Seniors have long held a place of reverence in Black families. Whether the family matriarch commands the comings and goings in the kitchen or the family’s eldest male is automatically designated to bless the food at a cookout or reunion, the oldest members of Black communities are honored and respected.
But have you ever considered how far back that practice of deference goes?
In his new book, Black Elders: The Meaning of Age in American Slavery and Freedom, Frederick C. Knight explores the timeline of the Black community’s reverence for its elders.
Guest
Frederick C. Knight, professor of history at Morehouse College and author of Black Elders: The Meaning of Age in Slavery and Freedom
