and FORD. We go further, so you can. >> NEARLY EVERYONE IN UKRAINE IS A WITNESS...
>> THIS IS ACTUALLY THE LOCATION WHERE THE WOMAN WAS KILLED. >> ...WHICH IS HELPING A DATA MINING OPERATION IN EUROPE
EXPOSE APPARENT RUSSIAN WAR CRIMES. >> I FEEL IT'S ALMOST MY DUTY THAT, WHEN WE'RE FACED WITH ALL
THIS INFORMATION SHOWING TERRIBLE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING, IT'S TO PUT IT OUT THERE.
IT DOES INVOLVE RISK. BUT THEN, DEFENDING LIBERTY, HUMAN RIGHTS, DEMOCRACY, INVOLVES TAKING RISKS.
IT'S WHEN WE STOP TAKING RISKS AND WE LET THE FEAR TAKE HOLD THAT WE SEE DEMOCRACY DIE. ( TICKING )
>> OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO GATHER IN HERE, MAINLY. >> THE MILLERS ARE A LARGE FAMILY THAT ENJOY GETTING
TOGETHER. THEY PURCHASED THIS HISTORIC HOUSE IN SOUTHERN VIRGINIA, NEAR WHERE THEY GREW UP, TO HAVE A
PLACE FOR FAMILY CELEBRATIONS. >> THIS IS AN ORIGINAL ROOM FROM THE 1800s. >> BUT NO ONE COULD HAVE
IMAGINED HOW THE HISTORY OF THE HOME, AND ITS GROUNDS, WOULD CHANGE EVERYTHING THEY THOUGHT THEY KNEW ABOUT THEIR FAMILY'S
HISTORY. >> IT'S LIKE A FULL CIRCLE. LIKE IT WAS MEANT TO HAPPEN. TO ME, IT'S LIKE IT WAS MEANT TO
HAPPEN. >> THIS IS GOD. THIS IS WHERE WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE.
( TICKING )
>> I'M LESLEY STAHL. >> I'M BILL WHITAKER. >> I'M ANDERSON COOPER. >> I'M SHARYN ALFONSI.
>> I'M JON WERTHEIM. >> I'M SCOTT PELLEY. THOSE STORIES AND MORE, TONIGHT, ON "60 MINUTES."
( TICKING )
>> Scott Pelley: THE WAR CRIMES IN UKRAINE ARE AMONG THE WORST OF THE 21st CENTURY, BUT THEY ARE JUST THE LATEST IN A HISTORY
OF ASSASSINATIONS AND MASS MURDER AT THE HANDS OF RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN. WE KNOW THIS, IN LARGE PART,
THANKS TO A TEAM OF ONLINE DATA DETECTIVES THAT CALLS ITSELF BELLINGCAT. SINCE 2014, BELLINGCAT
INVESTIGATIONS HAVE EXPOSED RUSSIA'S UNDERCOVER HIT SQUADS AND TIED RUSSIAN TROOPS TO ATROCITIES.
SUFFICE TO SAY, THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT DENIES EVERYTHING YOU ARE ABOUT TO SEE IN THIS STORY. BUT, THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE
BELLINGCAT COMES IN. BELLINGCAT'S FOUNDER, ELIOT HIGGINS, HAS CREATED A METHOD OF MINING ONLINE DATA AND SOCIAL
MEDIA TO PUT THE LIE TO DISINFORMATION AND UNMASK VLADIMIR PUTIN. >> Eliot Higgins: I FEEL IT'S
ALMOST MY DUTY, THAT WHEN WE'RE FACED WITH ALL THIS INFORMATION SHOWING TERRIBLE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING, IT'S TO PUT IT OUT
THERE. IT DOES INVOLVE RISK. BUT THEN, DEFENDING LIBERTY, HUMAN RIGHTS, DEMOCRACY,
INVOLVES TAKING RISKS. IT'S WHEN WE STOP TAKING RISKS AND WE LET THE FEAR TAKE HOLD THAT WE SEE DEMOCRACY DIE.
WE CAN SEE A RUSSIAN ARMORED CAR COLUMN... >> Pelley: WE MET ELIOT HIGGINS LAST MONTH IN LONDON, AS
BELLINGCAT WAS BUILDING A DATABASE OF SOCIAL MEDIA EXPOSING APPARENT WAR CRIMES IN UKRAINE.
EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS OF ATTACKS ON NEIGHBORHOODS, ASSAULTS ON HOSPITALS, AND MURDERS OF CIVILIANS ARE BEING COLLECTED
AND PUBLISHED ON BELLINGCAT'S WEBSITE FOR ALL TO SEE. >> Higgins: THIS IS ACTUALLY THE LOCATION WHERE THE WOMAN WAS
KILLED. >> Pelley: NEARLY EVERYONE IN UKRAINE IS A WITNESS WITH A CAMERA.
BELLINGCAT IS COMBINING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS TO MAKE THEM SEARCHABLE BY PLACE AND TIME.
>> Higgins: AND WE LOOK AT AS MANY SOURCES AS POSSIBLE, AND USE THOSE SOURCES TO BUILD A PICTURE OF WHAT HAPPENED.
