Genealogist Who Tracks Down Modern-Day Slavery Practices

VICE's Akil Gibbons traveled to Louisiana to meet genealogist Antoinette Harrell, the “slavery detective of the South," who tracks down cases of modern-day slavery and abusive labor practices. WATCH NEXT: The Modern Day Slaves of Dubai — vice.video/2oyWOO6

Keeping people isolated and uneducated was always the key.

That whole conversation with the Plantation owner was so awkward.

As it hit me listening to what that man had witnessed... I had to take a moment to process it. You took a man, killed him, castrated him and then left him hanging in a tree directly in front of his family's home so they all could see it. Anyone who even tries to justify something like that is a psychopath and disgusting. And the fact that it happened in the 40s and 50s should disturb people--that wasn't that long ago yall. We have relatives here today who grew up during that time.

The way that Carsten immediately tried to discredit Donald without even knowing what he had said just MOMENTS after saying they have been “best friends since childhood” was VERY telling, he doesn’t want anyone to believe anything except the way he wants to tell it.

This woman is doing a service that should be catalogued in the Library of Congress

The fact the older gentleman kept looking over his shoulder while being interviewed shows the trauma from slavery is deep as hell man smh.

Someone in the comments mentioned that keeping them isolated and uneducated was the key in keeping this system intact and that is so incredibly true as the fact that wanting to live free in a trailer on a field in the middle of a nowhere-farm seemed a better option to Donald than working that same farm for wages and employee benefits which could’ve paid him far more than merely saving a few hundred on rent. That couple were also eerie AF

I’m a mom of two kids. To imagine someone BUYING me and my two kids for $850 made me break down in tears. Slavery is our nation’s greatest disgrace. The trauma is so deep and the echos are still reverberating.

Please give Mrs. Antoinette her own show I would watch

[Slavery] 'Continued through the 1920's, 30's, 40's, 50's, and even the 60's' ... I almost threw up... Where TF was this in our Textbooks?!

Getting that call from the other genealogist saying that she found the family tree with pictures included was amazing. What a gift it would be for all of us of African American ancestry to be able to see and have that information of our ancestors, even though it may be heartbreaking. Antoinette is doing great work, Good bless her.

This interviewer was so good. Nearly making cry. You can see how learning this stuff is so impactful for him. What a great guy

I wish there was a whole show of Antoinette digging into the past and discovering this kind of truth!

Every time his eyes bug out and he says "honest to God", he's lying.

Greetings from Cambodia. You did an amazing job presenting this documentary. Tears me up and makes me want to scream. First thing that comes to mind is, "I'm sorry." I'm sorry this happened with your ancestors as it did with the ancestors of millions of others. So important that the stories of these hard-working, abused, and incredibly strong beings and how they survived under incredible hardships, threats, and deaths to hold you up. Just as others now stand on your shoulders. I'm so glad to see the work of this historian and the young man who created this documentary. Thank you. I was born in the Midwest of the US almost 70 years ago. I have done ancestry research--one line up to their arrival in the 1600s. I've run across stories among my ancestors who were hung as witches, who were indentured people from Europe and Great Britain, people who enslaved other human beings, Black relatives with rapist "masters," and people who owned, beat and/or emancipated enslaved humans. My 2nd Great-Grandfather was 17 and living in Rome, Georgia when he enlisted with the Federal troops occupying Georgia in 1864 and fought with the North until the end of the war. I appreciate the stories of people who stood/stand for truth, kindness, and equality, but all of the stories are not like that. Many are the source of unimaginable horror stories. All are important to know for insights into ourselves and the experience of others.

According to YouTube this was done 5 years ago... It blows my mind that today in many states especially Southern Republican States it has become illegal to teach true history..... Yes this work needs to continue... LORD bless the work. LORD help us all.

Seeing Miss Antionette get so emotional like this over finding someone else's family records really shows just how much she loves her work. She's pure at heart, and damn good at her job.

The “master” gave me the chills. He and his wife feel like horror movie characters that act really nice and then go crazy one night. The more he talked more he revealed.

I didn't want this to end! Please show more of Ms. Harrell's amazing work!