Ben Affleck Made PBS Wipe Slave Owner Ancestory

By
Marc Rippin
-

Ben Affleck Slave Owner

Ben Affleck has a slaveowner in his family tree. He was able to keep that a secret—until now.

An email conversation uncovered in the Wikileaks dump of the Sony Hack earlier this week shows that Affleck asked the producers of PBS’ Finding Your Roots series to scrub that ugly detail of his family history. The series, hosted by African-American studies professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., traces the family history of famous Americans who appear on the show.

In emails with current Sony Pictures CEO Michael Lynton from July, Gates asks the Sony exec for advice on how to handle Affleck’s request. “[F]or the first time, one of our guests has asked us to edit out something about one of his ancestors–the fact that he owned slaves,” Gates wrote. “We’ve never had anyone ever try to censor or edit what we found. He’s a megastar. What do we do?”

“I would take it out if no one knows,” replied Lynton. “But if it gets out that you are editing the material based on this kind of sensitivity then it gets tricky.”

Affleck isn’t ever mentioned by name in the email, but a sly joke by Gates offers the reveal: “To do this would be a violation of PBS rules, actually, even for Batman.”

Here’s what PBS had to say:

“It is clear from the exchange how seriously Professor Gates takes editorial integrity. He has told us that after reviewing approximately ten hours of footage for the episode, he and his producers made an independent editorial judgment to choose the most compelling narrative. The range and depth of the stories on Finding Your Roots speak for themselves.”

via laist

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52 COMMENTS

    • DIS JUS IN AND SOON 2B TAKEN OUT BYE DIS BLOG:

      JOOS WERE DA MONEY BEHIND THE TRANSCONTINENTAL SLAVE TRADE.

      THEY FINANCED THE PURCHASE AND TRANSPORTATION OF SLAVES, IN EXCHANGE FOR MOLASSES WHICH DEY TURNED N2 RUM, WHICH DEY IMPORTED 2 AFRICA.

      READ ALL BOUT IT:

      http://www.rense.com/general69/invo.htm

      • Yes, they did finance the Trade with the Gold/Silver stolen from King Solomons Temple but who do you think sold us to the whiteman?Those stinkin Hamites.

        • IF THAT SOLOMON EVER EVEN EXISTED.

          ACCORDING TO ONE SOURCE HE WAS THE WISEST MAN ON EARTH.

          WHICH MEANS HE KNEW THE SECRETS OF GOD AND THE CREATION AND THE YES HE HAD TO HAVE HAD MAGIC POWERS AND COMMUNICATED WITH ANIMALS.

          SOME SAY HE HAD A MAgic carpet.

          jin
          genie
          ibliss born of the flame
          devil
          hellfire
          lake of eternal fire
          tartarus
          hades

  3. Wow it was in his family , doesn’t make him racist. But the facts are what they are
    Black ppl owned slaves. Ben worried about his image, he should spend more time with his family. That his older family shame, that’s why most of them die like dogs, barking and screaming. Since the world knows now, what is he going to do NOTHING at all.

    • Advice to you and other blacks, biracials, non-blacks, etc. Stop saying that the offspring of slavemasters are not racist like their foreparents. All that have come after them benefitted from an economic/racial infrastructure that is still relevant in this day and time.

      I ddon’t see Ben Affleck breaking his neck to end white priviledge. Don’t get caught up in individual dealings with the other side, view them as a group. Think like they do…Pluralistic! As to us, a collective is what they see…Not Individuals! This world is racist and always will be. Groups or tribes are vying for power, money, land, and women. We need to get our minds on track..Others are doing what’s best for them. The pity party left the port a long time ago.

      • Thank u for the speech, but my sister has a master degree in black history.
        Ur homework.. Black ppl are like crabs, can’t stand to see other black make it, and the ones that do make it. Don’t remember where they came from.. The #1 problem with most black ppl (labels, clothes, fancy cars, but can pay their bills. The minder hasn’t changed much in black ppl.. I’m not saying all black ppl, but a lot of them do.
        5K purse, but not a dime saved in the bank. IMO
        Opinions are just like assholes, we all have one.. But until u start taking a group of underprivileged kids and show them, they can make a different by srarting to do well in school. My father said knowledge is power, read, read, read.. Learn something outside the area u live in.

        • a lot of “them” huh?
          don’t remember where “they” came from huh?
          Don’t try to undermine US by saying WE are homework..
          Just about any race of people can be studied so save that shit. WE are fascinating people but you know that already cause all you do I talk..talk..talk..about US.

          • I’m not the the USA, I’m from France .. Where they had and still have slaves

        • You make some valid points, but, it’s not about teaching the youth to value themselves. They can look in the mirror and see that they’re unique and valued. A global mindset is actively trying to dissuade them from maximizing the fruits of their creation. Since I’ve been a member of this blog, MindFrame(s) has been the primary focus. Worrying about stuff we have no control over is pointless. I could care less if others hate us, it comes with the territory. Racism isn’t going anywhere, it will be here when I’m dead and gone. Disneyland is for kids. The stories that we debate on this blog are anecdotes of what happens in the dominant culture. Artists not getting paid, police targeting rappers for whatever, whitewomen invading and occupying spaces they didn’t create, award show bias, etc. I’m pretty sure other white celebs have skeletons just the same. We’re gonna walk with our heads held high, us being ashamed is for the birds. I hate the Crabs too, a thorn in our side since Slavery. Always doing wrong at the worst times. They have no standing, to hell with them. Don’t lose that passion…Keep It!

