Above: Author, Linda Allen Bryant. Below: The book cover depicting the family lineage to George Washington. West Ford: Invisible Man? A New Book " I Cannot Tell A Lie: The True Story of George Washington's African American Descendants" Opens Eyes. by Wendy Robinson In recent years, major newspapers such as the New York Times and the Chicago Tribune, as well as broadcast programs including NBC Today Show and PBS Frontline, have featured the story of an African American family who claim to be the direct descendants of George Washington. They say their ancestor, West Ford, was the illegitimate son of the nation's first president - a secret the Fords have kept for over two centuries. Now Ford descendant Linda Allen Bryant has written a book based on her family's oral history - the first book to explore their controversial claim to the Washington bloodline. I Cannot Tell a Lie: The True Story of George Washington's African American Descendants details the story that has been passed down and closely guarded through six generations of Ford family chroniclers. They say their ancestor West Ford's relationship to the first president is just one of many unknown truths in African American history. "Like Ralph Ellison's nameless protagonist in "Invisible Man", Bryant states, "historians and guardians of conventional Western culture have rendered West Ford invisible. __________________ Though written as a novel, the detailed reference material in the back of the book will be of interest to anyone requiring "proof" of the author's claims. __________________ "American history must be recounted, challenged, and kept accessible," she elaborates. "It must remain open for new interpretation." Though I Cannot Tell a Lie is based on such history, Linda Allen Bryant says she novelized her family saga for a variety of reasons. "I wanted to relay our story in the way it was passed down to me at annual family reunions. The novel allows the reader a full glimpse into the lives of my ancestors, with all the nuances of their characters and the events that shaped the lives of their descendants." Bryant says that writing the story as a novel also satisfies a desire to answer the questions that arise when people first hear her family claim to the Washington bloodline. It allowed her to imagine the circumstances under which George Washington and Venus, West Ford's mother, might have gotten together. "Our oral history tells us that Venus named George Washington as West's father, but of course it does not detail the particulars of his conception," Bryant explains. The images of the Ford family in this collage show a cross section of the extended family of West Ford. Family album montage by Eli Robinson ©2000 Though written as a novel, the detailed reference material in the back of the book will be of interest to anyone requiring "proof" of the author's claims. Bryant spent the past 20 years meticulously researching the Ford history, gathering extensive documentation supporting contentions of West Ford's unusual status at West Ford. Her efforts also turned up other surprising documentary gems - such as letters from Theodore Roosevelt to her great-grandfather, Major George Ford - a Buffalo soldier. The papers add to the depth of this controversial tale, and make for a fascinating read. Bryant's novel provides an accessible format through which the Ford family history might be considered, while offering exposure to the many sociopolitical issues surround their provocative story. And though George Washington's role as progenitor to the Ford family is pivotal, his role in Bryant's book is minor, and his character only appears briefly in a few chapters. Bryant says her intention is not to denigrate George Washington in any way. "Read the book," she says, "and you'll find out that this is a book best described by its title." I Cannot Tell a Lie: The True Story of George Washington's African Descendants details the life and legacy of West Ford, a man who determined to live a life of dignity and compassion despite the "mystery" of his paternity. It is the story of generations of Ford descendants struggling with issues of race and identity, and carving their own spaces in the country their ancestors so loved. Through the years, the Ford family has faithfully hidden their heritage, honoring an admonition from one ancestor to another during an era that required secrecy. But changing times have resulted in a change of tactics for this proud family. It is time, they say, for the world to know who they are. In addition to restoring the visibility of her ancestor, West Ford, Bryant says her book gives people the chance to decide for themselves whether or not they believe that Washington planted the Ford family tree. Their claim challenges two centuries of documented national history that records George Washington as a childless man. Is the story of West Ford one of history's hidden chapters? "Not anymore," says Bryant. "I Cannot Tell a Lie" sets the record straight. "I Cannot Tell a Lie: the True Story of George Washington's African American Ancestors" ISBN: 0-595-17878-2 is available now through Universe, Barnes and Noble, Amazon and Borders Books. For more information, visit the West Ford website at http://www.westfordlegacy.com. This website: Copyright © 2000 Studio Q Int'l Inc / Urban Mozaik Magazine. All rights reserved. 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