You may not have grown up in the Black community or the creole community or even the Indigenous community, but they are still your ancestors, and they live and are with you always! I see it in your features, and I really hope you never feel awkward, or not entitled to be with us. You have a right to be with us. Learn our history, understand the problems facing us and don't bring harm upon us, and you'll always be welcome. You are part of the Black continuum, and never feel like you aren't a part of us. I'm glad you understand and are emotionally connected it means that the ancestors have not abandoned you and are guiding you! It's a lot to to take in, to know the pain, the turmoil, the terror our ancestors went through just to bring us into existence, but in the end it will bring clarity and strength! Blessings sister!
This was one of the nicest things anyone has said to me on this journey. There is so much complexity in these areas, and I think that's what keeps people like me from trying to connect-- but we need to do it. Thank you for being here!
@@nytn I'm glad i could open the door! There will be people who want to block your way, but always remember it is YOU who determines your identity and affiliation! If you are one of us, then you are one of us! Period! Welcome and i hope your village grows, and you really connect with your ancestors! And also research our Spirituality our African and indigenous ancestors lived. It will also aid on your journey. It is very different from what has been put out there. Love!
Most mixed people DO NOT want to be a part of the black community, hence they passed. I have some creole friends who really want to be acknowledged as black and others not so much. I live and let live.
@@stephanienwadieiiamhybasia all it takes is a passion to learn, we are in a wonderful time where we have the documentation and it's accessable. Ask the ancestors and the creator to guide you, and your path will be clear! It's a lot of work, but it's worth it!
This is so amazing. Yes, you are a part of the black community…. It goes so deep. Your story is so beautiful & I’m so happy that you are finding your true history. I can tell that it is making you stronger. Continue to walk with your head held high. ❤
Orelia, thank you cousin. I was so scared starting all of this- since I grew up in NY disconnected. But realizing I dont need to explain or persuade anyone about my roots--was freeing. Glad you are here.
@@nytn Yes. ❤️ No one can go against your truth. Once you know, you know. Never apologize for who you are, cousin. 😌 You are blessed. No apologies whatsoever. You are stronger than you realize, it’s in you. I am glad to be here.
Part of the Black community?? Go to Africa, Asia, Latin America, Polynesia, West Indies, she has an admixture like millions of Whites in America and the West and yes even some Kkk , skin heads and those who lynched Blacks all have some Black admixture in their background, some knew it, some didn't. Only self hating Blacks would say she is Black. Do u know that most Latinos have Black ancestry yet not part of any Black community? She has more in common with Latinos due to her heritage than African Americans. Facts don't care about feelings!
No she's not, y'all need to stop in this comment section. Her story is very interesting and similar to many Blk people's story. This woman has Blk ancestry. She herself is nowhere near Blk or part of my community.
@@smbonner22 Exactly, like millions of White Americans even White Supremacist have a little admixture of Black blood and I can guarantee you in that famous photo of the lynching of a Blackman hanging from a tree with children and adults smiling below the body, knowing it's the South, some of them had and probably knew they have a little admixture of Black blood; still White!! There is an article online with some White Supremacist that belong to a hate group who took a ancestry dna test and found out many of them had a little Sub Saharan African ancestry; they were still accepted as they said they will accept based on the " mirror test" what you look like.
Girl, tears came into my eyes when you said $350…Can you imagine having to pay for your own seed? What about those who could not afford the price? The psychological bondage is unfathomable. It’s good to hear those stories that the battle was won. It’s a blessing that you found this treasure. As always, thanks for sharing your journey.
Im so glad this spoke to you. Once I became a mom, the gravity really stayed with me. I am so blessed to find these ancestors who paved the way for me. Thank you for speaking that!
@@nytna stranger, in a strange land, a 46 y/o man shed some tears when you said 2 installments. Tears didn’t come out as installments. homo homini lupus
My heart went out to you when you detailed Marie's situation. Who could imagine being unjustly separated from their 6 year old daughter for even a day. Thank you for sharing your family history.
I have three little kids and I think speaking the age out-loud took me by surprise. I have read these records many times, but saying it out loud is different. Glad you are here :)
There is strength in embracing and accepting one's heritage. It is clear your ancestors chose you to reveal this part of your family's legacy. Thank you for sharing such an awesome video and revelation!
Thanks for sharing your ric history. I have any dna cousins in LA. I believe that some of my Evans line my have settled in the same area. Do you know of any Evans families?
I always say, "we learn about the history of everything else, but we don't know the history of our own family." Most people don't too much beyond their great grandparents. We must do better!
In the U.S., record keeping wasn't great for "non-white" people, who were often just lumped together as "Colored" or some other "non-white" category, if their existence was recorded at all. In most cases, it was only important to the government to determine if they could marry a "white" person, if they could own real estate, and all of the other privileges of being "white." And in some cases, classification as "Colored" or "Negro" was used as a weapon against people who had mostly European ancestry to get land out of their hands and to "keep the white race pure."
@@loki2240 do you mean, “to steal land from people of color” because this is what they did to this family because he wouldn’t sell his land for pennies!
I just happened upon your story & find it fascinating. My family is African American from metro NYC & my great grandfather left my great grandmother, & their 6 children, to pass. He reached out to one of those children, my great aunt, with regrets towards the end of his life in the 1950’s. At that time, he said he had gone on to have another family with a white woman. He died shortly after that & the 2 families never connected. Anytime I see anything on the concept of “passing”, I wonder if he ever confessed to his other family. I’ve been toying with the idea of doing a dna test, but I’m not quite sure if I really want to open that Pandora’s box. I admire your bravery in taking this on. Best of luck on your journey!
Ree-- wow your story really touched my heart. Im so glad you found the channel, I hope the other videos help you feel connected to this experience, even if it is not your time to start the journey. Im so glad you are here:)
Wow the grandfather so selfish that he abandoned his wife and kids just to pass. I really don’t know how they pass at times. because majority of them don’t really look Anglo. I know that Europeans were all Anglos but ethnic too. But wouldn’t the person at least have to know some information on that ethnicity. Guess many people didn’t ask for details.
Danielle, you have the same determination and grit as your forefathers. It doesn’t matter that you didn’t grow up knowing these things. Because of YOU, your ancestors’ stories live on! They didn’t stop, no matter the obstacles, and neither have you. You go girl. Do ‘em proud. 🤗
There is a common source ancestor to most of the creole population in the Cane River area. Claude Thomas Pierre Metoyer and his wife Marie Coincoin. Mr Metoyer of Meltose Plantation bought Marie out of slavery as well as their first child who was born before Marie’s freedom. They went on to have 10 children who went on to begat almost the entire Creole population in the Natchitoches/Cane River area today. They had a son named Pierre Metoyer. If this is the same Pierre Metoyer who owned your ancestor Marie, it would be awfully hypocritical of him to do so considering that he is the son of a former slave mother. That may be worth looking into that connection. There couldn’t have been that many Metoyers in that area in the late 1700’s or early 1800s. It’s bound to be of the same family. Your story has me enthralled.
Thank you so much for such a thoughtful and helpful comment! I need it, because I am brand new to this and about as far from an expert as possible. I dont know if it was Pierre Metoyer Jr or Pierre Toussaint Metoyer...and possibly, neither. I do know that CoinCoin owned slaves even as a former slave herself, but perhaps I am missing some nuance from my naivete here. Thank you either way--will look in more and adjust if necessary!
Some formerly enslaved did own other enslaved people but many times, it was a relative. They bought their relatives out if slavery but went on the record as slaveowners and sometimes, they actually were owners if enslaved people. It was complicated.
@@domperignon8882 - this is true but I just read that Marie Coincoin Metoyer and her grown children owned something like 200 enslaved people. I think it was just how agribusiness was run back in the day, sad to say.
You should read "The Half has never been Told",many Enslaved people have reported these same issues and outcomes. The Emancipated Person was always able to then purchase their relatives and purchase land. 😁❤👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Wow. 😭 Such a beautiful relic of history in the midst of a dark time. So glad you're able to find these records. I have a few ancestors from Louisiana; maybe I could find something on them too. Love this series! 💕
So thankful for the stories we can still find. I should have linked to the LDL-- here it is! louisianadigitallibrary.org/ So glad you are here with me!
This is one of the most beautiful and moving stories I've ever heard. This channel should be a PBS series. Not sure where you get your music but the songs have been a nice extra touch when used and your content opens discussion about so much untold history that should and deserves to be taught in schools. Thank you!
I actually learned about Marie Metoyer in college. My African American studies professor gave a couple of lectures about her. I never envisioned watching a video about her descendants in the future.
