Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / Feb. 2, 2006, edition 1 / Page 3
Part of The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
3A NEWSAtte CtarUne $ot Thursday, February 2, 2006 Slavery’s descendants gather in Va. for ‘brotherhood and healing’ By Calvin R. Trice RlCmiOSD mtES-DISPATCH HARRISONBURG, Va. - Joe Hairston spent his week end mingling with descen dants of the family that enslaved his ancestors. He came away feeling more hope ful about race relations. “The fact that the white descendants of white slave masters accept us, and they recognize that we have a com mon ancestry - that’s an open ing,” said Hairston, a retired Army officer who lives in . Washington. One of his maternal ancestors was a slave of Hairston planters in North Carolina. From Thursday through Saturday, 20 descendants of slaves, slave owners and slave traders gathered at Eastern Mennonite University for “Coming to the Table,” a con ference that featured story telling, interviews, presenta tions and reflections on the institution whose l^acy con tinues to shadow race rela tions. Hairston, 83, said sitting down as equals with the fam ilies who generations ago held his in bonda^ shows how far the nation has come. He recalled that when he first joined the Army, he couldn’t be promoted fiom second lieu tenant because a higher rank would have elevated him above whites. Blacks have since have occupied some of the highest positions of the military and the government, he noted. “While some people look bade and see how bad it was, and forget how good it’s get ting to be, I want to forget the past and focus on the future,” Hairston said. “And the future is, we are becoming one people.” Several plantations in the South now attract descen dants of slaves and their mas ters in reunion. Organizers of last weekend’s conference want to inspire more gather ings of seva^al families. ‘1 see it as a movement thafs going on and that we’re trying to provide leadership and encouragement for,” said William Hairston of Harrisonbuig, whose ances tors were a prominent slave owning dan. He has both white and black relatives, induding Joe Hairston. HUi famiiys black and white tree branches and their ori gins are detailed in Henry ^^^encek:’s 2000 book, ‘The Hairstons: An American Family in Black and White.” Members of the two sides of Hairstons have been in regu lar contact since the 1970s. For a decade, William Haiiston considered the idea of bringing together both sides of desc^dants fium sev eral {flantations The idea received a boost fium an unlikely 'place: Monticello, scene of bitter relations between some white descendants of Thomas Jefferson and those of his slave Sally Hemings. DNA linked at least one of Hemings’ children to the Jefferson dan, and some his torians have conduded that the Founding Father likely fathered at least me and pos sibly all six of Hemings’ chil dren listed in Monticello records. KEZIAH’s FURNITURE THE BIG MATTRESS SALE Luxury Firm Queen Set $299.(H) Plush Set $395.m) PosturePedic set $539.99 2 Locations to serve you Orderest IMlIow-'lbp Mattress Set Nice and thick, mattress Is 14 1/2 in thick Queen Set $299.0t) King Set imtK) ()|H‘ii Mon. - Sal. 9am - 6pm Financiiij; Available WHM Blair Rd. (Hiahwav .*>1) Mint Hill 7(l4„‘!7.t.6l!) 2914 (Jibhon Rd. ((Mr l-7l & l-S5K'harl(ilte, N.C 7(I4„‘!%.7427 12 monih-K same as cash • We dive (hir Customers The Hesi Price! STORE CLOSING It has been 18 years! (our lease Is up) Desij^er and Brand Names Shoes at Discounted Prices GREAT SALEH Specializing In Narrows Triples, And Quads Sizes 4-12 901 S. King’s Dr. In Kings Court Center DAYNA SHOES INC. (704)34-DAYNA (343-2962) Tentative La.st Day is Feb. 25th Hours: Tues.Fri. 11-6‘Sat. 11-5 This isn't an introductory rate, because we want our relationship to last longer than that. At SunTrust, we see beyond your account number to what you're saving for. So we’re always finding new ways to help you achieve your financial goals. Our new Premium Money Market Performance Account offers a preferred interest rate to clients who have - or open - select relationship checking accounts Plus, you'll enjoy the security of FDIC insurance. Get more from your banking relationship. Stop by any branch, call 877.515 3367, or visit suntrust.com/premium. Premium Money Market Performance Account 3.50 % APY^ For balances of $25,000 or more Available with select relationship checking accounts SmfTRUST' Seeing beyond money /• •TheifH«-«tr8teMmeditb#tedonthfoUwinngt-*l*nceti«r» S 0>-S2.499 99e«mt0 45%APY; S2,500-S9,99999«mi 0 45%APY, $10,000-$24,999 99ewrw2OiMiAI'Y, S25,000-S49,999 99«irtK 3 50%APY, $50,000- $99,999 99 e»ms 3 50%APY, $100,0007’earns 3^% APY Annual Perctfiuge Yields we accurate et of 1/14/06 and are subject to change it any time and without notice Minimum balance to open it $2,$00 Offer good lor consumers only fees may reduce eemings Transaction krmts apply SunTrust Bank. Member FDiC 02006 SunTrust Bwiks, Inc SunTrust and “Seemgbeyood money'are servicemarks of SunTrust Banks, Inc The members of Kamoinge. a New York City-based cc^lectfve of African-American photographers, originally united in Harlem in 1963 to alleviate the sense of isolation ger^rairy felt by black p^ographers. Today, their misskxi Is to produce ^niflcant visual Images of our time that reflect hum^ rel^lon^lps, political and social interactions, and the spiritual world of pure imagery. ThroughcKjt February, in celebration of Black History Month, we will showcase images by the Kamoinge photographers cxi our Web site ^ rK)rdstrom.com. R is with great pride we shed light on the work generated by members of Kamoinge, and honor the style, spirit and pride of the African-American experience, captured so eloquently by this innov^ive group of artists. NORDSTROM SouthPark, 4400 Sharon Road, Charlotte 704442.6000.
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Feb. 2, 2006, edition 1
3
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75