I Am Nobody's Slave: How Uncovering My Family's History Set Me Free

"Harrowing and insightful. . . . A profound work about the Black experience and white oppression."--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"This work is vitally important and essential to understanding the magnitude of the impact of racism and violence."--Library Journal (starred review)

"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

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 about generational trauma--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, an intimate look into an African American family navigating 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 deeply 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.

This powerful examination of the American experience reveals:

• Generational Trauma: Explore the hidden legacy of enslavement and Jim Crow, and how a father's unexplainable rage shaped his children's lives in suburban Minnesota.
• Unveiling Black History: Follow a son's thirty-year journey using genealogical research, reporting, and genetic testing to uncover a shocking pattern of violent, racially motivated deaths in his family since slavery.
• The Weight of the American Dream: Witness the story of the Hawkinses, a family that embodied success to their neighbors while privately confronting the chronic stress and trauma passed down through generations.
• A Path to Healing: Discover how confronting a painful family legacy can lead to inner healing, offering a powerful message of resilience and social justice for all Americans.