Man who descended from slaves is united with his plantation owner COUSIN for a dinner that was 'full of love' - 181 years after their families first lived there

.Nkrumah Steward, a decedent of slaves, met with Robert Adams, a descendant of slave owners 
.The pair are cousins and united at the South Carolina plantation for dinner
.Both families sat shoulder to shoulder and the evening was 'full of love' 

It was a meeting that had been 181 years in the making. 
But when Nkrumah Steward, a decedent of slaves, met with Robert Adams, whose family had once owned his, there were no feelings of resentment.
Instead, what took place was a union of two families, who were able to break bread across a table that was steeped in an uncomfortable history.
Steward and Adams are blood cousins. Steward's fourth great grandmother, Sarah Goodwyn, was the daughter of both a slave - a woman named Tenah - and a slave owner - a man named James Adams, who is a relative of Robert Adam's

Cousins: When Nkrumah Steward (right) a decedent of slaves, met with Robert Adams (left) whose family had once owned his, there were no feelings of resentment



On June 30, his family visited Wavering Place Plantation in South Carolina, formally a cotton farm, which is still owned by the Adams family. L-R: Wendy, Robert Adams, Nkrumah Steward, Linda and Jean, Elijah, and Henry.
The Adams and the Stewards sat shoulder to shoulder that night. They dined on salad, shrimp, string beans and ham- 'nothing heavy' - accompanied by white and red wine
His wife Helen and their two children Elijah and Henry walked the grounds where his family had once walked



This is all-too-common part of American history is rarely spoken of, but is one that Steward decided to confront head on. 

On June 30, his family visited Wavering Place Plantation in South Carolina, formally a cotton farm, which is still owned by the Adams family.

His wife, Wendy, and their two children walked the grounds where his family had once walked. They visited the slave house where his ancestors Louisa and Sarah - both slaves - had slept.

Because the pair had descended from slave owners as well as slaves, they worked inside the house, a preferable option to the harsh, back-breaking life of a cotton-picker. 

It was an intensely emotional experience, but the full weight of its meaning didn't hit Steward until after they had left.

'I knew that my family would have had a horrible experience here and that was very emotional, but I was able to distance myself while I was walking around.

'I was able to look at the beams and the structures and not feel connected, I guess I didn't want to cry. But it was when I was in the car with my wife that it all hit me.

'I said to her: "As a free man, I have just walked on the land where my family were once enslaved".' 
The grounds are now opened up for schoolchildren to study its complicated past first hand. Pictured:  The family examine the old smoke house.
Family affair: It was intensely emotional, but the full weight of its meaning didn't hit Steward until after they had left
Uncomfortable history: They visited the slave house where his ancestors Louisa and Sarah - both slaves - had slept

While the Steward and Adams may not be related under the best of circumstances, Steward is adamant that this should not muddy their connection today. Pictured: Steward and his mother standing in front of the overseer's quarters.

The Adams and the Stewards sat shoulder to shoulder that night. They dined on salad, shrimp, string beans and ham- 'nothing heavy' - accompanied by white and red wine.
For Steward, it was the Adams' honesty that made for a comfortable and openhearted evening.

'They didn't try to sugar coat it,' said Steward. 'What I liked about them was that they were open about the plantation's horrible history.'

 The grounds are now opened up for schoolchildren to study its complicated past first hand.

 While the pair may not be related under the best of circumstances, Steward is adamant that this should not muddy their connection today. 


He explained: 'Robert is a descendant of people who owned my family. He didn't own anybody. I am a descendant of slaves who his family owned but I have never been a slave.'
They spoke of their family's past and of lighter topics -  their children and a shared love of football.

The only tense moment came when Steward questioned why the plantation is used for wedding ceremonies.

'And the bride and groom don't just pose in front of the big, white house. They pose in front of the barns, the outhouses, where slaves once lived,' said Steward. 'That made me uncomfortable. I can't imagine people wanting to take wedding photos in front of an oven where they burned Jews.'
Family: James Henry and Josephine Henry - Stewards third grandparents. Right Octavia Garrick, Steward's third grandmother 

He says that Adams said the wedding parties liked the 'rustic background' but Steward believes it is more complex than that. 

'Americans must know their own history,' he says. 'A lot of ugly, terrible things happened and we should be taught about them.' 

Steward's interest in putting his family tree together was prompted by a question he had asked as a child: 'Why is my great grandfather white?'

James Henry, who was descended from both slave owners and slaved stood out to young Steward, who wondered why no-one else thought it was weird but he was always interested in how that came about.   

Steward, a history buff and IT technician for Coca Cola, is determined to pass his family's history on to his children, Elijah, 5, and Henry, 3, who will not fully grasp the significance of that day for some years to come.


Steward with his wife, Wendy Jensen, and two children Elijah, 5, and Henry, 3
Steward, outside the barn where his ancestors most likely slept, said: 'I knew that my family would have had a horrible experience here and that was very emotional, but I was able to distance myself while I was walking around.

His blog, which discusses theoretical spirituality, anthropology, quantum physics and philosophy, among other things, is also rich with detail of his ancestry.

Both families intend on being friends and the Stewards have invited the Adams to come and visit them at their home in Canton, Michigan. He said there was a positive, warm energy in the room that night and Steward said Adams had a list of people he wanted him to meet.

'I wish people would realize you cannot change what has already happened, all we can do is to make today and tomorrow better. Nothing I do about the fact that my family were enslaved, or that Robert's family were slave owners,' said Steward.

'To treat Robert badly would be senseless; he had no choice, just like I had no choice. I'm not going to treat you a certain way just because of something that happened almost 200 years ago.

'This was about seeing the place where my family had once walked, whatever condition that may have been in.'   

Both families intend on being friends and the Stewards have invited the Adams to come and visit them at their home in Canton, Michigan.

Source: mailonline

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