"It Still Feels Like a Gut Punch" - Niecy Nash Discovers Her Ancestors' History as Slaves 

That "No Matter What" is beyond powerful. Thank you for sharing Niecy.

I had a moment when she said “not just because it was hard but because it was meant to destroy you.”

Niecy Nash is a wonderful person, a brilliant comedian and a stunning human being. This lady needs to be recognized and remembered forever!

The “no matter what” really got me and brought me to tears. Because that precious 8 year old baby boy had to steel himself and face each hardship every day, and continue on, no matter what.

The resilience of a people is beautiful. No one understands how we can still smile, love, laugh and dance in spite of living amongst evil and their doers.

Niecy is so beautiful. Her ancestors are proud of her.

I love it when guests of Dr Gates takes the time to really reflect and contextualize what they’ve learned from a little nugget of their family’s history into a broader understanding. Niecy Nash did that so beautifully and more than once! To watch her mind work as she processes this incredibly sad information be revealed is fascinating but so devastating as she realized that seeing the concept of slavery get personalized because she is a descendant of that person.

I love Niecy Nash. Such an amazing person.

Human beings passed down generations like objects...we owe it to our ancestors to never forget them and what they suffered and to never allow the erasure of their experiences nor for it to be trivialized

Binge watching ALL of these! Amazing! I would love a detailed history of my family tree.

This touched me- when they say "They made it hard" I felt the gut punch as well.

Just think about a tinnie tiny drop of blood from all your ancestors running about through your bloodstream making you who you are, and for hundreds of years back and it is traveling through your heart. God is so good. ❤️

There have been so many amazing guests over the years, and they all react differently when presented with their family history. Niecy Nash's reactions, her observations and the way she reckons with all the revelations, are at one moment profound - the "no matter what" of it all - and the next moment hilarious. "Dirty pots and pans!" It makes me wonder what was edited to keep the episode from running long.

I don't understand how anyone ever thought slavery was ok. How do you look at a human being and only see the color of skin and convince yourself and society these aren't people? So sad this was ever allowed.

Dr. Gates your work is extraordinary. I’m always amazed by what you uncover. Keep doing what you’re doing.

The ripple effect of the cruelty of slavery never ends.

this one made me cry, Aaron was a child....

Tears. A resilient people we are and we come from. 🙏🏾🙏🏾

It is a gut punch. Because that's family being sold.. that hurts.

Enslavement didn't end--it evolved! So of it runs deep into the laws, justice system, even the air we breathe etc. That's why today there's so much backlash about history!

yes it is "NO MATTER WHAT" is powerful thank you Ms. Nash for your contribution to the arts and sharing this! God Bless you.

I never understand how you can still be so nice and friendly I boiling from anger when I see it and I'm not a woman of colour. You most be so proud of those lovely people that were your great great great grandparents Be proud of yourself love you

Sister Niecy, we all have to know the where, who, and how in regards to our past Ancestors, this enables us to navigate the future outcome to better honor them and yourself as you add to the list, story, and memories to share with those younger people so they can Learn more about themselves and continue the story.

I watch ancestry videos. I watched Paula Dean yesterday and Nancy today. The contrast was striking. Nancy and her ancestor are inspiring. Paula was so entitled that I was horrified. Thank you so much for this video. It helped me to feel more positive about people.

I wish I had the money to pay him to look up my family history not knowing my father or anything about my mother's family kept me sad & lonely my whole life 😞

It’s amazing what this race went through. But look at them now! Dominating every profession they get into!! Bravo!! What strength!! 💪🏼And will!! 🙏🏽 My ancestors are from Mexico!

We are so proud of Niecy Nash, we love you.

Update: 6/12/21, over 35 years ago, upon two occasions, a neighborhood friend out of the Blue, I don’t know what prompted him to state this, “your relatives aren’t exactly who you think that they are, your grandmother could be an aunt or a cousin”; or instead your granddad could be the uncle or the cousin. I didn’t think that this concerned me at all because I believed what my parents told me that those were their parents and relatives, but they weren’t too happy with the relatives and often complained; me and my siblings complained too, these relatives weren’t treating us right. I found out 15 years ago that there were many unofficial adoptions from the beginning of time up until the 1940s for the United States and still continuing all over the world (I imagine in war torn countries where children were/are orphaned))when there were no paperwork, no attorney nor court, nothing legal. You just take the baby, infant, toddler, small child, and teen home with you and when the ‘census records takers’ comes around you just tell them that its your daughter/son if they will be too young to remember that they were separated from their biological parents; they are not never told about whatever happened to their parents, that they were/are not their children, and that they are not the parents. Not only did relatives take in the orphans but none relatives or friends of the parents and neighbors. Back then heads of households took in strangers when they didn’t have nobody to stay with; and the census records aren’t correct as to the ‘role’ of the infant, baby, toddler and small child to the head of households. In many cases if the infant, baby, toddler and small child is believed to be no kin, then they are mistreated badly, not talked to, nor cared about nor looked out for nor encouraged to do better or stay in school; this is the reasons that you may not be liked, respected, cared about, talked to, looked out for by who you thought was your parents, grandparents, greats, aunts/uncles, first cousins and other kin, because they believe that you are not related/kinfolks. This is why you can’t find ‘Midwives papers’ 1.)because who you were told and grew up believing is your parents and grandparents believe that you are not which isn’t always true because the men folks were stepping outside of their marriages and dropping babies 2.) because the babies, infants, toddlers and small children weren’t old enough to remember that they were separated from their parents for whatever reasons - one to a few out of one hundred reasons. There’s many reasons why babies, infants, toddlers, small children and teens are separated from their biological parents. Collect the Family history anyway, because you possibly could be 2nd to 10th cousins, you would have to get an Ancestry dna test or 23&me to find out for sure. Is. 53:4-6; Ro. 1:9.

