She was born in the 19th Century on a plantation in Newberry, South Carolina where her parents had been enslaved. My grandmother has often told me the story of her grandmother, a woman called Lulu May. Her revelation prompted us to investigate why some families are forced to keep secrets in the first place – and what psychologists can tell us about the impact of those secrets on our mental and physical health.īut I'll let Alex tell her story first, in her own words.Īlex andria Gamlin: My great-grandfather Walter It turned out that Alex's family kept a huge secret in the past, one to do with race, identity and belonging. During her visit, we talked about our careers, our families – and family secrets.
We met over 10 years ago in New York City: I am a Black British Londoner, and Alex is originally from Michigan. Last year, my friend Alex came to visit me in London from the US.