Dear Ben Affleck, My Ancestors Were Slaveowners, Too

I’m certain being in the spotlight for not wanting the PBS show Finding Your Roots to include mention of your slave-owning ancestor has been a real pain. The unwanted headlines, the online comments, the “Dear Ben” letters must be getting old. I’m sure you want this whole episode behind you. I get that: I’m related to the most successful transatlantic slave-trading dynasty in U.S. history.

I thank you for your honesty in admitting you were embarrassed. Many white people, upon discovering enslavers among our ancestors, feel embarrassed, ashamed, and guilty.

To read the rest of this article, go to: Dear Ben Affleck, By Thomas Norman DeWolf, for Zocalo Public Square and The Huffington Post.