Ford Family Chronicler
Linda Allen Hollis is a published author, historian, biographer, and public speaker who has spent over 30 plus years carefully researching her family’s genealogy on West Ford and his relationshoip to the first president. As a result, she has become an expert in early-American history and race relations, including the numerous laws, codes, amendments, and critical players of two hundred years of United States’ history.
As the official chronicler of the Ford family heritage, Linda has appeared on numerous news programs, such as the Today Show, the CBS Morning Show, PBS Frontline, The History Channel and MSNBC. She has also been interviewed by numerous print publications, including NEWSWEEK Magazine, the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Washington Post and the Denver Rocky Mountain News.
Linda Allen Hollis’ research is ongoing, and she has written the book, I Cannot Tell a Lie: The True Story of George Washington’s African American Descendants. Her continued work focuses on preserving the collective heritage of the family patriarch, West Ford, and his descendants. She currently is in the process of publishing a new non fiction book on West Ford and the First President due out 2022. Linda also writes under the name L. A. Hollis and Linda Allen Bryant.
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Welcome to the Legacy of West Ford’s official website. The story of George Washington’s African American descendants is a complex, multi-layered story and in that vein, this website is dedicated to expanding on the oral history with facts, sharing family photo galleries, essays and articles.
The website was also developed:
- To educate and inform the public about West Ford and his descendants.
- To contribute to efforts toward historical accuracy.
- To serve as a communications link to gather and disperse information about the Ford family history.
- To serve as a contact point to reunite other branches of the Ford family tree.
- To celebrate the remarkable legacy of West Ford.
** If you are a Ford relative and would like to share information or vintage family photos, please send an email to lindab116@aol.com for the submittal policy.
Digital content on this site is intended for personal research and educational purposes; commercial use or distribution of this content is not permitted without prior permission from WestFordLegacy.
Requests to reproduce, distribute, or publish content from this website should be sent to lindab116@aol.com
Research on the family photos and information were provided by Linda Allen B. Hollis, Angela Allen Henry, Janet Allen, and Dr. Judith Saunders Burton.
This is what people are saying are about "I Cannot Tell a Lie: The True Story of George Washington's African American Descendants" by Linda Allen Bryant.
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Powerful storytelling with unforgettable characters...
Amazing what this family has endured and yet has found the strength to tell in this compelling story...I found the part about the Buffalo soldiers to be especially interesting. Also a touching and romantic love story.
I thought I knew my American history, but I was astounded by what I learned from this book. The author has done some fascinating work researching her family's journey from the Bushfield plantation of 1785 through the Civil War and race riots in Chicago in 1919. Much of this is mysteriously missing from our current public school history curriculum. Woven throughout the book is the thread of this family's strength fueled by their courage and commitment to place "family" above all else. Although sure to stir some controversy, this story needed to be told.
It's good to know that the ol' general was human after all. Hey, maybe the government will put George Washington's son on the other side of the dollar! (well, it was a thought!)
A great history lesson for all.
Though touted as a "novel," the back matter of this book demonstrates that this author did some serious research in putting together "I Cannot Tell a Lie." This extensive saga gives the reader a wrenching, personal tour through the victories and heartaches of one family - who spent 200 years in the shadow of a secret that can - and will - change the way the world views American history. The book gives us a whole new set of heroes - in the form of courageous, lively people of color, and of mixed race - who have been omitted from our texts. Read this book if you're ready to hear the truth about what America is, and should be, all about.
Linda Allen Bryant's book 'I Cannot Tell a Lie' was beautifully written and heartwarming. The characters were alive and appealing. Her statement, 'We hope that revealing the truth about George Washington's African American son will serve as a catalyst toward greater racial reconciliation amongst all Americans,' leaves me very proud and optimistic for our country's healing process.
I can't wait until the movie comes out!
It's about time someone came forward and finally told the truth.
George Washington, may not have chopped down the cherry tree, but Linda Allen Bryant, had enough branches to build a tree of his African-American Descendants. She weaves the story through each generation to bring us up to the present ending with her own family.
As a Washington buff, this is a story I had heard rumors about but never anything in any great detail, and this book at least made me consider whether or not my hero's blood flows through the veins of a living family. The author handles the sensitive areas of her story with grace and dignity, which heightens the humanity on both sides of the tale.
After reading this book, I finally understand the legacy of slavery left on the African American race. America has a diverse populace and it is about time everyone was included in the making of its history. This book was so appealing to my emotions - I cried and I laughed and I couldn't put it down! Truly this is one spectaluar piece of literary prose.
Wow, a black son!
I was very happy to hear that George Washington had a black son. I can relate to this book because I was born with blond hair and green eyes, although my mother is black and I look white like my father. It's hard living in a world that only sees black and white, even though it's full of color!!!
Thomas Jefferson did the same thing. The book was really good. I'm a white guy and I could relate to this book.
This book is very radical and to the point. It shows what all African American people had to go through without a history.
A quote from West Ford "Tell your children, tell them about the Old General. But don't tell nobody else' cause white folks won't accept it."
My initial thoughts on this book were "why did I volunteer to review this?" I wasn't partial to history, could barely keep up in school. I progressed to the foreword and realized this might be interesting. After completing the foreword, I noticed there were portraits of George Washington at age 25, West Ford age 21 and his mother Venus Ford. I was totally intrigued. The resemblance West Ford had to George Washington, his father, was uncanny.
What was so different about this story from all the other influential white men who bedded mulatto slaves and wives of sharecroppers? Nothing. What's interesting is how the Fords kept their family secret legacy alive. The prologue opens with Elise Ford Allen, facing her 79th birthday and choosing the "special ones" who would continue the legacy of the family. Each generation had a chronicler, who would continue the legacy. How neat is that. I, for one, am happy they did this. Imagine not ever knowing West Ford's story.