The Montiers: An American story
Family portraits found under a bed unraveled the story of an African-American family with a rich history and blood ties to the first mayor of Philadelphia.
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Portraits of Hiram Charles Montier and his wife, Elizabeth Brown Montier, by Franklin R. Street. (Courtesy of the Philadelphia Museum of Art)
Family portraits found under a bed unraveled the story of an African-American family with a rich history and blood ties to the first mayor of Philadelphia, Humphrey Morrey, appointed by William Penn in 1691. The Montiers’ interracial love story is both unlikely and remarkable. On this episode of The Why, Karen Smyles, who produced a documentary about the Montier family for WHYY-TV, joins us to discuss why this is just not African-American history; it’s an American story.
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