Christian Harris

Black American History: a story of endurance, struggle and triumph

Christian’s oldest known ancestor Fountain Blackwell was born in 1807 in Virginia, enslaved. Fountain would live most of his life enslaved until he was emancipated in 1865. Through extensive genealogy work his family has found Fountain’s 1867 voter registration card and record of him voting in the first election he could. What kind of endurance and faith must one have to be so wronged by a nation then turn around and immediately participate in making it better? This in depth personal and moving speech dives into Black American history, Christian’s personal experiences and the ancestors who passed their resilience down to him. Christian also looks forward and provides a path towards equity and healing for our world. This speech can be tailored to any event throughout the year and is particularly impactful during events for Juneteenth, Martin Luther King Jr Day, Black history month, Kwanzaa and more.

Attendee Results:

• How the Black American story is America’s story.
• Tangible steps everyone can take to bring about equity and the restoration of our world.
• Motivation to keep fighting the good fight and making "good trouble"-John Lewis.