You have done amazing work! You had me in tears when you mentioned your ancestor paying off his 6 year old daughter in two installments, powerful stuff! 😢
Your story really touches my heart. I have raised my children to be proud of the pinch of soul we get from our creole. I am from Natchitoches parish and knew some of the Condits , Metoyers and Perots. I went night fishing with one of the Perots on Black Lake about 50 years ago. Some of the Meteyers are distant kin being related to me through my Rachal cousins. My people went white so far back that both my parents graduated high school in the lynch rope sundown town of Goldonna. My friend Etheline Condit & husband attended my wedding in Goldonna in 1996. People still looked at them funny when they asked for directions to the church. I hate that we hid our heritage so long for the economic and social advantages of whiteness.
Larry-- I would love to talk with you more! I wonder if you knew my immediate family? If you come find me on FB we could talk more. Thank you so much for watching and commenting. Connecting means everything to me!
The Metoyers & Rachals, etc. are also my family on my grandmother's side. Her family is from Campti (the Kemps) and Natchitoches. My grandmother once described the family as cliquish. I didn't get what that meant until much later on. It had to do with colorism.
I found your channel by chance and it is through your curiosity and/or calling that you will unearth so much truth, pain, joy, and strength. While you are on this path please know that you are the physical manifestation of all the hopes and dreams of your ancestors, because every time a child is born, they come with that gift. I wish you and your family clarity, wisdom, and peace.
What a beautiful thing to tell me, without getting weird about it I just always felt like this is what I was supposed to do. I HAD to figure out how. I hope I will represent our story well. Thank you so much for taking the time to share that--I hope you stay around:)
@@nytn this journey will transform you and it will give you tons of “aha moments”. Enjoy the ride but also take time to decompress, you have become an agent of change for your family and that’s a lot. Thank you for sharing your family and it’s rich history.
A common Black American saying is "The deeper you dig the Blacker it gets." It seems Marie Jeanne refuses to be forgotten. But that's exactly what her descendants did to her. Not only did she have to live a brutal life of slavery and r*pe, but in the afterlife she is forgotten on purpose by her family because she was Black so they could live a so called better life. Living a lie is a disgrace no matter how much butter and sugar is put on it. It's good that you chose different and heard her calls. I can only imagine the comfort she, her son, and her granddaughter feel. Because it's true the ancestors live. Most people outright deny it and deny with hatred. Maybe that's what racism is: a denial, rejection, and hatred of one's self to be better and that better turning into a superiority complex. Because racism makes no sense at all. But if it's rooted in self hatred then it does make sense. I've notice that multiple ethnicities deny their Black ancestry (Irish, Italians, Greeks, Arabs, Mexicans, Asians etc., etc., etc.) and do their best to prove they aren't by being the most cruel and hateful or just completely denying. Similar to how Peter denied Jesus, cursing and denying he knew Jesus when Jesus needed him the most. It's disrespectful. It's shameful. It reminds me of a Bible scripture, Psalm 118:22 The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. I think as the more people dig the Blacker it will get. The Blackness that multiple societies have rejected for centuries will turn out to be the cornerstone. Ain't that something.
How amazing a discovery! Wouldn’t it be amazing if the government would produce the stories such as your’s? It would be really neat if all the stories of former slaves & enslaved peoples would be known and truly part of American history !
Nikki- I think it would bring a lot of healing for ourselves as individuals as well as maybe on larger levels, too. Many of us probably share similar histories and dont even know it
Have you ever read the book call “White Like Her” ? well it’s similar to your situation. The author thought she was just white her whole life until she unearthed her mother’s pass, she was also a Louisiana Creole specifically from New Orleans though. There were many light skin Creoles that could pass for white and some of them did and the stories as to why they passed for white is very interesting.
I havent but I have put it on my reading list! I would love to hear the experiences of other people who chose to pass. It's a new piece of history for me.
Years ago an older gentleman came to the emergency room ,he said he wasn't feeling well. He gave me his name and address, so I checked the files for his records. I found two separate files on Mr. Brown. The information on both files were identical, except one stated that he was white the other said he was colored. So I asked Mr. Brown which race was correct. He told me that he used to pass for white to get a job, but now he wanted his records to say that he was colored. In New Orleans you can sometimes tell if someone black or white, but when Mr. Brown opened his eyes they were a beautiful light green, so I had to ask him what was his race. He laughed with tears in his and said I'm colored now. He told me it was hard passing, because he missed his family.
Thank you so much for sharing. I love you story and can relate to it. I a project in college on my family and found my great great grandmother was a slave of the Mandan tribe she was Dakota. I then found out her husband a white Irish man purchased her. Not sure how to feel about it. I am not sure if she was willing. They went to live with her tribe but it’s still not comforting . I also discovered a English Ethnologist William Blackmore commissioned a painting and photo of her in able to study her like a animal.The painting is in the Smithsonian and British Museum the photo is as well. I pray to one day have her paintings sent to her tribe at Standing Rock. Her name was Good Road Woman (where are last name originated) in Dakota it’s Canku Waste Wi.
Thank you for sharing this story with me---we need to keep sharing these I think. That painting is really upsetting my heart. Id love to hear more about your story and your journey. It sounds like you are still working through a lot of this, too.
Thank you for your efforts in bringing this story to the forefront. We also have many stories of native history within our family, but are unable to link it to any particular ancestors as I believe that the shame or hardships involved with that acknowledgement. I have been actively involved with genealogical research for over 40 years and DNA and the resources that have come to light over the last 10 years have been a game changer. I also come from a large French family on both sides of my family here in Canada, but had always believed that our ancestors came from France to Quebec and moved west from there. To my surprise due to recent research successes, I now have the knowledge that the majority of those French descendants came to Acadie and were subject to the deportations starting in the mid 1700's and push them to places such as Louisiana, the Caribbean, and other parts of the USA and Canada. Keep up the great work, and I look forward to seeing future segments of your family journey.
I agree-- "slave" has been used so much it has maybe lost the sharpness it should have. People's names bring that back. Thank you for watching, Kathleeen:)
I'm so intrigued with this story I didn't know where start.... Being Louisiana born it amazing to walk in your story be transformed back in time. Thank you so much for sharing your story!
I feel the same way in knowing my 5th great grandfather signed the treaty of 1855 for his decendants and his people and so I could be here today. 😊❤ Unfortunately he was murdered by the militia group 6 months later, but his decendants lived. Chief Peopeomoxmox was the Walla Walla chief and married a cayuse woman. 😊 I love history it keeps there memories alive.
Danielle, you are so lucky that you discovered an ancestor of the caliber of your fifth great grandfather. He was one tough, tenacious person who valued his family unit. He would be very proud of you. Keep in mind that not all families might be as special as yours is. But, perhaps it's still worth the effort for everyone to dig into their lineage. Have you met anyone who didn't want to know their lineage? I would guess some adopted people would not.
What an kind comment- thank you, means a lot. I do think most people have big family stories in their tree even if they have to dig a little bit further. I think someone who doesn’t want to know… probably already knows something…I do respect that some people don’t care much for genealogy and family history. We all have our callings 🥰
This is profound as this was the same plantation my family is from in Louisiana. I am a Metoyer and my dad's family is from Cane River. Phenomenal story that I researched years ago.
i agree your ancestors are pushing and using you to tell a story that needs to be heard !!! thanks to Lola being a catalyst for change ❤ and good job sister 🎉 the unveiling is emotional but worth it 😊
that is amazing-- thank you for sharing. I think there is a lot of heartache in the past that many tried to cover up--but so much healing in the truth. I hope your family is finding that healing as well. So glad you are here!
Thank you so much for sharing your family history and all that you discovered. This is why that I love doing genealogy on my family too. It has helped me understand many things about my family and the many struggles and hardships that they had to endure. Everyone deserves to know the truth about who they are and where they came from.
You are beautiful in many ways and you make me cry because the pain of being uprooted and cut off from one's heritage rings true for me and my family. I've been called ethnic my whole life in Connecticut, which surprises people because my roots don't show in my skin color. But my ancestry is crying out to be heard. I'm very glad that you are doing this, that you are freeing the voices of your ancestors, and that you are proclaiming their dignity and yours as human beings.
I just want to thank you for this very valuable information. This gives my adult children and I opportunity to find out things we would not otherwise know. Bless you and your family. 🙏🏾💜👍🏾✌🏾
I've been amazed by this story up to this point. THIS discovery took my breath away. I am happy for you to have uncovered this for your generation and any generations - future and prior - who will rejoice with you. This is a piece of information that gives you pause and makes you take a deep breath. I hope that this will just be the beginning of more wonderful discoveries about your heritage. ❤
Wow very thought provoking watching ur videos made me realize how significant each person in our family tree is no matter how far removed ! Thank u for ur inquisitiveness and caring nature people like u make the world a better place!👍🏿❤️
Please read the book “Cane River” written by a Black woman whose genealogy is so similar to yours that you might be related. The pictures in the book are great! Please read this book.
