Reuters published an extensive analysis of U.S. leaders’ family trees Tuesday, finding that some had ancestors who owned slaves.
Part one of “Slavery’s Descendants,” entitled “America’s Family Secret,” found more than 100 U.S. leaders with ties to America’s “original sin,” few of whom were willing to discuss it, the outlet said.
“Five living presidents, two Supreme Court justices, 11 governors, and 100 legislators descend from ancestors who enslaved black people,” the roughly 7,000-word examination begins.
Among the living presidents, Donald Trump was the the sole outlier without family ties to slave ownership. Jimmy Carter, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden were all found to have ancestors who engaged in the horrific practice.
Glenn Beck published research on Joe Biden’s family’s ties to slave ownership on his father’s side in 2020. Beck’s examination also included extensive documentation.
“Joe Biden is another great example. Here’s a man that worked with segregationists, but is somehow exempt of cancellation. His crime bill was the exact opposite of what the left is now proposing. How many black Americans were sent to prison because of that law? Again I ask … why is he exempt? How can Joe Biden look black people in the face and tell them they aren’t really black if they don’t vote for him? Would Donald Trump be allowed to say that?!” Beck said at the time.
According to Reuters’ research, 100 of the 117th Congress’ 536 members, descend from slaveholders. That includes more than a quarter of the Senate.
Leaders highlighted in the piece include Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas), Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Sen James Lankford (R-Okla.), Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), Rep. Julia Brownley (R-Calif.), Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), and Rep. Rick Larsen (R-Wash.).
Leaders who were highlighted included information on the name of the direct ancestor who owned one or more slaves, the relationship to the leader (e.g., great-great-great-grandfather), the number enslaved, photos of census and other documents, and details, when available, about the people who were enslaved by the ancestor.
Reuters’ examination is the first of its kind, the outlet says. In their research of America’s “political elites,” they tapped several resources, including the Record Linking Lab at Brigham Young University in Utah, digitized state archives, books at the Library of Congress, the Daughters of the American Revolution Library, public records requests, and more.
Reuters’ analysis also includes a lengthy section discussing where assorted politicians and the American public stand on the issue of reparations.
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