Come visit Interrupting Privilege at the Northwest African American Museum! Click here to learn more about the exhibit

Our History Really Isn’t That Far Away

In this clip, two sisters discuss how the history of slavery isn’t as far away as some people would like to believe. They describe how just a few generations back in their own family lineage likely had enslaved great-grandparents. This realization is a stark reminder of how far we’ve come in a short time but also how far there is still left to go. The sisters encourage young listeners to practice patience when fighting for change because they recognize the enormity of the challenge: it isn’t just changing policies and systems but also hearts and minds of a long-standing history.

Think about it. Mom’s grandmother was likely a slave. Now think about our grandparents. What if they had been slaves? That’s not that long ago when you think about it.