Remember, lost to your family by a conscious choice/decision. I have respect for you, doing what you need to do to truly find out who you really are. You share a very deep, historical, genetic connection with People of Color...you can't run/hide from this. You will find that this journey will heal your spirit. Remember, your ancestors were calling out to you to find them. According to various historical/spiritual traditions/beliefs, ex. Egypt, speaking your ancestors' names gives them life and relevance in the Universe. Their energy is your energy!
Darlene, this made me so happy to read, thank you. I feel very connected to this journey, it is something I knew I had to do, and it took me awhile to figure out what that looked like. Glad you are here :)
I remember my first job in a large factory a supervisor a white man came up to me and asked me if I was Cajun or Creole.i didn't know what that was.I said no he said you look like the beautiful women in Louisiana.i thanked h for the complement.Being an 18 year old I didn't give it much thought I knew I was native American from my mom and some from my dad.i need to dig into my mother's side.I know my father's goes back to England and that one of my grandfather's married a native women.myoms side is the question she is Native American but what else.i enjoyed your doc series so much.
Oh my gosh I love this story. I hated not knowing how to respond to people when they would ask what "I was". Boy I had no idea what I was about to get into LOL
You, your story, and your family and ancestors especially, are very impressive and amazing. Love it, even though all the oppression throughout history arouses so much disgust and anger, as humans are so disappointing so often. Great story and you and your research ability are so inspiring.
There is something very healing in this whole journey. we are all more alike than we think, and we all have a job to do in our family story. So glad you found the channel! :)
I also did an AncestryDNA test. The results were that I'm 97% Irish 🇮🇪 and 3% Faroe Islands 🇫🇴 My brother had exactly the same results. There was a family story that we had Spanish ancestry but it isn't showing in the results. To say I was disappointed is an understatement. My father and some of my siblings have sallow skin, dark hair and brown eyes. When I holiday in Greece older people tell me my features look Greek and they ask me if I have Greek heritage. The genes might be further back as AncestryDNA only go back 8-10 generations.
The Irish have plenty of spicy history all their own! I was just talking to someone about his Irish family and how they had been kicked out of Ireland, then kicked out of Canada before making their way to NY.
@@nytn A lot of people living in Canada emigrate to the U.S. for work and just stayed. They weren't exactly "kicked out". They were economic migrants. I'm Canadian and my husband's Canadian. We both have family living in the U.S. now. My mother was actually born in Spokane, Washington because her mother and her grandmother were American by birth and her grandfather was the only one of his siblings not born in the U.S. He was born in Norway. The border wasn't closed between Canada and the U.S. until the early 1920s. My grandmother lost her American citizenship when she married my grandfather in 1917, but that didn't seem important, I guess, until Canadians couldn't cross to the U.S. after about 1924 (?). My grandmother in the 1930s was told to leave Ketchikan Alaska because she wasn't any longer a U.S. citizen. Can you imagine? in the 1930s when you were barely hanging on and your husband had gone bankrupt that you were told to leave your own country where your children were living with your mother and her husband and you were working as a nanny on weekdays? That law has long since been abandoned but it is an incredible story of sexism (men didn't lose their citizenship when they married a foreigner, just women.), isn't it?
Consider taking another test. I got results like it and found different but similar results with two tests with more details.. One of them divided my paternal and maternal sides. If you look in the records, you may find the story on a family tree associated with the DNA test you might find a name you can look up.. Then try cluster genealogy. It's amazing what siblings, children, and friends have in their records.
@@susandevinenapoli7649 Thanks for the advice Susan. I guess its a family story that I've heard from birth so I'm hanging onto it dearly. Spanish soldiers were stationed just a few miles from where I originate, we also had German Palatine and French Hugenot immigrants in our area. Our surname of Long is very rare in my area. I always thought it was of English origin but now I think it could be a form Of German Palatine surname. I'm researching it atm.
Actually, it is now believed that the original population of Ireland is most closely related to the Basques in Spain. That must be the origin of the so called black Irish.
Being from new orleans and being blend race light skin myself. Not just the past of how slaves were treated back then bothered me but this documentary did too because I see that some people today that are mixed race are still ashamed of having black blood and ancestors. I saw her other doc too with the family who was ashamed of having black blood. Smh so wrong and sad. No one should be ashamed of their race .
This is very interesting as my 3rd great-grandfather, Richard Barrington and his wife and children, were freed in the will of his deceased master, Senator Solomon Downs, the only senator ever from Monroe.
I purchased a book years ago Cane River. The young lady details some family history of enslavement. Being creole, the system of placage if spelled correctly (where the Frenchman paid & the women did this to have $). I remember some passing, or being sent to France & one young man who chose to marry black (negro) & a very dark wife. He was over it & wanted nothing to do with it. It was a great read. Even though science & the Bible (I think) don't quote me, states after 3 generations the person is basically whatever was dominant, white or whatever. It's just great to be aware of the actual plight & the truth Even if one's skin is white. It's bringing to light real atrocities & heartbreak that certain people's couldn't avoid. Although of course there's exceptions to every rule. Your 5th great grand was blessed to overcome his plight. This information is about humanity & your being connected & empowered for change. Many would've never imagined being connected to the enslaved of these United States because they don't look the part. Peace unto you & yours.
I loved this comment- thank you. Im definitely white! But I do think there is a beautiful space to explore where we acknowledge where we come from and honor that. At least, I am hoping to do that.
@@nytn Most welcome. I'm loving your journey & humanity ❤ I'm inspired to do some digging. My grandma (very light complection, red head & green eyes) had a 1st cousin who looked white. As kids they'd ride the city bus & he'd sit upfront in the white section, turn & wink at them in the back. Once off the bus & they'd laugh hysterically 😅 The things that separate or separated us really ought not. Bless you Dearly
The fact that you went and uncovered all of this speaks volumes. When ppl passed the relatives knew nothing about the side left behind. Keep on your journey. 💯💯
Kudos to your work compiling the information and editing the videos so others could share your journey. I felt the emotion in your voice when you spoke about your ancestor paying installments to free his six year old daughter. I don’t know if non black Americans grasp the emotions of knowing your ancestors could be purchased or sold like an animal or piece of machinery. It’s a very raw feeling that brings home how personal were the interactions with chattel slavery. This makes me want to do family genealogy to fill in the blank spaces and gaps in my family’s history
Brian, I hope you begin the journey, and let me know how it goes. You are exactly right This began SUCH a journey, especially as a white girl from NY, it really opened up my eyes to see that we are all very much connected to each other and what happens to our neighbor is happening to us as well because of that. I decided to follow Noel's life, and it brought back to Louisiana so I could touch the bricks he made as a young man. I did some videos on it, here: czcams.com/play/PLvzaW1c7S5hQxDnyRTah5wYRX9b4FSrqR.html
This is amazing but also bittersweet. I learned with my first Ancestry DNA test I came up 3% African. Actually I saw my uncle and cousin's results well before I ever did mine and saw they both had African as well. It started making me thinking about our grandma/great grandma as she was pretty dark skinned most of the time I could remember her ( she didn't pass till I was 13). After digging some one day I found a 1930 census that listed her as Negro as well as all of her kids ( 3 of my great uncle's, my granny wasn't born yet) but her mother and husband as white. Now she married a full blooded Italian man btw. I googled why, since all her other documents listed her as white, and learned in 1930 they required you to identify as Negro if you had any African ancestry at all. There are also 2 documents for her oldest son saying he was black or part black. However, upon looking further into things, I discovered that her husband is likely not my biological great grandfather..... but we're still part Italian from somewhere. I do not believe my granny cheated. IT is theorized because my centimorgans are so small with folks that should e 1c1r, 2nd cousins and so on, including not matching any of the descendants of my great grandfather's brother's, my great grandma may have actually been my great great grandma or another family member entirely and raised my Granny as her daughter. I can't solve either mystery and I have had many look into it and there's just not enough documentation or matches to confirm relationships. My parents are both dead so I can't test them either.
Wow, what a hard journey you are on and have been on! I just saw your other comment about your parents. Just wanted to give you a virtual hug and let you know that I am rooting for you. You are so much further ahead than most people. I still have some mysteries like this and I hope one day I can crack them. It will kill me not to!
I am probably the palest person you ever met - I did a DNA test: 3-4% Nigerian and 4-5% North African. I'm trying to uncover that ancestor because that is part of our family history and deserves to be honored. I never would have known without a DNA test. So glad I did it.
I love following your family story. Beautifully told. Have you ordered the application for your ancestor's land? I just contributed to a book about Black Homesteaders in the South and the information in the applications has been so rewarding. They are housed at the National Archives. Unfortunately, most are not online anywhere.
@@nytn Yes, they will scan it and send it to you, or you can make an appointment to see it in person! The book is called Black Homesteaders of the South by Bernice Bennett (Arcadia Publishing). I'm in the Florida and Alabama chapters but they have a lot of Louisiana homesteaders too. We focused on the Homestead Act of 1862, but it's so cool to see a Black person that applied under the 1820 act! Congratulations!