          • I’m just trying to say, why don’t u own stores in your own neighbor, etc
            The USA don’t give a damn about anyone except the 1-5% the rich..
            Obama can’t do shit without congress or the senate.. The only thing he can do is GO TO WAR W/O anyone to vote on.. I hope ppl don’t think he would do more, if he could get the votes, the veto most of his plans to help the inner city. Then when they do get the money and grants. The ppl running them STEAL from the poor ppl they are suppose to help. I’m speaking from experience, and I don’t care how much hate mail I get. I hit a nerve, meaning what are u doing in your community.. It’s not all about money, take time to mentor some kids– tell the truth, let everyone know we have all made mistakes, but don’t stew in your mistakes. We are imperfect ppl. Just try to make a difference.. IMO

          • Tyrone, I like the way you think. You are very intelligent and insightful. Keep spreading the knowledge. Those in the know will understand. The others will debate you and come off sounding foolish.

          • @Tyrone I hope that Disneyland is for kids statement was sarcasm on your part because all of Disney’s characters are made of Sex Organs and unbeknownst to the mothers who allow their kids to watch this filth their kids are being indoctrinated with sex at a very early age when it was assumed they were being educated.This society is Santanic.Laws Statutes and Commandments are the key out of this condition.

  4. Black people owned slaves huh? Wow you just had to slip that in there although it had nothing at all to do with this Yahoo but OK let’s examine that shall we?
    Two percent of blacks..usually mixed Mf’s like yourself trying to get all up under Massa’s nut sack owned slaves for a time in history. There were the ones who were a little well off and used them as house servants THEN you had the ones that bought their own family members out of concern for their safety THEN you had the ones who owned the labor of free blacks as endentured servants. All in all Yes a minute number of blacks were said to have owned slaves for a small amount of time but it will never erase..explain..or justify that horrendous institution that was created here in America by yt so please cut the bullshit!

    • I hate when its said that blacks owned slaves too….without pointing out that usually for blacks it was a whole different thing. Usually a black slave owner only owned two or three slaves….and almost always they were relatives that they purchased from a white owner to save them . I can only think of one notorious case of a crazy self hating octoroon type that emulated his white father by having dark skinned slaves and abusing them, he was one sick f*ck. But thats the exception. Usually blacks who owned slaves purchased them to get out of white oppression.

  5. YOU KNOW WHAT I REALLY HATE. YES HATE WHEN A MOTHERFUDGER SAYS ”OH THERE WAS SLAVERY EVERY WHERE IN OTHER COUNTRYS.” BULLSHIT!!! NOTHING & I MEAN NOTHING COULD COMPARE TO THE ”BLACK SLAVERY.. ”GOOGLE DERBY’S DOSE..” ”WILLY LYNCH” ”ROSEWOOD” ”THE TRIAL OF CEILA.” I COULD GO ON & ON..

  7. Whites in the North owned slaves as well. Ben Affleck hails from Massachusetts. It shoots a hole in his liberal elitist persona that he proudly displays. He and other whites should be ashamed of slavery. Look at the mess that it has created? If we’re gonna be outraged about the African Holocaust, shine a light on all of those intimately involved. Not just those in the United States. The vast majority of slaves were dropped off in the Caribbean and so-called Latin-America. So, be just as outraged with Spain, Portugal, France, and the Dutch as we are with England. Around 650,000 of us made it to these shores, but, our captivity was and still is Global in scope…Bottomline!

    • Obviously he is ashamed or he would not have asked to have that tidbit deleted from the show. I don’t blame him. The history is very ugly and unfortunately many black people in America have ancestors who owned slaves.

      • I can understand his shame too.
        “many black people in America have ancestors who owned slaves”
        That’s a truth that a lot of us have a hard time wrapping around our brains around.

  8. Ben A. acts like he is a slave owner–he’s a prick. He neglects his family, cheats on his wife, is a gambling addict, …, and has a superiority complex. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s bipolar. If you notice he disappears from the public eye for periods of time and then he starts working again. I’ve read that he has major mood problems.

    • Those negative characteristics that you pointed out can apply to all races.Many women/men of all colors and race neglect family,cheat ,gamble.Now as for superiority complex I can believe many have high opinions of themselves but your comment doesn’t explain clearly how that equals the behavior of being a slave owner.If anything those trying to show their superiority are actually inferior .Ben Affleck might as well accept the fact that his family owned slaves and all the world knows.Him trying to get important information like that erased,censored ,or edited speaks volumes about him.He can suppress it all day but it’s done and he can’t change the reality of it.

