Black History Month: The Descendants

SLIDESHOW - theGrio decided to track down some of the living descendants of well-known African-American historical figures to find out what it is like being related to some of most the influential people in history...

Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.

Black History Month is a time for African-Americans to reflect and become inspired  by the figures from the past who helped shaped American history.

Instead of only focusing on the heroes from history, theGrio decided to  track down some of the living descendants of well-known African-American historical figures to find out what it is like being related to some of most the influential people in history.

TheGrio was able to locate ten different descendants who come from the lineages of some America’s important black historical figures’ families.

Click on the links below to read more about each ancestor’s living descendants:

Madam C.J. Walker – great-great granddaughter left family business to pursue journalism

Robert Smalls – great-great grandson says he’s the unsung hero of the Civil War

Booker T. Washington and Frederick Douglass – descendant with dual lineage reveals funny family stories about both men

Ida B. Wells – great-grandchildren says she was a ‘crusader’ for all injustices

Harriet Tubman – great-great grandniece believe schools do not care enough about Black History Month

W.E.B. Du Bois – great grandson says the pressure of the legacy helped him understand own identity

Follow Brittany Tom on Twitter @brittanyrtom

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