There are lots of Metoyer descendants in Omaha Nebraska. The Creole diaspora is every where. Even in Vera Cruz , Mexico. I carry the indigenous Mexican gene as a result of my Louisiana/ Texas heritage.
@@nytn absolutely would be a pleasure. My parents are graduates of Xavier University in New Orleans and I am a graduate of Fisk University in Nashville, both universities having a long history of Creole alumni. I carry that legacy in heritage , culture and language.
@@nytn how interesting. My great uncle attended there in 1915. He started the first black owned insurance company in Texas. He married Effie McClure , a white passing Fiskite from Keatchie, Louisiana. I recall the riveting stories he told me about social justice endeavors he shared with me while at Fisk. I was always drawn to the power of unearthing truth , so I found myself matriculating at Fisk just as they were in the throws of protesting against Vanderbilt for their support of apartheid their participation in the Davis cup. Historically rich Fisk is the oldest university in Nashville and the city gets its name ‘ music city’from the 1873 performance of Jubilee Singers for Queen Victoria, not country music. It was the first HBCU to gain accreditation and to charter a Phi Beta Kappa chapter. It’s alumni like Ida B Wells And WEB DuBois founded the NAACP. George Edmund Hayes founded the National Urban League. Nella Larsen’s novel ‘Passing ‘which was brought to screen on Netflix earlier this year was the first novel exploring the world of passing ; She was was also a Fiskite. Charles Diggs founded the congressional black caucus and Louis Martin, an advisor to 3 presidents convinced LBJ to nominate Thurgood Marshall to the Supreme Court. The musical ‘ Shuffle Along ‘ written by Fiskites Aubry Lyles and Flournoy Miller started the Harlem Renaissance. The Fisk Race Relations Institute was called upon by the federal government to assist in the desegregation of the military and public school systems across the US. Not to mention, poet Nikki Giovanni, Alvin Ailey creative director Judith Jamison and of course Rep. John Lewis , amongst many others laid the foundation and infrastructure for disenfranchised people. Fisk would be the site of the founding of SNCC by Dianne Nash , John Lewis and Mayor Marion Barry resulting in Nashville being the first southern city to integrate public accommodations. I am not sure how much of this you know , but it appears that you might be a historical devotee as well. If so there is so much history right there at Fisk obscured by the same racist anti black and brown pressures that forced your great grandmother to pass. Take the red pill and continue your journey. The ancestors are calling!!! God bless and keep in touch!❤️Warmest regards, Dr. David Foley
Thank you, O Lord, for my Lineage. I am thankful for the DNA I have inherited from my many parents, which includes, my unique beauty, my multiple talents, self-awareness,.............. Help me to realize and share how significant our lives are with my current relatives children protecteachchild from abuse
@@ucity88 if you are not already a part of the Southwest Louisiana Creole Genealogy facebook page run by my friend and cousin Alex, come find it! There is a wealth of information there. Would love to connect!
Beautiful story. I feel elation that you could find the truth of your family story. FPOC were often documented, if one is willing to do the research- there can be information found!
Jackie-- you are SO right. I wish I had known that my family could be found out-- it wasnt easy but it wasnt impossible-- just a little grit and you unpack so much
You are part of the Indigenous people's community, because the French and English enslaved dark skinned Native Americans, who were mixed with ancestors from west Africa and Europe. My ancestors are on record dating back to 1650, and are a mixture of Indigenous native American, West African and European heritages. Virginia, North/South Carolina and the South, primarily Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama and Florida.
Danielle, I gave you some incorrect info. the other day. The Campti that I know is a community in Shelby Co. Texas. It is probably less than 100 miles from Campti La. I did not know that city in La. existed. Sorry, T Dunahoe I admire your work.
@@nytn no way! I’m so glad I found your channel. I binged your channel last night. I have added 14,000 to my tree. I’m so curious how many times we have links. I have found MicMac and Chitimacha, but have seen others that don’t state which tribe.
Robb--oh my gosh, so many secrets and so much red tape. I like to just keep a little notebook where I jot down things when I find them or possibly connections--and when Im ready to really do a deep dive, I have lots of things to start from! I hope you find your family story!
This was exciting information in this video! I wonder what you will discover next!? I know I am anxious to hear the next information! Happy blessed Thanksgiving
@@nytn I am so happy I clicked on your video when it came in my feed & honestly the main reason I did was because it said you are in Nashville and I just recently relocated to Nashville - after living in Florida for 34 years. I love mysteries & what better mystery to dive into than solving our ancestry!
Your ancestor Noel Conde and my ancestor Therese Lecompte came from the same plantation of Alexis Cloutier in Natchitoches! I also believe they were siblings with different white fathers, my ancestor being Alexis Cloutier.
@@nytn I’m just so reminded of my own curiosities about my lineage…so many synchronicities, I just haven’t built up the courage to dig deeper. I’m proud of you.
@@goddessgood118 oh my gosh, that really touched my heart. thank you. Not everyone is happy with me right now. Stay around-- and when you are ready to dig in, you can share it with us here!
You may not have grown up in the Black community or the creole community or even the Indigenous community, but they are still your ancestors, and they live and are with you always! I see it in your features, and I really hope you never feel awkward, or not entitled to be with us. You have a right to be with us. Learn our history, understand the problems facing us and don't bring harm upon us, and you'll always be welcome. You are part of the Black continuum, and never feel like you aren't a part of us. I'm glad you understand and are emotionally connected it means that the ancestors have not abandoned you and are guiding you! It's a lot to to take in, to know the pain, the turmoil, the terror our ancestors went through just to bring us into existence, but in the end it will bring clarity and strength! Blessings sister!
This was one of the nicest things anyone has said to me on this journey. There is so much complexity in these areas, and I think that's what keeps people like me from trying to connect-- but we need to do it. Thank you for being here!
Thank you for sharing your family history. You know more than a lot of us.
I am Creole but didn’t acknowledge it, until I was an old adult.
@@nytn I'm glad i could open the door! There will be people who want to block your way, but always remember it is YOU who determines your identity and affiliation! If you are one of us, then you are one of us! Period! Welcome and i hope your village grows, and you really connect with your ancestors! And also research our Spirituality our African and indigenous ancestors lived. It will also aid on your journey. It is very different from what has been put out there. Love!
Most mixed people DO NOT want to be a part of the black community, hence they passed. I have some creole friends who really want to be acknowledged as black and others not so much. I live and let live.
@@stephanienwadieiiamhybasia all it takes is a passion to learn, we are in a wonderful time where we have the documentation and it's accessable. Ask the ancestors and the creator to guide you, and your path will be clear! It's a lot of work, but it's worth it!
I am so proud of your grandfather saving himself and his daughter
This is so amazing. Yes, you are a part of the black community…. It goes so deep. Your story is so beautiful & I’m so happy that you are finding your true history. I can tell that it is making you stronger. Continue to walk with your head held high. ❤
Orelia, thank you cousin. I was so scared starting all of this- since I grew up in NY disconnected. But realizing I dont need to explain or persuade anyone about my roots--was freeing. Glad you are here.
@@nytn Yes. ❤️ No one can go against your truth. Once you know, you know. Never apologize for who you are, cousin. 😌 You are blessed. No apologies whatsoever. You are stronger than you realize, it’s in you. I am glad to be here.
Part of the Black community?? Go to Africa, Asia, Latin America, Polynesia, West Indies, she has an admixture like millions of Whites in America and the West and yes even some Kkk , skin heads and those who lynched Blacks all have some Black admixture in their background, some knew it, some didn't. Only self hating Blacks would say she is Black. Do u know that most Latinos have Black ancestry yet not part of any Black community? She has more in common with Latinos due to her heritage than African Americans. Facts don't care about feelings!
No she's not, y'all need to stop in this comment section. Her story is very interesting and similar to many Blk people's story. This woman has Blk ancestry. She herself is nowhere near Blk or part of my community.
@@smbonner22 Exactly, like millions of White Americans even White Supremacist have a little admixture of Black blood and I can guarantee you in that famous photo of the lynching of a Blackman hanging from a tree with children and adults smiling below the body, knowing it's the South, some of them had and probably knew they have a little admixture of Black blood; still White!!
There is an article online with some White Supremacist that belong to a hate group who took a ancestry dna test and found out many of them had a little Sub Saharan African ancestry; they were still accepted as they said they will accept based on the " mirror test" what you look like.
Girl, tears came into my eyes when you said $350…Can you imagine having to pay for your own seed? What about those who could not afford the price? The psychological bondage is unfathomable. It’s good to hear those stories that the battle was won. It’s a blessing that you found this treasure. As always, thanks for sharing your journey.
Im so glad this spoke to you. Once I became a mom, the gravity really stayed with me. I am so blessed to find these ancestors who paved the way for me. Thank you for speaking that!
It breaks my heart to think that they had to buy their own child.
