Slavery, Runaways, Fancy Girls | Alex Haley’s ‘Roots’ | African-American Genealogy

Slavery was so pervasive in Tennessee that the city of Nashville owned slaves. Host Allen Forkum (editor of The Nashville Retrospect newspaper) interviews historian Bill Carey about his book “Runaways, Coffles and Fancy Girls: A History of Slavery in Tennessee.” Using his survey of advertisements in Tennessee newspapers, Carey shows how slavery touched many aspect of everyday commerce and law, such as banks, newspapers, factories, courts and even taxpayers. The ads also provide personal details and descriptions of enslaved African-American individuals, and they reveal the cruelty of the human bondage, from the separation of mothers from their children, to the use of young girls as sex slaves.
Also hear “Roots” author Alex Haley speak to the Tennessee State Legislature in April 1977. In his speech, samples of which can be heard in this podcast, Haley announced that a new, 12-part TV mini-series was in production, following the success of the record-breaking “Roots” mini-series. The book and the TV show sparked a surge of interest in genealogical research. In this podcast, genealogist Taneya Koonce discusses her own connection to Roots and the challenges of African-American genealogical research.
And finally, Allen Forkum reviews some of the contents of the February 2019 issue, including a river catching fire in 1824 and Bigfoot sightings in 1979. As part of Black History Month, there are also articles about a new Ku Klux Klan headquartered in Nashville in 1919, and a personal account of life under slavery by a former Nashville slave.
See additional photos, reference links, source credits, and more at: nashretro.libs...
For more information, get the Slavery in Nashville Sampler set, featuring four issues of The Nashville Retrospect newspaper with articles and essays about slavery: nashvilleretro...
The February 2019 issue of The Nashville Retrospect featured in this podcast can be ordered here:
nashvilleretro...
This video was originally published as a podcast on Feb. 1, 2019.
For more fascinating Nashville history, visit nashvilleretro...

[@kudjoeadkins-battle2502]

Haley never admitted to anything. He settled a case in court. I’ve read both “The African” and “Roots” and the books are barely similar. Haley was said to have copied a scene from the slave ship. There were two paragraphs that were very similar. He also could not have known the intricate situations and conversations that took place in the book. So of course he took poetic license. I always like to point out that Haley didn’t place his book in the non fiction sections. The book is obviously historical fiction. But honestly this was a great video. I’m a amateur historian myself from Richmond, Virginia. I’ve been studying There Domestic Slave Trade for about 8 years now. Your information about the forest interview was awesome. The second inspiring thank you for your work.

[@nashvilleretrospect4688]

Thank you!

[@mooselarock5596]

Greatttt podcast ! This needs to get around very well put together and informative

[@nashvilleretrospect4688]

Thank you!

[@MrLgrichard]

Enjoyed this video. Thank you

[@nashvilleretrospect4688]

Thank you!

[@amonone399]

Roots was proven to be fiction.

[@Rosemary46840]

And it’s based accurately off real events so your point is null & void.

[@amonone399]

@@Rosemary46840 I suggest you do more research. The people falsely called Afro-Americans are indigenous Americans, ninety-six percent.

[@copperdee3073]

@@Rosemary46840 There is NOTHING accurate about FICTION....that's why it's called fiction! Little Red Riding Hood holds more weight than that garbage🤣

[@fallenkings4217]

Galatians 6:7 kjv

[@mynonameyt]

Please explain why you picked that verse.