Akee Tree: A Descendant's Quest for His Slave Ancestors on the Eskridge Plantations

by Stephen Hanks

What would compel an African-American man to spend ten years of his life tracing his family tree from the Pacific Northwest back to slavery times in Mississippi, and ultimately to its African roots?

For author Stephen Hanks his quest begins with mere curiosity when he reads the obituary of his uncle, and soon blossoms into a full-blown genealogical investigation. Using standard genealogical tools-interviews, census records, and other sources-he delves into the past, soon finding that he must follow two families, his own and that of those who held his ancestors in bondage. The search takes on a life of its own when Hanks discovers some of the present-day descendants of plantation owner and slaveholder Richard Eskridge. With their help he is able to follow the trail back to Colonel George Eskridge of Virginia, for whom George Washington was named.

Hanks eventually identifies and visits the homeland of his ancestors in Africa. Akee Tree is not only an honest and unbiased exploration into one family's history; it is a search for identity for a man and his people. Revealing and at times painful, the reader shares the joy of discovery and the shock of realization as author Hanks uncovers the truth about his ancestors. This objective and dramatic account is a powerful testimony to those who may share the same surname today but may have come from vastly different circumstances. In the end it is an affirmation of life and a powerful invitation to reach out to each other in the spirit of reconciliation.

Genres: African American, History

201 pages, Paperback

First published March 30, 2005

Reviews

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I heard about this book on the Ologies podcast, and I was intrigued to learn about Stephen Hanks’s research into his enslaved ancestors. The book is fascinating, and Hanks balances recounting his pre-Internet and ancestry databases genealogical journey with insights and commentary on what it’s like to wade through papers documenting how your ancestors were kidnapped from their homes and forced into enslavement. It’s clear to see why Oprah contacted Hanks to help her with her own research.

The most engaging parts for me were Hanks describing his encounters with the Eskridge family— the descendants of his family’s enslavers. It was emotional following along as he met them and toured the property where his ancestors lived and worked, and Hanks doesn’t hold back in describing the turmoil he went through trying to reconcile the past with the kind people helping him fill in the blanks of his family tree. It was good to see how the Eskridges didn’t hesitate to provide Hanks with the information they had and even introduced him to a relative living nearby. More importantly though, they didn’t shy away from acknowledging the harm that their family caused. As Hanks points out, recovery can be painful, but the first step is acknowledgment.
I really enjoyed reading this book and learning about Hanks’s family history (oh and yes, there is a connection to THAT Hanks). If you’re interested in genealogy or researching your family history, I highly recommend it.

[daryl brace · Rating 4 out of 5]

My interests to read this book has been kindled by the fact that my mother was an Eskridge. I have studied that lineage and this book is another resource for my research.