I teared up too
@@nytna stranger, in a strange land, a 46 y/o man shed some tears when you said 2 installments. Tears didn’t come out as installments.
homo homini lupus
Hearing that he was able to buy land and free His daughter was joyful. The strength of love saved generations .
This is a story for PBS. This one in your series is profoundly moving.
Wow thank you- what a compliment!
It is very much like what they show.
I was thinking the same thing! This should be on PBS!
I agree!
My heart went out to you when you detailed Marie's situation. Who could imagine being unjustly separated from their 6 year old daughter for even a day. Thank you for sharing your family history.
I have three little kids and I think speaking the age out-loud took me by surprise. I have read these records many times, but saying it out loud is different. Glad you are here :)
There is strength in embracing and accepting one's heritage. It is clear your ancestors chose you to reveal this part of your family's legacy.
Thank you for sharing such an awesome video and revelation!
Im so honored to have you on the journey. When things have been secreted away for so long, going public has to happen.
Thanks for sharing your ric history. I have any dna cousins in LA. I believe that some of my Evans line my have settled in the same area. Do you know of any Evans families?
I always say, "we learn about the history of everything else, but we don't know the history of our own family." Most people don't too much beyond their great grandparents. We must do better!
Most don't even get that far. The more we know about ourselves, the more we will understand about each other. Thank you Cynthia-- agree so much!
In the U.S., record keeping wasn't great for "non-white" people, who were often just lumped together as "Colored" or some other "non-white" category, if their existence was recorded at all. In most cases, it was only important to the government to determine if they could marry a "white" person, if they could own real estate, and all of the other privileges of being "white." And in some cases, classification as "Colored" or "Negro" was used as a weapon against people who had mostly European ancestry to get land out of their hands and to "keep the white race pure."
@@loki2240 do you mean, “to steal land from people of color” because this is what they did to this family because he wouldn’t sell his land for pennies!
I just happened upon your story & find it fascinating. My family is African American from metro NYC & my great grandfather left my great grandmother, & their 6 children, to pass. He reached out to one of those children, my great aunt, with regrets towards the end of his life in the 1950’s. At that time, he said he had gone on to have another family with a white woman. He died shortly after that & the 2 families never connected. Anytime I see anything on the concept of “passing”, I wonder if he ever confessed to his other family. I’ve been toying with the idea of doing a dna test, but I’m not quite sure if I really want to open that Pandora’s box. I admire your bravery in taking this on. Best of luck on your journey!
Ree-- wow your story really touched my heart. Im so glad you found the channel, I hope the other videos help you feel connected to this experience, even if it is not your time to start the journey. Im so glad you are here:)
Wow the grandfather so selfish that he abandoned his wife and kids just to pass. I really don’t know how they pass at times. because majority of them don’t really look Anglo. I know that Europeans were all Anglos but ethnic too. But wouldn’t the person at least have to know some information on that ethnicity. Guess many people didn’t ask for details.
Open the box
Danielle, you have the same determination and grit as your forefathers. It doesn’t matter that you didn’t grow up knowing these things. Because of YOU, your ancestors’ stories live on! They didn’t stop, no matter the obstacles, and neither have you. You go girl. Do ‘em proud. 🤗
There is a common source ancestor to most of the creole population in the Cane River area. Claude Thomas Pierre Metoyer and his wife Marie Coincoin. Mr Metoyer of Meltose Plantation bought Marie out of slavery as well as their first child who was born before Marie’s freedom. They went on to have 10 children who went on to begat almost the entire Creole population in the Natchitoches/Cane River area today. They had a son named Pierre Metoyer. If this is the same Pierre Metoyer who owned your ancestor Marie, it would be awfully hypocritical of him to do so considering that he is the son of a former slave mother. That may be worth looking into that connection. There couldn’t have been that many Metoyers in that area in the late 1700’s or early 1800s. It’s bound to be of the same family. Your story has me enthralled.
Thank you so much for such a thoughtful and helpful comment! I need it, because I am brand new to this and about as far from an expert as possible. I dont know if it was Pierre Metoyer Jr or Pierre Toussaint Metoyer...and possibly, neither. I do know that CoinCoin owned slaves even as a former slave herself, but perhaps I am missing some nuance from my naivete here. Thank you either way--will look in more and adjust if necessary!
Some formerly enslaved did own other enslaved people but many times, it was a relative. They bought their relatives out if slavery but went on the record as slaveowners and sometimes, they actually were owners if enslaved people. It was complicated.
Of enslaved people.
@@domperignon8882 - this is true but I just read that Marie Coincoin Metoyer and her grown children owned something like 200 enslaved people. I think it was just how agribusiness was run back in the day, sad to say.
@@tlandry9689 I imagine it was hard for the slaves that could not pass.
You should read "The Half has never been Told",many Enslaved people have reported these same issues and outcomes. The Emancipated Person was always able to then purchase their relatives and purchase land. 😁❤👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Thanks for the recommendation. I will read this book just out of interest. I'm Irish living in Ireland 🇮🇪
@@bridlong7763 Enjoy 😉
Thank you for it, too! Just put it on my list :) :)
Wow. 😭 Such a beautiful relic of history in the midst of a dark time. So glad you're able to find these records. I have a few ancestors from Louisiana; maybe I could find something on them too. Love this series! 💕
So thankful for the stories we can still find. I should have linked to the LDL-- here it is! louisianadigitallibrary.org/ So glad you are here with me!
This is one of the most beautiful and moving stories I've ever heard. This channel should be a PBS series. Not sure where you get your music but the songs have been a nice extra touch when used and your content opens discussion about so much untold history that should and deserves to be taught in schools. Thank you!
This is why C.R.T.should be taught there is nothing racist about teaching it , it’s unvarnished American History plain and simple.
What you have done and are doing is beautiful and thank you so much for sharing this. Much respect to you and yours. Much respect. 🌻
Omgoodness this is amazing! Cannot wait to tell this story on thanksgiving. You are so awesome for digging all this up and I am grateful for that❤
yes! Seriously, there is so much more. Who knew a family from Albany, NY could come from all this?
I actually learned about Marie Metoyer in college. My African American studies professor gave a couple of lectures about her. I never envisioned watching a video about her descendants in the future.
Wow this is soo cool!! I’d love you to send this to that professor if you remember who it is. I’d love to connect
@@nytn I am not sure if she is still around. Her name was Dr. Kerr. At the time she was teaching at Towson University.
@@plee6223 I'll look her up! I have a lot to learn still. Thank you :)
You have done amazing work! You had me in tears when you mentioned your ancestor paying off his 6 year old daughter in two installments, powerful stuff! 😢
Thank you so much Roslyn! It makes me so happy to share these stories with the world!
Your story really touches my heart. I have raised my children to be proud of the pinch of soul we get from our creole. I am from Natchitoches parish and knew some of the Condits , Metoyers and Perots. I went night fishing with one of the Perots on Black Lake about 50 years ago. Some of the Meteyers are distant kin being related to me through my Rachal cousins. My people went white so far back that both my parents graduated high school in the lynch rope sundown town of Goldonna. My friend Etheline Condit & husband attended my wedding in Goldonna in 1996. People still looked at them funny when they asked for directions to the church. I hate that we hid our heritage so long for the economic and social advantages of whiteness.
Larry-- I would love to talk with you more! I wonder if you knew my immediate family? If you come find me on FB we could talk more. Thank you so much for watching and commenting. Connecting means everything to me!
The Metoyers & Rachals, etc. are also my family on my grandmother's side. Her family is from Campti (the Kemps) and Natchitoches. My grandmother once described the family as cliquish. I didn't get what that meant until much later on. It had to do with colorism.
I found your channel by chance and it is through your curiosity and/or calling that you will unearth so much truth, pain, joy, and strength. While you are on this path please know that you are the physical manifestation of all the hopes and dreams of your ancestors, because every time a child is born, they come with that gift. I wish you and your family clarity, wisdom, and peace.
What a beautiful thing to tell me, without getting weird about it I just always felt like this is what I was supposed to do. I HAD to figure out how. I hope I will represent our story well. Thank you so much for taking the time to share that--I hope you stay around:)
@@nytn this journey will transform you and it will give you tons of “aha moments”. Enjoy the ride but also take time to decompress, you have become an agent of change for your family and that’s a lot. Thank you for sharing your family and it’s rich history.
A common Black American saying is "The deeper you dig the Blacker it gets."
It seems Marie Jeanne refuses to be forgotten. But that's exactly what her descendants did to her. Not only did she have to live a brutal life of slavery and r*pe, but in the afterlife she is forgotten on purpose by her family because she was Black so they could live a so called better life. Living a lie is a disgrace no matter how much butter and sugar is put on it.
It's good that you chose different and heard her calls. I can only imagine the comfort she, her son, and her granddaughter feel. Because it's true the ancestors live.
Most people outright deny it and deny with hatred. Maybe that's what racism is: a denial, rejection, and hatred of one's self to be better and that better turning into a superiority complex. Because racism makes no sense at all. But if it's rooted in self hatred then it does make sense.
