I Am Nobody's Slave

How Uncovering My Family's History Set Me Free

By: Lee Hawkins

Narrated by: Lee Hawkins

“Harrowing and insightful. . . . A profound work about the Black experience and white oppression.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“This work is vitally important and essential to understanding the magnitude of the impact of racism and violence.”—Library Journal (starred review)

“Gripping, thought-provoking, and personal, I Am Nobody's Slave will inspire discussion and action in response to its powerful message of inner healing and social justice.”—Booklist

A 2022 Pulitzer Prize finalist and former Wall Street Journal writer exhaustively examines his family’s legacy of post-enslavement trauma and resilience, in this riveting memoir—a soulful, shocking, and spellbinding listen that blends the raw power of Natasha Tretheway’s Memorial Drive and the insights of Clint Smith’s How the Word is Passed.

I Am Nobody’s Slave tells the story of one Black family's pursuit of the American Dream through the impacts of systemic racism and racial violence. This book examines how trauma from enslavement and Jim Crow shaped their outlook on thriving in America, influenced each generation, and how they succeeded despite these challenges.

To their suburban Minnesotan neighbors, the Hawkinses were an ideal American family, embodying strength and success. However, behind closed doors, they faced the legacy of enslavement and apartheid. Lee Hawkins, Sr. often exhibited rage, leaving his children anxious and curious about his protective view of the world. Thirty years later, his son uncovered the reasons for his father’s anxiety and occasional violence. Through research, he discovered violent deaths in his family for every generation since slavery, mostly due to white-on-Black murders, and how white enslavers impacted the family’s customs.

Hawkins explores the role of racism-triggered childhood trauma and chronic stress in shortening his ancestors' lives, using genetic testing, reporting, and historical data to craft a moving family portrait. This audiobook shows how genealogical research can educate and heal Americans of all races, revealing through their story the story of America—a journey of struggle, resilience, and the heavy cost of ultimate success.

©2025 Lee Hawkins (P)2025 HarperCollins Publishers

The raw honesty

In this book, Lee sheds lights on his toxic childhood and discusses his road to forgiveness through lens of his family’s history. This is a must read or listen.

The child abuse

I was very surprised and disturbed by the savage unrelenting criticism of his actions. Even though he (the son),was clearly intelligent and capable of achieving much.

Unearthing the pain and trauma caused by slavery

Lee Hawkins’ book, “I Am Nobody’s Slave,” prompted me to contemplate our history and the profound and enduring impact of trauma on African-Americans on a deeper level. As he delved into his family’s history in search of answers, his discoveries illuminated numerous questions that others have about their own families and their family histories. His willingness to examine his family history, without any inhibitions, is liberating for many of us, shedding light on unresolved emotions that continue to haunt us today.

Outstanding

This book was very informative on so many levels. First of all, it emphasizes the importance of studying and understanding history with complete transparency and honesty in order to bring about systemic change. Secondly, it demonstrates that the history and culture of our own families have a tremendous impact on the people we become and the way we interact with others, especially close family members. Third, Hawkins examines the impact of childhood trauma and abuse and its manifestation as PTSD later in the life.

everything

his heart was cured of the intergenerational curse of African enslavement by his purging from writing and telling his story.