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Season 8, Episode 1
Billy Porter
Billy Porter uncovers the truth behind his great-grandfather’s murder and learns the story of how his ancestors were freed.
Actor, singer, writer, and director Billy Porter was raised in Pittsburgh, PA, by his mother and her family. He never asked any questions about his history, mostly because no one in the family spoke about it. Billy believes this is due to the many traumas his family had suffered which made it too painful to discuss the family history. Billy does remember hearing that his great-grandfather was “shot in the back.” Billy’s half-sister Mary Martha is the only family member who has done any research into their history. He calls her in hopes of gaining more information about his great-grandfather and to begin his search.
Billy starts his journey in his hometown of Pittsburgh, PA, where he researches his great-grandfather Thomas Henry Richardson. His sister thinks that he was shot by a cop, and they search Newspapers.com™ and find two accounts of the shooting. The articles tell two different stories and Billy senses that something is amiss.
HISTORICAL INSIGHTS
Nat Turner Slave Rebellion
In the wee hours of August 22, 1831, Nat Turner and a small army of enslaved people rose up against their owners in the bloodiest resistance against slavery in U.S. history.
BEHIND THE SCENES
See how U.S. Federal Census records helped in the search for Billy’s ancestors.
The two conflicting stories lead Billy to meet with genealogist Nicka Sewell-Smith in hopes of learning the truth behind his great-grandfather’s murder. Ms. Sewell-Smith tells Billy about the Pittsburgh Courier (an African-American newspaper) that was published at the time that could shed some light on what really happened. The paper reveals that Thomas was shot in the back by a white cop with a history of unmotivated shootings. There was an uproar from the Black community and descriptions of what a respected and important member of the community Thomas Richardson had been as well as eyewitness accounts confirming that the shooting was unprovoked. Regardless, the news also revealed that the police officer was acquitted of all wrongdoing and set free.
Billy makes a visit to his great-grandfather's gravesite, adorned only with a numbered marker, and reflects on the newfound knowledge he has of his family history. He also makes plans to get his great-grandfather a proper headstone.
Armed with newfound knowledge about his family, and the feeling of empowerment that comes with that knowledge, Billy sets off to learn the story of his paternal family, the Porters, about whom he knows nothing. Once again Billy meets with Ms. Sewell-Smith who has prepared a family tree for him that traces his family history back into the mid 19th century. The 1860 U.S. Census reveals that Patrick and Adeline Eilis, Billy’s 3rd great-grandparents were free before the Civil War and that they owned $3000 worth of land. It is further revealed that the family moved from the slave state of Virginia to the free state of Ohio in 1850. The questions surrounding all this leads Billy on to his next stop, Richmond, VA.
Billy arrives in Richmond in hopes of finding out how his 3rd great-grandparents were freed. Billy meets with historian Christopher Bonner who shows him the Registrar of Free Negros. There Billy discovers that Adeline Ellis was born free as well as his 4th great-grandparents Anna and Claiborne Gladman, who lived in Lynchburg, VA. To Billy’s surprise, Anne was emancipated by Claiborne (her own husband). Which means that he had to have, if only briefly, owned her. Billy becomes curious as to how Claiborne would have enough money to purchase the freedom of his wife and his family. The answers lie in Lynchburg, VA.
Billy arrives in Lynchburg to meet with historian Lauranett Lee in the hopes of learning more about his 4th great-grandfather Claiborne Gladman. Claiborne was part of a very small community of free Black citizens in Lynchburg. He was a barber and seemed to thrive in Lynchburg, with records showing he owned land valued at $1300 in 1819. The records showed that his assets went down in value by 1850 and Dr. Lee speculates that paying to free his family would have cost him a great deal. Further, the fortunes of the nascent communities of free Black citizens suffered a great deal after the 1831 slave rebellion led by Nat Turner.
SEARCH BLACK FAMILY HISTORY RECORDS
SEARCH BLACK FAMILY HISTORY RECORDS
Learn more about your African American family history and the unique challenges your ancestors overcame.
Learn more about your African American family history and the unique challenges your ancestors overcame.
Billy’s 3rd great-grandparents Adeline and Patrick eventually left Lynchburg for Ohio, but not until after their parents Anne and Claiborne passed away. Ms. Lee also lets Billy know that Anne and Claiborne were able to purchase marble headstones and ornate graves which were quite rare and impressive for that time period and also represented their status in society. Billy makes an emotional final stop at the Old City Cemetery in Lynchburg VA to visit Anne and Claiborne’s graves, and he reflects on the newfound knowledge he has of his ancestors and how they set the stage for the life he has been able to lead. He ends his journey by reciting the names of the ancestors he now knows.