I've notice that multiple ethnicities deny their Black ancestry (Irish, Italians, Greeks, Arabs, Mexicans, Asians etc., etc., etc.) and do their best to prove they aren't by being the most cruel and hateful or just completely denying. Similar to how Peter denied Jesus, cursing and denying he knew Jesus when Jesus needed him the most. It's disrespectful. It's shameful.
It reminds me of a Bible scripture, Psalm 118:22
The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
I think as the more people dig the Blacker it will get. The Blackness that multiple societies have rejected for centuries will turn out to be the cornerstone.
Ain't that something.
THIS 👆🏽 💯❤. THANK YOU 🙏🏽
How amazing a discovery! Wouldn’t it be amazing if the government would produce the stories such as your’s? It would be really neat if all the stories of former slaves & enslaved peoples would be known and truly part of American history !
Nikki- I think it would bring a lot of healing for ourselves as individuals as well as maybe on larger levels, too. Many of us probably share similar histories and dont even know it
Have you ever read the book call “White Like Her” ? well it’s similar to your situation. The author thought she was just white her whole life until she unearthed her mother’s pass, she was also a Louisiana Creole specifically from New Orleans though. There were many light skin Creoles that could pass for white and some of them did and the stories as to why they passed for white is very interesting.
I havent but I have put it on my reading list! I would love to hear the experiences of other people who chose to pass. It's a new piece of history for me.
@@nytn Lola didn't exactly pass. Her neighbours knew she was "Indian", right, even if she didn't acknowledge it to her children and grandchildren.
Years ago an older gentleman came to the emergency room ,he said he wasn't feeling well. He gave me his name and address, so I checked the files for his records. I found two separate files on Mr. Brown. The information on both files were identical, except one stated that he was white the other said he was colored. So I asked Mr. Brown which race was correct. He told me that he used to pass for white to get a job, but now he wanted his records to say that he was colored. In New Orleans you can sometimes tell if someone black or white, but when Mr. Brown opened his eyes they were a beautiful light green, so I had to ask him what was his race. He laughed with tears in his and said I'm colored now. He told me it was hard passing, because he missed his family.
@@denisehenry3427 oh my gosh! People passed to escape unspeakable violence and discrimination - among other things. So sad
Thank you so much for sharing. I love you story and can relate to it. I a project in college on my family and found my great great grandmother was a slave of the Mandan tribe she was Dakota. I then found out her husband a white Irish man purchased her. Not sure how to feel about it. I am not sure if she was willing. They went to live with her tribe but it’s still not comforting . I also discovered a English Ethnologist William Blackmore commissioned a painting and photo of her in able to study her like a animal.The painting is in the Smithsonian and British Museum the photo is as well. I pray to one day have her paintings sent to her tribe at Standing Rock. Her name was Good Road Woman (where are last name originated) in Dakota it’s Canku Waste Wi.
Thank you for sharing this story with me---we need to keep sharing these I think. That painting is really upsetting my heart. Id love to hear more about your story and your journey. It sounds like you are still working through a lot of this, too.
@@nytn I so agree that we need to share these stories! You have inspired me to share more.
It’s wonderful that you have embraced this part of yourself it’s beautiful.
thank you for such a kind comment! I am still very much on this journey! Hope you will stay for it.
This story is amazing! Thanks for sharing and We love you.
Wow, what a wonderfully rich ancestral legacy you have prepared to convey to your children!
Thank you for your efforts in bringing this story to the forefront. We also have many stories of native history within our family, but are unable to link it to any particular ancestors as I believe that the shame or hardships involved with that acknowledgement. I have been actively involved with genealogical research for over 40 years and DNA and the resources that have come to light over the last 10 years have been a game changer. I also come from a large French family on both sides of my family here in Canada, but had always believed that our ancestors came from France to Quebec and moved west from there. To my surprise due to recent research successes, I now have the knowledge that the majority of those French descendants came to Acadie and were subject to the deportations starting in the mid 1700's and push them to places such as Louisiana, the Caribbean, and other parts of the USA and Canada.
Keep up the great work, and I look forward to seeing future segments of your family journey.
Glendon-- WOW, we all have big family stories! Sounds like you have lots more to explore as well. Im really glad you're here. :)
Beautiful. Stories like this are important to show the full humanity of enslaved people.
I agree-- "slave" has been used so much it has maybe lost the sharpness it should have. People's names bring that back. Thank you for watching, Kathleeen:)
I’m so happy for you continue with your journey 😘😘
One thing I'll give it Louisiana, they keep good records! Birth, death, wills, etc. Every part of life was written down.
I'm so intrigued with this story I didn't know where start.... Being Louisiana born it amazing to walk in your story be transformed back in time. Thank you so much for sharing your story!
I feel the same way in knowing my 5th great grandfather signed the treaty of 1855 for his decendants and his people and so I could be here today. 😊❤ Unfortunately he was murdered by the militia group 6 months later, but his decendants lived. Chief Peopeomoxmox was the Walla Walla chief and married a cayuse woman. 😊 I love history it keeps there memories alive.
Danielle, you are so lucky that you discovered an ancestor of the caliber of your fifth great grandfather. He was one tough, tenacious person who valued his family unit. He would be very proud of you. Keep in mind that not all families might be as special as yours is. But, perhaps it's still worth the effort for everyone to dig into their lineage. Have you met anyone who didn't want to know their lineage? I would guess some adopted people would not.
What an kind comment- thank you, means a lot. I do think most people have big family stories in their tree even if they have to dig a little bit further. I think someone who doesn’t want to know… probably already knows something…I do respect that some people don’t care much for genealogy and family history. We all have our callings 🥰
This is profound as this was the same plantation my family is from in Louisiana. I am a Metoyer and my dad's family is from Cane River. Phenomenal story that I researched years ago.
Mia-- we must be cousins! Let's try to connect
i agree your ancestors are pushing and using you to tell a story that needs to be heard !!! thanks to Lola being a catalyst for change ❤ and good job sister 🎉 the unveiling is emotional but worth it 😊
that is amazing-- thank you for sharing. I think there is a lot of heartache in the past that many tried to cover up--but so much healing in the truth. I hope your family is finding that healing as well. So glad you are here!
Thank you so much for sharing your family history and all that you discovered. This is why that I love doing genealogy on my family too. It has helped me understand many things about my family and the many struggles and hardships that they had to endure. Everyone deserves to know the truth about who they are and where they came from.
Rachel-- I am so thankful for your comment--and Im glad you are here!
You are beautiful in many ways and you make me cry because the pain of being uprooted and cut off from one's heritage rings true for me and my family. I've been called ethnic my whole life in Connecticut, which surprises people because my roots don't show in my skin color. But my ancestry is crying out to be heard. I'm very glad that you are doing this, that you are freeing the voices of your ancestors, and that you are proclaiming their dignity and yours as human beings.
Monique, thank you so much!! Im so glad you are here
The book Cane River is an amazing read. I highly recommend it
I just want to thank you for this very valuable information. This gives my adult children and I opportunity to find out things we would not otherwise know. Bless you and your family. 🙏🏾💜👍🏾✌🏾
What a beautiful comment-- thank you Antoinette for taking the time to tell me that. It is so worth the research.
Thank you for sharing. I just found my 5th great-grandparents. Going to start digging deeper today!
This is awesome!! I hope you stick around and share what you find
Very moving. Stories of survival and triumph against the tide of culture are always a great strength to us all. namaste
Well said!
Glad I found your channel.
Ive been researching this same topic. My Ancestors also won their freedom . These are not things we are ever taught about history. Its crazy.
Great video cousin. I truly understand your emotion. In order to know where you going, you gotta know where you come from.
Perfectly said.
I've been amazed by this story up to this point. THIS discovery took my breath away. I am happy for you to have uncovered this for your generation and any generations - future and prior - who will rejoice with you.
This is a piece of information that gives you pause and makes you take a deep breath. I hope that this will just be the beginning of more wonderful discoveries about your heritage. ❤
Thank you SO much. What a beautiful comment. I appreciate the effort you took to share about the videos so much and I hope you will stay:)
He’s my 4th great grandfather. Thanks for sharing girl, I’ve never seen this!
That's awesome❤ Hey cousin
Wow very thought provoking watching ur videos made me realize how significant each person in our family tree is no matter how far removed ! Thank u for ur inquisitiveness and caring nature people like u make the world a better place!👍🏿❤️
So nice of you
Thanks for this! 👍 😊 & 😁 We will be watching!
THIS is AMERICAN HISTORY
Wow Danielle! You have been finding all sorts of goodies! 👋👋
I promise I won't cry in every family history video! LOL!
Good job on the presentation of the story. I am also a descendant of Noel Coindet through his son Jules.
That was such moving story! Thank you so much for sharing it, and it is wonderful that you were able to find it! Keep looking!
