'Priscilla's Roots' tells the story of a kidnapping more than 250 years old
ROCK CENTER - The Martin family knows something about themselves that few if any families will ever learn about their past. They're able to trace their ancestry back hundreds of years to a little girl...
The Martin family knows something about themselves that few if any families will ever learn about their past. They’re able to trace their ancestry back hundreds of years to a little girl. Her name was Priscilla. She was 10 years old. Priscilla was kidnapped in Sierra Leone west Africa in 1756, and shipped to Charleston, South Carolina, where she lived her entire life as a slave.
Priscilla’s spirit is alive and well in her modern day relatives, the Martins, who live not far from where Priscilla toiled on a plantation. They are believed to be the only African Americans with such a detailed link to the past. And what’s even more remarkable is that this centuries old family tree, spreading over at least 7 generations, is documented on paper. For most African American families there is no record of where their ancestors came from, and almost no chance of finding one.
WATCH THIS PREVIEW OF ROCK CENTER’s REPORT ON ONE FAMILY’S AFRICAN ANCESTRY:
[MSNBCMSN video=”http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32545640″ w=”592″ h=”346″ launch_id=”46370836″ id=”msnbcb2325″]
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Click here to read additional reporting from Ron Allen.
You Might Like
