Antoinette Harrell – Genealogist, Historian, and Activist
Antoinette Harrell is a genealogist who has done extensive research and exposed instances of peonage in the US south in the 20th century. What this means is that African descended people were living as slaves on plantations in the United States, until recently, and there may well be instances of peonage that are continuing today.
Baruch and Antoinette discuss the where, who, and why of this issue. There are some graphic descriptions which make this episode not fit for young children.
Music by: Ry Cooder, Chris Vallillo, Keb’ Mo’, B. B. King, Sade, Toshi Reagon, and Nicci Canada.
• Antoinette Harrell on Blog Talk Radio • Antoinette Harrell’s YouTube Channel • VICE
Podcast: Download (Duration: 58:26 — 134.2MB)
Great show! Antoinette Harrell makes me proud to be a non-apologetic, truth-telling woman!
I am a African American veteran who is very much interested in finding more about my past history. I’d would like to contact Mrs. Antoinette Harrell to begin this process.
thank you,
Hello Ms. Harrell
I am deeply in need of a history detective to dig up information on my ancestry I’ve come to a dead end, as you know no birth certificates before a certain date.My mothers’ real name is not on my birth certificate .She is now 87years of age and did manage to get her birth certificate with her real name and birth mothers name; the man who sign for it was not her real father, but she knows his name and who he was.
I also learned that my grandmother’s grandfather raised her.Mr.Fiat or Fayette Jordan. I know his name but it can be spell many different ways I know where her mother was from Adams county now called Natchez Mississippi I think great, great grand father from Franklin county. Do you have any suggests on how to dig up this information, any help would be helpful thank you in advance.
Outstanding as usual. I am an African-American descendant of William Christopher Harrell, and the family genealogist and retire college professor (43 years); therefore, my family and I genuinely appreciate your work to uncover American history.
Just watched your Vice episode and you have inspired me. I am from Charleston, South Carolina and there are people in the Low Country that need you.
Thanks for being the voice for the voiceless.
Good morning and thank you for the great work. This is something I have been trying to do myself. What should be my steps to take.
Hello Ms.Herrell my name is Tasha Williams i think you are a phenomenal person doing a phenomenal job. I wish i had the financial resources to hirer you to look into my family’s history. My great grandparents were slave and my family do not know much of anything or one in the past, but my grand mother. Its as if our family had not existed before my grand mother. However i am so proud of the work you are doing to unlease the sercts of the time of which our people cares not to undisclose to the rest of the world.
How can Antoinette be reached. I desperately need her assistance if it’s possible. She’s amazing and inspiring for us all.
Awesome work Ms. Harrell. I am grateful to God that I came across your name and research on social media. My sister and I have slowly done research with my paternal grandmother’s side only to see your name Harrell brought me to my knees because I am a Harrell too. My grandparents names were Theodore R. Harrell and Grace Hampton Harrell from Midnight Mississippi.Thank you for encouraging me to find my roots. P.S. It is amazing that you look like my aunt’s and other family members too.
What wonderful work you are doing my late mother was a Harrell. If you could direct me in the right direction to find out more it would be greatly appreciated.
Hello my name is Lushedric mays and I was adopted my original last name is Beverly I don’t know anything about who my family is or where we’re from please help
My name is Carlos and I am trying to get in touch with you because I started a similar project and I would like you to see it and see if I can help you. My father is 79 and he was a sharecropper and I recently recorded a piece of his history. Please contact me back . Because what you are doing ties into what I would like to do., Please. Plus I have some artwork I’d like to share with you
Hello,
I am very much interested in finding my heritage on my grandfather side of the family . How do we contact you ?
Hi my name is Delicia and I would like to find out about my mother’s family. Since she was raised by her godmother that she met and kind of adopted her. My number is xxx xxx xxxx. Thanks
Hello my name is Rosa Bradley. I really appreciate the work you are doing to expose truth and knowledge about our history. I have been doing research on my family. I am also at a dead-end. My question is how do you find any information when you have nothing to go on at all. My mother is the last elder person of our family both on her mother’s side and father’s side. That is at least that we know of. My mother knows nothing past her great great grandmother on her father’s side. She knew her grandmother and her great grandmother and it stops there. My mother only knew her grandmother and grandfather on her father’s side. The surnames are Johnson, Alexander. We know nothing beyond them. How do we find the names or any information. When researching both sides it is a dead-end. I am willing to do the research. I just need a little guidance and where else to look. I have utilized ancestry, family search, national archives, find a grave, geni web and more. I have also searched for death records and birth certificates. I have built a family tree based on the little information that I know. I have filled in some of those blanks but have no clue if the hits are correct. I am at a dead-end. I can’t find any information on my father father’s side. The surname is Wyche. He passes away in the army in October, 1945 after being drafted in 1943. Please if you can assist me in any way it would greatly appreciated.