What a sweet comment, thank you Kat!
My father was born in Louisana! Thank you for sharing your family history and telling us about the Cane River Collection.
Stay around and let me know what you find!
Incredible! Fascinating, and how wonderful that you have uncovered your story.
Thank you so much!
You have gotten so far in this I love this 💕💕💕💕 I have been following as I research avidly 💕
Please read the book “Cane River” written by a Black woman whose genealogy is so similar to yours that you might be related. The pictures in the book are great! Please read this book.
Love this! Thank you Leola:)
Remember, lost to your family by a conscious choice/decision. I have respect for you, doing what you need to do to truly find out who you really are. You share a very deep, historical, genetic connection with People of Color...you can't run/hide from this. You will find that this journey will heal your spirit. Remember, your ancestors were calling out to you to find them. According to various historical/spiritual traditions/beliefs, ex. Egypt, speaking your ancestors' names gives them life and relevance in the Universe. Their energy is your energy!
Darlene, this made me so happy to read, thank you. I feel very connected to this journey, it is something I knew I had to do, and it took me awhile to figure out what that looked like. Glad you are here :)
Wow, what a HERO was your 5th Great Granfather!!!!!
Thank you for sharing your family with us.
thank you for listening! :)
I remember my first job in a large factory a supervisor a white man came up to me and asked me if I was Cajun or Creole.i didn't know what that was.I said no he said you look like the beautiful women in Louisiana.i thanked h for the complement.Being an 18 year old I didn't give it much thought I knew I was native American from my mom and some from my dad.i need to dig into my mother's side.I know my father's goes back to England and that one of my grandfather's married a native women.myoms side is the question she is Native American but what else.i enjoyed your doc series so much.
Oh my gosh I love this story. I hated not knowing how to respond to people when they would ask what "I was". Boy I had no idea what I was about to get into LOL
You, your story, and your family and ancestors especially, are very impressive and amazing. Love it, even though all the oppression throughout history arouses so much disgust and anger, as humans are so disappointing so often. Great story and you and your research ability are so inspiring.
There is something very healing in this whole journey. we are all more alike than we think, and we all have a job to do in our family story. So glad you found the channel! :)
I also did an AncestryDNA test. The results were that I'm 97% Irish 🇮🇪 and 3% Faroe Islands 🇫🇴 My brother had exactly the same results. There was a family story that we had Spanish ancestry but it isn't showing in the results. To say I was disappointed is an understatement. My father and some of my siblings have sallow skin, dark hair and brown eyes. When I holiday in Greece older people tell me my features look Greek and they ask me if I have Greek heritage. The genes might be further back as AncestryDNA only go back 8-10 generations.
The Irish have plenty of spicy history all their own! I was just talking to someone about his Irish family and how they had been kicked out of Ireland, then kicked out of Canada before making their way to NY.
@@nytn A lot of people living in Canada emigrate to the U.S. for work and just stayed. They weren't exactly "kicked out". They were economic migrants. I'm Canadian and my husband's Canadian. We both have family living in the U.S. now. My mother was actually born in Spokane, Washington because her mother and her grandmother were American by birth and her grandfather was the only one of his siblings not born in the U.S. He was born in Norway. The border wasn't closed between Canada and the U.S. until the early 1920s. My grandmother lost her American citizenship when she married my grandfather in 1917, but that didn't seem important, I guess, until Canadians couldn't cross to the U.S. after about 1924 (?). My grandmother in the 1930s was told to leave Ketchikan Alaska because she wasn't any longer a U.S. citizen. Can you imagine? in the 1930s when you were barely hanging on and your husband had gone bankrupt that you were told to leave your own country where your children were living with your mother and her husband and you were working as a nanny on weekdays? That law has long since been abandoned but it is an incredible story of sexism (men didn't lose their citizenship when they married a foreigner, just women.), isn't it?
Consider taking another test. I got results like it and found different but similar results with two tests with more details.. One of them divided my paternal and maternal sides. If you look in the records, you may find the story on a family tree associated with the DNA test you might find a name you can look up.. Then try cluster genealogy. It's amazing what siblings, children, and friends have in their records.
@@susandevinenapoli7649 Thanks for the advice Susan. I guess its a family story that I've heard from birth so I'm hanging onto it dearly. Spanish soldiers were stationed just a few miles from where I originate, we also had German Palatine and French Hugenot immigrants in our area. Our surname of Long is very rare in my area. I always thought it was of English origin but now I think it could be a form Of German Palatine surname. I'm researching it atm.
Actually, it is now believed that the original population of Ireland is most closely related to the Basques in Spain.
That must be the origin of the so called black Irish.
Being from new orleans and being blend race light skin myself.
Not just the past of how slaves were treated back then bothered me but this documentary did too because I see that some people today that are mixed race are still ashamed of having black blood and ancestors.
I saw her other doc too with the family who was ashamed of having black blood.
Smh so wrong and sad.
No one should be ashamed of their race .
This is very interesting as my 3rd great-grandfather, Richard Barrington and his wife and children, were freed in the will of his deceased master, Senator Solomon Downs, the only senator ever from Monroe.
I love that you know that! Did you find it out on your own or did it get passed down to you?
I purchased a book years ago Cane River. The young lady details some family history of enslavement. Being creole, the system of placage if spelled correctly (where the Frenchman paid & the women did this to have $). I remember some passing, or being sent to France & one young man who chose to marry black (negro) & a very dark wife. He was over it & wanted nothing to do with it. It was a great read. Even though science & the Bible (I think) don't quote me, states after 3 generations the person is basically whatever was dominant, white or whatever. It's just great to be aware of the actual plight & the truth Even if one's skin is white. It's bringing to light real atrocities & heartbreak that certain people's couldn't avoid. Although of course there's exceptions to every rule. Your 5th great grand was blessed to overcome his plight. This information is about humanity & your being connected & empowered for change. Many would've never imagined being connected to the enslaved of these United States because they don't look the part. Peace unto you & yours.
I loved this comment- thank you. Im definitely white! But I do think there is a beautiful space to explore where we acknowledge where we come from and honor that. At least, I am hoping to do that.
@@nytn Most welcome. I'm loving your journey & humanity ❤ I'm inspired to do some digging. My grandma (very light complection, red head & green eyes) had a 1st cousin who looked white. As kids they'd ride the city bus & he'd sit upfront in the white section, turn & wink at them in the back. Once off the bus & they'd laugh hysterically 😅 The things that separate or separated us really ought not. Bless you Dearly
POWERFUL! Once you know ,you can't not know as my 97 yr old grandma would say. Purchased his daughters freedom for $350. my God
My kids know about it-- we won't forget this story.
The fact that you went and uncovered all of this speaks volumes. When ppl passed the relatives knew nothing about the side left behind. Keep on your journey. 💯💯
Nicole, thank you so much. More to uncover!
If you have seen it check out "Spirit of a Culture; Cane River Creoles" you'll learn why Lola said she was French.
you are the second recommendation for that-- thank you!
Also, there is a very good book titled Cane River that was written by a Black woman researching her Louisiana roots.
Kudos to your work compiling the information and editing the videos so others could share your journey. I felt the emotion in your voice when you spoke about your ancestor paying installments to free his six year old daughter. I don’t know if non black Americans grasp the emotions of knowing your ancestors could be purchased or sold like an animal or piece of machinery. It’s a very raw feeling that brings home how personal were the interactions with chattel slavery. This makes me want to do family genealogy to fill in the blank spaces and gaps in my family’s history
Brian, I hope you begin the journey, and let me know how it goes. You are exactly right This began SUCH a journey, especially as a white girl from NY, it really opened up my eyes to see that we are all very much connected to each other and what happens to our neighbor is happening to us as well because of that. I decided to follow Noel's life, and it brought back to Louisiana so I could touch the bricks he made as a young man. I did some videos on it, here: czcams.com/play/PLvzaW1c7S5hQxDnyRTah5wYRX9b4FSrqR.html
What a powerful story
Wonderful man
Thanks for sharing your powerful journey! This reminds me of one of my favorite books Cane River by Tademy.
Wooooooow what a story!!!
This is amazing but also bittersweet. I learned with my first Ancestry DNA test I came up 3% African. Actually I saw my uncle and cousin's results well before I ever did mine and saw they both had African as well. It started making me thinking about our grandma/great grandma as she was pretty dark skinned most of the time I could remember her ( she didn't pass till I was 13). After digging some one day I found a 1930 census that listed her as Negro as well as all of her kids ( 3 of my great uncle's, my granny wasn't born yet) but her mother and husband as white. Now she married a full blooded Italian man btw. I googled why, since all her other documents listed her as white, and learned in 1930 they required you to identify as Negro if you had any African ancestry at all. There are also 2 documents for her oldest son saying he was black or part black. However, upon looking further into things, I discovered that her husband is likely not my biological great grandfather..... but we're still part Italian from somewhere. I do not believe my granny cheated. IT is theorized because my centimorgans are so small with folks that should e 1c1r, 2nd cousins and so on, including not matching any of the descendants of my great grandfather's brother's, my great grandma may have actually been my great great grandma or another family member entirely and raised my Granny as her daughter. I can't solve either mystery and I have had many look into it and there's just not enough documentation or matches to confirm relationships. My parents are both dead so I can't test them either.