  9. I think this whole story is bullshit. Not that it didn’t happen, but Ben Affleck clearly wanted it leaked to soften his image because his reputation as a world class asshole is all you ever hear about him. Im sure Henry Louis Gates didnt want this out there, Harvard alumus or nlt, he as a black intellectual cant really afford to have his academic integrity challanged. But Bens a prick so im sure he could give two shits because he is campaigning for his oscar, and beyond that, he has political ambitions and see s himself as a Ronald Regan type….only democrat. So, he wants it out there that he is ”ashamed” of his racist relatives … eventually he will need black votes and thats why this story is all over the net, just like when he went off on Bill Maher. He wants his public to go to bat for him and praise him for not being racist.
    Because really, who cares? If your people have been in this counter for more than 5 generations, and you arent Native American or Mexican , the rest of us all decend either from a slave,
    a slave owner, or religious fanatic …because with only a few exceptions thats basically all that was here originally.

  10. Why didn’t he just apologize like everyone else , Black people would have forgot about it in a few days anyway

    • You really are knutz if you believe that bullshit. Is this how YOU PEOPLE who claim to hate us with such passion learn about us?..by coming on our blogs finding topics that may intrest us..then Googling info about said topic just to comment with the intent of engaging us in debate so YOU ALL gather info about how we think..how we feel and what is relevant and important to US? I must say it’s quite a bit of an effort to retrieve opinions from the same group that you belittle and claim you hate with such fevor..but we all know the real deal right?

    • Why would he need to apologize for something his ancestors did over 200 years ago? None of us should be held responsible for the actions of our ancestors. We all have evil family members both living and dead. No one expects us to apologize for the crap they have done in the past.

  11. don’t care what ben’s ancestors did 400 years ago.

    don’t really care about my own ancestors 500 years ago.

    we know black slavery was the worst blah, blah, blah.

    it was the worst to ever happen yes we know how the whites dids the blacks.

    racism still exists.

    whites raped the black women.

    now blacks are raping and killing themselves now more than whites doing now yea a white cop might kill a black then all the blacks go out and cry racism, no justice no peace tired of seeing protests every time a white kills a black we see al Sharpton’s soul glo ass out here crying nonviolence king didn’t die for this.

    yes I see why blacks are mocked and made fun of nationwide blacks own nothing not even in Africa.

    arabs, Europeans, Asians all go to Africa GET THE RESOURCES AND PAY THE BLACK GUARDS THERE TO KILL THEIR OWN PEOPLE IN THE MINES BLACKS GET PAID IN GUNS AND MAYBE A FEW ITEMS MAYBE EVEN A WHITE GIRL WITH HIV.

    WHILE OTHER NATIONS TAKE THE RESOURCES AND MAKE BILLIONS OFF THEM.

    AND BLACK FOLKS STILL LOOK TO JESUS FOR HELP.

    ALLAH IS GONNA BRING US A BLACK REVOLUTION ALLAH IS GONNA DESTROY ALL THE EVIL WHITE DEVILS BECAUSE THEY DISHONAORED GODS PEOPLE SINCE THE MIGHTY CREATOR IS BLACK.

    THE RAPTURE IS GOING SAVE THE BELIEVERS AND THEY’RE GOING TO HEAven to sit on jesus right side.

    seriously blacks should quit looking for gods and doctrines that beenpromising revelations, miracles, saviors, and apocalypses that was told thouysdands of years ago.

    no manm knows the hour right and jesus comers back in i’ll wait.

    haven’t heard any trumpets from heaven yet or am I supposed to hear them in the first place.

    • Damn Chris. I’m impressed as hell at your mini-manifesto.

      I wholeheartedly agree with you.

    • I might add that blacks should stop joining the military. Blacks should stop joining frats and sororities; including the divine nine. Also black athletes should stop going to these racist white universities and start going to HBCU’s!

      • yeah and black women should quit joining eastern stars not knowing that they really serving the whore of Babylon concept.

        but if they really KNEW THAT WOULD BE FATAL.

  12. Everytime i Read the comments all i see is racism, so much hate,why does it have to be white people steal our jobs or black people are keeping blacks down? Why cant it be about the person not the race? We are all individuals, you cant blame a whole race on the minority’s actions you guys need to start changing get out and travel, you will see yes there is racism it still exists but not as strong as it seems to be in America and you guys can help change that.

  15. some of You Black People are your own worst enemies!!
    when a White Person says anything racist You nicca will lap it up like ice cream!! and forgive Them

    Ben doesn’t care about Black People’s feelings, He cares about His money!!! He’s got a new movie coming out this year!!

    He has to keep people sweet mainly Black People so They can watch He’s sh*t racist and demonic movie

    • Yes sir! Batman is satanic; two horns sticking straight up on his mask. That is satan alright!

  16. “Gates asks the Sony exec for advice on how to handle Affleck’s request.”

    Proof that the boules have to answer to a higher authority. All of the intelligence and wisdom that Henry Louis Gates has, he still has to ask a white man for permission to do something.

  18. ladies and gentlemen… how did an article about one man’s denial turn us all into arguing against each other? there is a lot of brilliance in what has been written so far. if you understand human programming (via television and radio) then you already know the answer to the question i just asked. but for those who do not know the answer, i offer that you REprogram yourselves and use all of your mighty mighty (ew&f) brain power to come together…

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