Annie Hartnett recently started exploring her family’s connections to slave ownership, which took her on a transformative path of discovery. By doing so, Annie gained a deeper understanding of her roots, and as a result, developed an increasingly authentic relationship with herself, her country, and those around her. Fascinated by the forgotten stories of those enslaved, she now dedicates her time to researching and writing about them and hopes to inspire others to do the same.

“I want to write about the stories of those people whose lives were stolen from them and whose stories have been buried and lost.”

We talk about:

• Developing skills for safeguarding historical knowledge and promoting awareness among others. 
• Confronting the legacy of slave ownership and its enduring consequences in today’s world. 
• Revealing the previously untold lives of the enslaved and honoring their perseverance. 
• Adopting a mindset of transparency and understanding to progress beyond historical injustices. 
• Gaining insights on maintaining our shared history and educating future generations about the past. 

Annie Harnett began researching her family’s involvement in chattel slavery in the U.S. in the spring of 2021. Until that time, she knew very little about American history and nothing about genealogy. In addition to the essays and interviews published on Medium, Annie has published essays and op-eds in Salon, the Austin American Statesman, and Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine, among others. Annie has an MFA in Creative Writing from Texas State University and lives in Austin, Texas.

Connect with Annie:
Website: https://anniehnet.medium.com/
Twitter: @AnnieHHartnett1
Facebook: @annie.hartnett.5
Instagram: @relationskinsfolk