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Interview: As Family Griotte, Bettye Kearse Tells the Story of "The Other Madisons"

Photo by Eduardo Montes Bradley

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WUOT's Chrissy Keuper speaks with Bettye Kearse. This is an extended version of the interview.

The oral history of any group of people is a rare and precious thing and for African Americans, it is often the only link to the past and the ancestors. In her book, The Other Madisons: The Lost History of a President’s Black Family, Bettye Kearse assumes her role as griotte and tells her family’s story. She spoke with WUOT’s Chrissy Keuper about her research.