have been closed for centuries. A significant part of true humanness includes embracing truth regardless of the pain that may follow in its wake. All the more reason we need the voice of Lee Hawkins! His narrative provides insights into why we have been reluctant to embrace the truth of who we are and who we have been. By following his lead we may be able to discard the adulterated stories we keep telling ourselves and trade them in for the unadulterated truth." -- Terrence Roberts, PhD of The Little Rock Nine


Publisher Marketing:
A 2022 Pulitzer Prize finalist and former Wall Street Journal writer exhaustively examines his family's legacy of post-enslavement trauma and resilience, in this riveting memoir--a soulful, shocking, and spellbinding read that blends the raw power of Natasha Tretheway's Memorial Drive and the insights of Clint Smith's How the Word is Passed.
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.

 
 
Review Citations:
Library Journal 12/01/2024 pg. 10 (EAN 9780062823168, Hardcover)
Booklist 11/01/2024 pg. 8 (EAN 9780062823168, Hardcover)
Kirkus Reviews 12/15/2024 (EAN 9780062823168, Hardcover) - *Starred Review
 
 
Contributor Bio:Hawkins, Lee
Lee Hawkins was a 2022 Pulitzer Prize finalist as a lead reporter on a series about the Tulsa Massacre of 1921 at the Wall Street Journal, where he worked for nineteen years. He has received several fellowships, including The Carter Center's Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism, the Alicia Patterson Foundation Journalism Fellowship, the O'Brien Fellowship for Public Service Journalism, the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism National Fellowship for reporting on child well-being. Hawkins is a five-time winner of the National Association of Black Journalists' "Salute to Excellence" Award. He is the creator and host of the podcast "What Happened in Alabama?" and lives in New York City.
 
He is currently a 2023-2024 Rosalynn Carter Fellow for Mental Health Journalism at The Carter Center and was named the Josephine Albright Fellow by the 2024 Alicia Patterson Foundation Journalism Fellowship. Additionally, Mr. Hawkins has been recognized as a 2022-23 O'Brien Fellow for Public Service Journalism at Marquette University. Prior to these roles, he served for 19 years at the Wall Street Journal as a Reporter/On-Air Host and News Editor. His coverage there included education and the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on children and families. He was notably a lead reporter on a Wall Street Journal team that received the 2022 Pulitzer Prize Finalist honors in the Explanatory category for their coverage of the Tulsa Massacre of 1921. Mr. Hawkins's co-authored story focused on its intergenerational impact in "The Dreams of Jack and Daisy Scott."