In 1619, the first people were brought against their will to a place that didn't even call itself America yet.

For the next 200 some years, AfricanAmericans crisscrossed this cruel New World in bondage, forcibly laboring all the while in the service of masters who considered them property even after that land had declared itself one of liberty and justice for all.

For people descended from slaves in the United States, tracing their lineage back through that history of cruelty and chaos is almost impossible.

Yet, two families in East Tennessee have managed to do it. Their ancestors built cities that stand today,

Now, they are telling their stories. Meet two families reclaiming the lives history tried to take from them.

More stories, here: https://www.wbir.com/
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WBIR Channel 10 in Knoxville, Tennessee produces awardwinning, communitycentered content "Straight From The Heart" of East Tennessee. We strive to be good citizens, to do what is right, and to be fair and honest. We care.

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