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Family Name

Premiere Date: September 15, 1998

Synopsis

This winner of the 1997 Sundance Freedom of Expression Award follows filmmaker Macky Alston from New York to the South, as he embarks on an excavation to unearth the history of his white slave-owning family, and explores the link to the black families that shared his name. P.O.V. is proud to present this Fall special as the launch of the Television Race Intiative, a three-year effort in which diverse, character-driven public television broadcasts create a spine for community dialogue and problem-solving around the issue of race relation.

TAGS: black, family, family tree, genealogy, race, racism, roots, secret, self-discovery, slavery, south, white

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Filmmaker

Macky Alston

Macky Alston