Love Niecy. She's such a strong and wonderful woman.

Her ancestor, the tiny boy, Aaron, witnessed and lived through *slavery* *The* *cotton* At 8-9 years old From dawn to dusk Then, thereafter, Her ancestor Henry, OWNED his own land! He *worked* *the* *Land* that was *HIS* HUNDREDS of ACRES.

King 🤴🏽Henery Thank you, for doing this what you do as important appreciate you investing your time to find important things out that THEY discarded as nothing. Thank you for seeing us and making it something 😢.

This is the reason we all need to find out who our ancestors are so that we know who we are to pass it on to our children. Finding out about the past is very important to us right now because it can take us back to our roots of Africa.

As a white person I watch all of these and I can’t imagine the horrific things all people of color went through. I’m so sorry but I try to understand and educate myself and my family. I have biracial grandchildren and I love them dearly! I’m so very sorry for your tribulations. White people can’t ever understand.

I think we could solve a LOT of problems of more people had the opportunity to do a deep dive into their ancestry. It would equalize people. Such a beautiful story.

When she first looked up at him from reading, it hurt my heart. Her eyes told it all.

This is wonderful.

I felt that “No Matter what”….

Amazing story ❤

& the conversations he evokes with people such as Niecy Nash & many others

"no matter what" ... I have chills

Kinda gave me chills wow

She had that aha moment

Wow. Very powerful.

Love you Niecy Nash and am not surprised you are such a strong person. I know your mother was a strong lady too. Mayhem and foolishness ❤

Niecy you were meant to survive through us and by us ~The Ancestors

Hard bc it was meant to destroy u, that one phrase “No Matter What “ says an entire lot ❤❤❤❤

WOW, I love Black people. Our history and culture is awesome!

No matter what we continue with our lives …. Strong ,we not being selfish we can be sad and the biggest way to honour our ancestors is to keep living and living well enough for the next generations to follow the example.

Dr Gates... wow! From the Motherland with much respect and honor 🌍👑🎯❤

3:45 Can we appreciate how the man let his dog sit in his chair for the photo? A photo back in their day must’ve been so hard to come by… and he still wanted his dog to be showcased. ❤

My family's last name is Bruzual and I have the names of grandparents and great grandparents but that's it, it gets a big foggy after that...would love to know.

😮 Union County, Arkansas is literally 35 miles from me. You can still see traces of Southern racism here through old murals painted on the side of the town square depicting black people as slaves😢

So all those who keep saying we were never enslaved and that we are Native American and not African please sit down and be quiet. 🤐✋🏿🟥⬛🟩

$850 worth of land back then!!! This brother had more wealth than most people of that era, regardless of race.

I love her ❤

They had such beautiful penmanship back then.

Slaves didn’t just “earn money”…there is more to that story.

Cried until the land was purchased. God is good, all the time!!!

Is it only celebrities on this show? No average ordinary people? Interesting.

To fight forward is essence of survival. ❤

♥️ ♥️

I love her

She got emotional!

I love this show.. i wish I could do mine

Update: 8/18/21 6:02 PM; 5/26/21, I found out 16 years ago that there were many unofficial adoptions from the beginning of time up until the 1940s for the United States and still continuing all over the world where there were no paperwork, no attorney nor court, nothing legal. You just take the baby, infant, toddler, small child, and teen home with you and when the ‘census records takers’ comes around you just tell them that its your daughter/son if they will be too young to remember that they were separated from their biological parents; they are not never told about whatever happened to their parents, that they were/are not their children, and that they are not the parents. Not only did relatives take in the orphans but none relatives or friends of the parents and neighbors. Back then heads of households took in strangers when they didn’t have nobody to stay with; and the census records aren’t correct as to the ‘role’ of the infant, baby, toddler and small child to the head of households, in many cases if the infant, baby, toddler and small child isn’t no kin then they are mistreated badly, not talked to, nor cared about nor looked out for nor encouraged to do better or stay in school. This is the reasons that you may not be liked, respected, cared about, talked to, looked out for by who you think is your parents, grandparents, greats, aunts/uncles, first cousins and other kin. That’s why you can’t find midwives papers 1.) because who you think is your parents and grandparents are not 2.) because the baby, infant, toddler and small child wasn’t old enough to remember that they were separated from their parents for whatever reasons - one to a few of one hundred reasons. There’s many reasons why babies, infants, toddlers, small children and teens are separated from their biological parents. Collect the Family history anyway, because you could be possibly cousins, you would have to get an Ancestry dna test or 23&me to find out for sure..

