Joy
Los Angeles, CA
Looking into my family history, at first I found relief at finding no record of slave ownership, even among ancestors in the South. Was it just because they could not afford to buy slaves? But then I found a transcript of a sermon my great-great grandmother’s brother gave at a church in Pennsylvania. It was a powerful political, anti-slavery speech, and apparently it led to his being forced to resign from the Lutheran Church. Finding the speech gave me great pride and then also great hope. When we talk about slavery, we don’t always talk about the people who fought fiercely for the freedom of others. Even today we have people who fight for justice for others, and not just for themselves. This gives me so much hope that the future will bring increased freedom, equality and justice for all.