Wow, what a hard journey you are on and have been on! I just saw your other comment about your parents. Just wanted to give you a virtual hug and let you know that I am rooting for you. You are so much further ahead than most people. I still have some mysteries like this and I hope one day I can crack them. It will kill me not to!
I am probably the palest person you ever met - I did a DNA test: 3-4% Nigerian and 4-5% North African. I'm trying to uncover that ancestor because that is part of our family history and deserves to be honored. I never would have known without a DNA test. So glad I did it.
@@f.frederickskitty2910 Thats amazing!! What an exciting journey you are starting
Blessing my Sister. Carry on
Thank you--the support is power for us!
Wow. This is a beautiful story
Tony - it was amazing! I hope you check out the video where I found the former plantation he was enslaved on
@NYTN , I am gonna watch all of you videos.
I love following your family story. Beautifully told. Have you ordered the application for your ancestor's land? I just contributed to a book about Black Homesteaders in the South and the information in the applications has been so rewarding. They are housed at the National Archives. Unfortunately, most are not online anywhere.
Thank you so very much for being here! Do you mean ordering a copy of it? Id love to hear more about your book!
@@nytn Yes, they will scan it and send it to you, or you can make an appointment to see it in person! The book is called Black Homesteaders of the South by Bernice Bennett (Arcadia Publishing). I'm in the Florida and Alabama chapters but they have a lot of Louisiana homesteaders too. We focused on the Homestead Act of 1862, but it's so cool to see a Black person that applied under the 1820 act! Congratulations!
@@OriceJenkins Wow- congratulations on your contribution to that book! Incredible. I cant wait to check it out. So, so glad you are here!
That is one brave man! He would've faced incredible danger daily for daring to take a white man to court and then again after he won. Hats off to him.
The Metoyer family has a black/Creole branch as well
That’s right!
There are lots of Metoyer descendants in Omaha Nebraska. The Creole diaspora is every where. Even in Vera Cruz , Mexico. I carry the indigenous Mexican gene as a result of my Louisiana/ Texas heritage.
I love how you phrased that- the creole diaspora. I’d love to talk to you about your roots more!
@@nytn absolutely would be a pleasure. My parents are graduates of Xavier University in New Orleans and I am a graduate of Fisk University in Nashville, both universities having a long history of Creole alumni. I carry that legacy in heritage , culture and language.
@@davidfoley726 I live in Nashville! I know Fisk very well- used to teach nearby at an elementary school. So cool!
@@nytn how interesting. My great uncle attended there in 1915. He started the first black owned insurance company in Texas. He married Effie McClure , a white passing Fiskite from Keatchie, Louisiana. I recall the riveting stories he told me about social justice endeavors he shared with me while at Fisk. I was always drawn to the power of unearthing truth , so I found myself matriculating at Fisk just as they were in the throws of protesting against Vanderbilt for their support of apartheid their participation in the Davis cup. Historically rich Fisk is the oldest university in Nashville and the city gets its name ‘ music city’from the 1873 performance of Jubilee Singers for Queen Victoria, not country music. It was the first HBCU to gain accreditation and to charter a Phi Beta Kappa chapter. It’s alumni like Ida B Wells And WEB DuBois founded the NAACP. George Edmund Hayes founded the National Urban League. Nella Larsen’s novel ‘Passing ‘which was brought to screen on Netflix earlier this year was the first novel exploring the world of passing ; She was was also a Fiskite. Charles Diggs founded the congressional black caucus and Louis Martin, an advisor to 3 presidents convinced LBJ to nominate Thurgood Marshall to the Supreme Court. The musical ‘ Shuffle Along ‘ written by Fiskites Aubry Lyles and Flournoy Miller started the Harlem Renaissance. The Fisk Race Relations Institute was called upon by the federal government to assist in the desegregation of the military and public school systems across the US. Not to mention, poet Nikki Giovanni, Alvin Ailey creative director Judith Jamison and of course Rep. John Lewis , amongst many others laid the foundation and infrastructure for disenfranchised people. Fisk would be the site of the founding of SNCC by Dianne Nash , John Lewis and Mayor Marion Barry resulting in Nashville being the first southern city to integrate public accommodations. I am not sure how much of this you know , but it appears that you might be a historical devotee as well. If so there is so much history right there at Fisk obscured by the same racist anti black and brown pressures that forced your great grandmother to pass. Take the red pill and continue your journey. The ancestors are calling!!! God bless and keep in touch!❤️Warmest regards, Dr. David Foley
Thank you, O Lord, for my Lineage. I am thankful
for the DNA I have inherited from my many parents, which includes, my unique beauty, my multiple talents, self-awareness,.............. Help me to realize and share how significant our lives are with my current relatives children
protecteachchild from abuse
SO MANY LAYERS to your story. I'm gonna check out my East Carroll Parish family records at that website.
let me know what you find!
@@nytn nothing, unfortunately...maybe someday.
@@ucity88 if you are not already a part of the Southwest Louisiana Creole Genealogy facebook page run by my friend and cousin Alex, come find it! There is a wealth of information there. Would love to connect!
Beautiful story. I feel elation that you could find the truth of your family story. FPOC were often documented, if one is willing to do the research- there can be information found!
Jackie-- you are SO right. I wish I had known that my family could be found out-- it wasnt easy but it wasnt impossible-- just a little grit and you unpack so much
You are part of the Indigenous people's community, because the French and English enslaved dark skinned Native Americans, who were mixed with ancestors from west Africa and Europe. My ancestors are on record dating back to 1650, and are a mixture of Indigenous native American, West African and European heritages. Virginia, North/South Carolina and the South, primarily Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama and Florida.
You have got to read the book Cane River by Lalita Tademy! She traced her ancestry as you did and wrote a book about the lives of her ancestors.
Danielle, I gave you some incorrect info. the other day. The Campti that I know is a community in Shelby Co. Texas. It is probably less than 100 miles from Campti La. I did not know that city in La. existed. Sorry, T Dunahoe I admire your work.
I have an ancestor with an eerily similar story. Joseph Guillory is my 7th great grandfather. He is the one behind the “Infamous Margarita Case”.
we must be cousins, thats my family too!
@@nytn no way! I’m so glad I found your channel. I binged your channel last night. I have added 14,000 to my tree. I’m so curious how many times we have links. I have found MicMac and Chitimacha, but have seen others that don’t state which tribe.
Very powerful!...I hope to discover my own ancestry one day!...adoption is full of secrets.......
Robb--oh my gosh, so many secrets and so much red tape. I like to just keep a little notebook where I jot down things when I find them or possibly connections--and when Im ready to really do a deep dive, I have lots of things to start from! I hope you find your family story!
This was exciting information in this video! I wonder what you will discover next!? I know I am anxious to hear the next information!
Happy blessed Thanksgiving
Linda- you are so sweet, Im glad you are here with me! I am trying to pace myself and not overshare too much. So many stories
@@nytn I am so happy I clicked on your video when it came in my feed & honestly the main reason I did was because it said you are in Nashville and I just recently relocated to Nashville - after living in Florida for 34 years.
I love mysteries & what better mystery to dive into than solving our ancestry!
@@lindabeck3412 That's hilarious!! Sorry we dont have any good bagels here
Exactly it’s Strength!!!!
Your ancestor Noel Conde and my ancestor Therese Lecompte came from the same plantation of Alexis Cloutier in Natchitoches! I also believe they were siblings with different white fathers, my ancestor being Alexis Cloutier.
This is amazing! Come find me on FB:) facebook.com/findinglolafilm/
Just heartstoppingly beautiful!!!
✨🤍🌹🦋🌹🤍✨
Im so proud of this story! And there are so many more
@@nytn I’m just so reminded of my own curiosities about my lineage…so many synchronicities, I just haven’t built up the courage to dig deeper. I’m proud of you.
@@goddessgood118 oh my gosh, that really touched my heart. thank you. Not everyone is happy with me right now. Stay around-- and when you are ready to dig in, you can share it with us here!
@@nytn You got a deal!! 😊🌹🦋
Powerful heritage.
It's really a gift to be given it, I tell my kids that
My grandmother was a Conde from Campti. We must be related.
We absolutely must be!!
Many enslaved people in Maryland/D.C sued and won their freedom also
I have the opportunity to be this ancestor for children yet unborn.
I would love to find my African ancestor. We were lied to about US Slavery in HS.
Don't give up! There is so much information out there now it is incredible
Stop that woman did not care one once about those people, Leave them alone. let them rest in peace.