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A young boy on Quenby plantation. Slave children were usually put to work when they were about six years old.
You’ve obviously uncovered some ugly chapters in your family history. How do you feel about how you ancestry weighs on you? I’m sure that there are some things you’d like to distance yourself from in general— Yes. What positive aspects do you see to it, or is it a generally negative phenomena? Well, what I’ve tried to do is to work through the bad parts of my family legacy and that is not typical in these parts, in this section of the country. White folks prefer to lock away the harsh realities of slave owning and talk about, for example, their forebears who were field infantry in the Civil War. And what I’ve done is to try to take the thing by the horns and reckon with it. And because I’ve done that, I have to say, I feel better than I once felt. About your ancestry? Yes. I don’t feel as secretive about it, I don’t feel as neurotic about it, I don’t feel as defensive about it, and I feel as though I’ve made something of it that is different. By reaching out to black families whose ancestors were enslaved by my family, I’ve reinterpreted this family legacy in a way that makes sense to me and makes sense to present-day politics and reality. Are there parts that you feel proud of? Sure. The Ball family came from England and settled in South Carolina and we’ve stayed here for three hundred years. We have an unbroken continuity in family identity and remembrance and we know a hell of a lot about ourselves. Our family fought in the Revolution and fought in the Civil War and it’s a rare experience in American life to have such a legacy — all of it documented by us… and that is something to be proud of. On the other hand, our family was guilty of acts of sexual violence, acts of brutality, of buying and selling children. We were in disavowal about the reprehensible nature of the business that we were in. We were ignorant and deaf to the criticisms that were raised from a very early date against slavery. So we have a lot to account for.
"A Deeper Connection"
You’ve obviously uncovered some ugly chapters in your family history. How do you feel about how you ancestry weighs on you? I’m sure that there are some things you’d like to distance yourself from in general—
Yes.
What positive aspects do you see to it, or is it a generally negative phenomena?
Well, what I’ve tried to do is to work through the bad parts of my family legacy and that is not typical in these parts, in this section of the country. White folks prefer to lock away the harsh realities of slave owning and talk about, for example, their forebears who were field infantry in the Civil War. And what I’ve done is to try to take the thing by the horns and reckon with it. And because I’ve done that, I have to say, I feel better than I once felt.
About your ancestry?
Yes. I don’t feel as secretive about it, I don’t feel as neurotic about it, I don’t feel as defensive about it, and I feel as though I’ve made something of it that is different. By reaching out to black families whose ancestors were enslaved by my family, I’ve reinterpreted this family legacy in a way that makes sense to me and makes sense to present-day politics and reality.
Are there parts that you feel proud of?
Sure. The Ball family came from England and settled in South Carolina and we’ve stayed here for three hundred years. We have an unbroken continuity in family identity and remembrance and we know a hell of a lot about ourselves. Our family fought in the Revolution and fought in the Civil War and it’s a rare experience in American life to have such a legacy — all of it documented by us… and that is something to be proud of.
On the other hand, our family was guilty of acts of sexual violence, acts of brutality, of buying and selling children. We were in disavowal about the reprehensible nature of the business that we were in. We were ignorant and deaf to the criticisms that were raised from a very early date against slavery. So we have a lot to account for.
"A Deeper Connection"
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Our Common Sources
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The Rest of the Story
- The Rest of the Story
TrendingHere are the facts and trivia that people are buzzing about.
Did Birds Evolve from Dinosaurs?
The Twelve Dancing Princesses
Current Events This Week: January 2023
African Americans by the Numbers
Andersen’s Fairy Tales: Contents
The Celtic Twilight: A Teller of Tales
TrendingHere are the facts and trivia that people are buzzing about.
Did Birds Evolve from Dinosaurs?
The Twelve Dancing Princesses
Current Events This Week: January 2023
African Americans by the Numbers
Andersen’s Fairy Tales: Contents
The Celtic Twilight: A Teller of Tales
- Did Birds Evolve from Dinosaurs?
- The Twelve Dancing Princesses
- Current Events This Week: January 2023
- African Americans by the Numbers
- Andersen’s Fairy Tales: Contents
- The Celtic Twilight: A Teller of Tales
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Encouraging curious minds for nearly a century.
Infoplease knows the value of having sources you can trust. Infoplease is a reference and learning site, combining the contents of an encyclopedia, a dictionary, an atlas and several almanacs loaded with facts. Our editors update and regularly refine this enormous body of information to bring you reliable information.
Infoplease is part of the Sandbox Learning family of educational and reference sites for parents, teachers and students.
Encouraging curious minds for nearly a century.
Infoplease knows the value of having sources you can trust. Infoplease is a reference and learning site, combining the contents of an encyclopedia, a dictionary, an atlas and several almanacs loaded with facts. Our editors update and regularly refine this enormous body of information to bring you reliable information.
Encouraging curious minds for nearly a century.
Infoplease knows the value of having sources you can trust. Infoplease is a reference and learning site, combining the contents of an encyclopedia, a dictionary, an atlas and several almanacs loaded with facts. Our editors update and regularly refine this enormous body of information to bring you reliable information.
Footer
About Us
Editorial Policy
Advertise with Infoplease
Privacy Policy
Contact Us
Terms of Use
Citing Infoplease
Do Not Sell My Info (for CA Residents)
Our Sources
Infoplease Jobs
Infoplease is part of the Sandbox Learning family of educational and reference sites for parents, teachers and students.
Infoplease is part of the Sandbox Learning family of educational and reference sites for parents, teachers and students.
©2022 Sandbox Networks Inc. All rights reserved. Sandbox Learning is part of Sandbox & Co., a digital learning company.
©2022 Sandbox Networks Inc. All rights reserved. Sandbox Learning is part of Sandbox & Co., a digital learning company.