History, at times, was very sad. Certain things had to be allowed to take place to make us all who we are today. Our personal history defines us, but it does not mean that we have to stay in those boundaries. We can make our dreams come true if we choose to.

I think I might be kin to Niecy. When she found out who her real grandfather was, I was (Frank Jackson). I was like Hmmmm...thats my grandma last name." Then, when he said they were from St. Louis and somehow came to Tipton Tn. I said that not too far from where my grandma said they moved to. My grandma father name was Rufus Jackson. He was from St. Louis and they moved to TN right around Tipton area. I need to really look into this. I love Neicy Nash! It would be cool to be her cuzzin. I know for a fact I'm kin to Tina Turner on my Granddad side, but I knew that for years. But I never knew too much about my grandma side but that I knew her father name.

It might be a hit in the gut but it allows you to deal with your perception of the opposite race. Sometimes you may learn to love or accept you identity.

I’ve always liked her.

No Matter What - wow

❤️💐

I would love to find out about my ancestral background.

And he still got some property, that's resilience!

What happened to the land? Is it still in the family?

❤🖤💚

Interesting...

i love how people with no idea and no connection can feel the pain of folks 160 years ago

It shows the strength and determination of black people.

I'd a been mad about learning how the institution of slavery exploited my family members who came before me!

Nice nails. Red looks good..

Most blacks in America who are fortunate enough to dig through their roots will see these stories. No one can right the wrongs of the past, especially on what was done to black slaves. That said, you go forward, and live a life to a higher standard

As a Nash (surname), I wonder if my lineage began here with Henry as well. Either way I’m empowered.

Love Henry Louis Gates jr!

They were put to work as early as 5 years of age....(so much for 3/5ths of a human being)

ADOS REPARATIONS!

It's hard to believe a race of people would just sell thier own kind to whom ever they wanted. What's worse is how it's still a thing. 😢

No you did not know what slavery was like growing up unless you're 150 years old

Beulah George Tann, known as Georgia Tann, was an American child trafficker who operated the Tennessee Children's Home Society, an adoption agency in Memphis, Tennessee. Wikipedia Born: July 18, 1891, Philadelphia, MS Died: September 15, 1950, Memphis, TN Victims: 5,000 estimated children stolen; at least 19 killed due to abuse Resting place: Hickory, Mississippi, U.S Organization: Tennessee Children's Home Society Parents: Beulah Isabella Tann, George Clark Tann Siblings: Rob Roy Tann About Description Tennessee Children's Home Society was an orphanage that operated in the state of Tennessee during the first half of the twentieth century. It is most often associated with its Memphis branch operator, Georgia Tann, as an organization involved in the kidnapping of children and their illegal adoptions. Wikipedia.

So where’s the land now? It should be returned back to the family

This won't let me like this video.

I know where Tuscaloosa is

You said something incredible happened. Look up the defintition of the word incredible.

Wow just passing people around and down like inademate objects. In a will like property. It's a wonder they're any black people left here. To think how we treat one another sometimes is astounding to me. We were taught to be this like this to one another. May God have mercy . I think alot of people are gonna be surprised when they see Yahushua. He is a black man. Amen

Nicey the Sacrifices our Forefathers made for us says the True Values of the Dream they had for the stories they left for us b Proud for them do it pains yes deep I can feel their pain their suffering 😢 u r not Along I Sincerely hate black on black crime I believe if we make it so hard for them in every State they will stop fighting racism and black crime is an Huge Challenge it can b done for our future generations it has to B done

This is why I celebrate Juneteenth!

So where is her inheritance...who owns the land now

Slavary shouldn’t have never happen treated us like we wasn’t human selling us like we was a bag of chips just wasn’t right hurting people anit right no matter what color you are doing evil acts to any human is not right. My heart was broken when I was a little girl and saw in jet magazines what they did to Emmett Till I was so Darden because how can you hurt a child and beat him like he was not human that stuck with me never ever forgot the image out my head that was pure evil and I hope in death there souls never rest .

Do they only do celebrity’s cuz I wanna know my roots now 😂 seriously I have always been curious of my lineage back to African slaves all I know is that both my great grandparents were slaves and I’m 36 I found this out recently in my early 30’s after the passing of the only great grand parent I ever knew my great grand mother she lived to be 92

Never again!

I've never heard of her. Who is she?