I’m thanking you in advance for your time and consideration.
Hello how you doing my name is Stephen ******* a Louisiana native those cases and I really like to know the truth about my historical origin if you can help me out I will greatly appreciate it.
Hello Ms. Harrel ,My name is Kellye ******* maiden name (*******) from Baltimore Maryland I would very much for you to help me find my family tree and find out how far back my family goes into slavery. I know the name Thompson owned a lot of slaves mainly on the east coast.I would be deeply honored if you could help me. Also in time I plan on receiving my Ph.D in African American Studies to spread our history to the younger generation who is willing to listen.
Sincerely yours Kellye
Hello Ms. Harrel, I want nothing from you, but to simply say that your work is inspired a whole bunch of people peace and blessings be upon you and have a wonder filled life
Hello Dr Harrell,
I am researching my family ancestry stemming from Bayou Chicot, Louisiana-1910. I am hitting the wall, records for my family seem to be few to none. My daughter sent me your information and I’m hoping that you can direct me to a specific route for research in this region. Is it possible for us to talk? Whatever works best for you. I can travel if needed.
Look forward to hearing from you soon.
Best Regards, Khani Gustafson
Hello Dr. Harrell,
I don’t know if this will even get to you but I was watching your videos and I couldn’t help but imagine that there must be such
An overwhelming need for this kind of research. My question I suppose is what do YOU need, what is YOUR vision in terms of keeping this work going, and how could we/I help? Do you have a foundation to donate to?
Hoping this gets to the right person-
Thank you so much and god bless.
I appreciate your work and sharing. When anyone loves with sincere pure love, one gives the best s/he has. That being said, the only solution for both sides of any human tragedy is accepting and practicing Islam as intended by the Creator of humans and everything else. Islam propagates and promotes for justice and peace in a single action. Before you think “oh terrorists” think of the harm of the successful lies we have been told or told ourselves for ignorance or fear. Acceptance of Islam is a personally spiritual choice between the creation, the human, and his/her creator. Thanks for reading! Thanks for investigating! Thanks!!!
Hello Ms Harrell,
My name is Quiana and I would love to email you or get in touch with you to ask some questions in regards to family research. Thank you so much and continue to share your powerful information.
Hi, My name is Gwendolyn Y**** and I’ve been trying to trace my family roots for years now and i really need some help. See i live in California and my people are from Indiana and ohio.
Dear Ms. Harrell,
After reading “Mississippi: Home of Plantation Living for Black families I believe that the Due West Planattion information is of great value to helping my friend, Saz Madison, find his ancestors. He also told me how his parents and grandparents who were sharecroppers had to leave in the middle of the night. The reason was because, as he put it, “interest in my grandmother.” Saz’s father was Calup Madison whose registration for WWII confirms his work on the Due West Plantation. The record states that Calup is 35 yrs. old and the “name of the person who will always know your address” is Ben W. Sturdivant, employer. The employer is named as M. P. Sturdivant Plantations. Place of employment is “Near Glendora, Talla. Miss.” Calup’s parents are William Madison and Emily (Robinson) Madison. Information regarding the Sturdivant’s is easy to find as they were prosperous, successful and well known. But as you know, their “unpaid workers” as they are described on census records, can be difficult to locate.
It is only my guess that the Madison family had a long history on the Sturdivant plantation. How would I proceed to search for Saz’s ancestors who may have been enslaved on the Sturdivant plantation? Saz knows that his parents and grandparents were sharecroppers but is now ready to dig deeper into the past. Saz and his wife asked me to contact you on their behalf. I have done ancestry research for other members of their bi-racial family. As you can probably tell I’m not at all a genealogist. I’m asking only how I should proceed.
With gratitude,
Nancy
Please email me at afrigenah@yahoo.com
Thank you Mrs. Harrell. Please review this urgent report concerning racist criminal abuse by the U.S. psychiatric institution (UCLA NPI) @ treebearblog.wordpress.com
Ms Harrell, I am in need of your assistance with researching my family roots. Could you please help me?
Thank you for all you do.I sincerely want to help my black community.I tutor kids. I want to do so much more. If it’s possible please call me at xxx xxx xxxx. From NOLA residing in McComb,MS post Hurricane Katrina. Thank you and may God bless.