Seeking to transform an old legacy of pain, injustice, denial and disconnection into a new legacy of healing, justice, honesty and connection, by acknowledging and addressing the truth about slavery in America's history, and its continuing impact on our lives today.
About New Legacy Puget Sound
Photo by Tom DeWolf
New Legacy Puget Sound (NLPS) is an informally organized interracial group. We are each involved in the community of Coming to the Table (CTTT), an innovative, exciting project affiliated with the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite University in Virginia. CTTT has developed a model for transforming historical harms, focusing initially on harms remaining from the institution of American slavery. While not a formal part of Coming to the Table, NLPS supports its mission, vision and core values, and maintains a close collaborative relationship. Click here to visit the CTTT website.
NLPS offer opportunities for learning, community building, transformative healing and community action as they relate to the legacy of enslavement. Our first project consisted of a six-week course in winter 2011 which focused on genealogical research combined with supportive sharing and dialogue about the challenges of facing historical family connections to enslavement. The course culminated in a public event at the Northwest African American Museum where we shared our experiences with the wider community. Many course participants stayed to join NLPS and take a “train the trainer” course to expand the healing to the greater community.
On January 6, 2013, we joined Elliott Bay Book Company and the Northwest African American Museum in sponsoring an author event with Sharon Morgan and Tom DeWolf, coauthors of Gather at the Table: The Healing Journey of a Daughter of Slavery and a Son of the Slave Trade.
On June 9, 2013, we co-sponsored a screening of two films at the Northwest African American Museum, in connection with NAAM’s book of the bound exhibit. This powerful collection of artist Carletta Carrington Wilson's altered books evokes and responds to the historic transatlantic slave trade. The event started with a half-hour film A Son of Africa: The Slave Narrative of Olaudah Equiano, followed by Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North, and a brief discussion facilitated by Pat Russell of NLPS.
NLPS offer opportunities for learning, community building, transformative healing and community action as they relate to the legacy of enslavement. Our first project consisted of a six-week course in winter 2011 which focused on genealogical research combined with supportive sharing and dialogue about the challenges of facing historical family connections to enslavement. The course culminated in a public event at the Northwest African American Museum where we shared our experiences with the wider community. Many course participants stayed to join NLPS and take a “train the trainer” course to expand the healing to the greater community.
On January 6, 2013, we joined Elliott Bay Book Company and the Northwest African American Museum in sponsoring an author event with Sharon Morgan and Tom DeWolf, coauthors of Gather at the Table: The Healing Journey of a Daughter of Slavery and a Son of the Slave Trade.
On June 9, 2013, we co-sponsored a screening of two films at the Northwest African American Museum, in connection with NAAM’s book of the bound exhibit. This powerful collection of artist Carletta Carrington Wilson's altered books evokes and responds to the historic transatlantic slave trade. The event started with a half-hour film A Son of Africa: The Slave Narrative of Olaudah Equiano, followed by Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North, and a brief discussion facilitated by Pat Russell of NLPS.