Traverse City’s Alluvion hosts The Afterlife of a Massacre: A Live Podcast Event About Rediscovering Family and History

From staff reports

The Alluvion on the second floor of Traverse City’s Commongrounds Building will host “The Afterlife of a Massacre: A Live Podcast Event About Rediscovering Family and History” on Friday, May 8, from 6:30-8:30 pm.

The conversation will feature Traverse City resident Isiah Smith and Orice Jenkins, long-lost cousins reconnecting through a shared journey of genealogy, history, and identity. Their individual family stories converge around one common thread: uncovering the past to move forward.

Glen Arbor Sun editor Jacob Wheeler will moderate the live conversation.

This one-time live podcast explores the complex intersection of race, genealogy, and family history. Smith and Jenkins connect through a shared past, including a powerful artifact, Smith’s great-grandfather’s Bill of Sale, and the story of an ancestor freed from slavery in Georgia.

With much of their history lost to the Civil War, they work with a UVA genealogist to uncover missing pieces. Their search leads to difficult revelations, including ties to the Early County Massacre.

This event will explore the themes of ancestry, the legacies we inherit, and the necessity of understanding our past to heal and grow. It will feature an unscripted, open-ended conversation where Isiah and Orice share their personal reflections, the challenges they faced while uncovering their history, and how this journey has shaped their identities today.

Expect raw, sometimes contentious discussions and a deeply emotional exploration of what it means to come to terms with one’s heritage in the present and looking toward the future.

The Alluvion is located at 414 East Eighth Street. Tickets cost $10 and are available for purchase by clicking here.