VIDEOS, PHOTOGRAPHS, SATELLITE IMAGERY. THEN WE LOOK AT THE WITNESS STATEMENTS AND THE VARIOUS
ALLEGATIONS MADE BY EITHER SIDE. >> Pelley: LOCATIONS AND TIMES ARE CORROBORATED WITH INDEPENDENT SOURCES, INCLUDING
SATELLITE IMAGES AND GOOGLE STREET VIEW. THE GOAL IS TO PROVIDE VERIFIED EVIDENCE FOR FUTURE CRIMINAL
TRIALS. >> Higgins: AND IT ALSO MEANS THAT WE'RE COLLECTING AN ARCHIVE OF MATERIAL THAT, FOR FUTURE
GENERATIONS, THEY CAN GO BACK AND LOOK AT THIS MATERIAL. I MEAN, IT'S OFTEN SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, HISTORY IS WRITTEN BY
THE VICTORS. BUT IT'S BEING WRITTEN NOW. AND IT'S BEING PRESERVED NOW. >> Pelley: UKRAINE IS THE
BIGGEST PROJECT IN BELLINGCAT'S SHORT CAREER. HIGGINS STARTED BELLINGCAT IN 2014 AS, SORT OF, AN ACCIDENTAL
ACTIVIST. >> Higgins: I WAS NOT SOMEONE WITH A PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND. I WAS DOING THIS MERELY AS A
HOBBY. >> Pelley: WHAT WERE YOU DOING FOR A LIVING AT THE TIME? >> Higgins: I WAS WORKING FOR A
COMPANY THAT HOUSED REFUGEES IN TE U.K. I THEN WORKED FOR A COMPANY THAT MANUFACTURED PIPES, AND THEN A
COMPANY THAT MANUFACTURED LINGERIE. SO, I HAD A WIDE RANGE OF EXPERIENCE, BUT NOTHING THAT WAS
DIRECTLY RELATED TO CONFLICT. >> Pelley: ON HIS OFF-HOURS, THE CONFLICT IN SYRIA FASCINATED HIM, ESPECIALLY HOW SOCIAL MEDIA
WAS EXPOSING ATROCITIES THERE. YOU FOUND YOUR CALLING. >> Higgins: INDEED I DID. >> Pelley: BUT HIS SEARCH FOR
THE TRUTH BEGAN WITH A FAIRY TALE. WHERE DOES THE NAME COME FROM? >> Higgins: SO, BELLINGCAT COMES
FROM THE NAME OF A FABLE, BELLING THE CAT. AND IT'S ABOUT A GROUP OF MICE WHO ARE VERY SCARED OF A VERY
LARGE CAT. SO, THEY HAVE A MEETING, AND THEY DECIDE TO PUT A BELL ON THE CAT'S NECK.
BUT THEN THEY REALIZE THAT NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO DO IT, AND NO ONE IS WILLING TO VOLUNTEER TO DO IT.
SO, WHAT WE'RE TEACHING PEOPLE TO DO IS BELL THE CAT. >> Pelley: HIGGINS BELLED HIS FIRST PREDATOR IN 2014, WHEN
RUSSIA WENT TO WAR IN EASTERN UKRAINE. MALAYSIAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 17 WAS HIGH OVER UKRAINE ON ITS WAY TO
ASIA WHEN A MISSILE BROUGHT IT DOWN. 298 WERE KILLED. EVERYONE DENIED RESPONSIBILITY.
BUT, HIGGINS NOTICED, IN THE HOURS BEFORE THE SHOOT-DOWN, THERE WERE MANY SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS FROM BYSTANDERS WHO SAW A
MISSILE LAUNCHER ON A FLATBED TRAILER TRAVELING IN EASTERN UKRAINE. >> Higgins: WE STARTED
DISCOVERING SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS OF PEOPLE WHO HAD SEEN THE MISSILE LAUNCHER BEING TRANSPORTED, AND WE ALSO HAD
SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS FROM PEOPLE WHO SAID THERE'S A ROCKET THAT'S JUST BEEN SHOT UP FROM THIS DIRECTION.
AND WE COULD ACTUALLY USE THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA PROFILES TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THEY LIVED. >> Pelley: OTHER POSTS WERE
WRITTEN BY RUSSIAN SOLDIERS HOMESICK FOR FAMILY. HIGGINS FOUND CLUES IN EACH IMAGE-- BILLBOARDS, BUILDINGS,
ROAD SIGNS-- THAT LET HIM FIX THE LOCATION AND TIME OF EACH POST. WHEN HE ARRANGED ALL OF THE
SOCIAL MEDIA INTO A TIMELINE, HE COULD RUN THE CONVOY BACKWARD TO ITS STARTING POINT. >> Higgins: USING ALL THOSE
VIDEOS, WE WERE ABLE TO TRACE IT ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE MILITARY BRIGADE IT CAME FROM, THE 53rd AIR DEFENSE BRIGADE.
>> Pelley: IN RUSSIA. >> Higgins: IN RUSSIA. AND WE USED THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA PROFILES-- THE SOLDIERS, THEIR
FAMILY MEMBERS, AND EVERYONE AROUND THEM-- TO RECONSTRUCT BASICALLY THEIR NETWORK ONLINE, WHICH MEANT WE COULD GET THEIR
NAMES, THEIR RANKS, THEIR PHOTOGRAPHS, SEE WHO WAS IN THAT CONVOY AND WHO TRAVELED TO THE BORDER.
SO, THAT ALLOWED US TO PROVE THAT RUSSIA PROVIDED THE MISSILE LAUNCHER THAT SHOT DOWN MH-17. >> Pelley: BELLINGCAT PUBLISHED
ITS FINDINGS, AND RUSSIA IMPOSED A NEW LAW. >> Christo Grozev: THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT PASSED A SPECIFIC LAW
BANNING SOLDIERS FROM CARRYING MOBILE DEVICES DURING HOSTILITIES, WHICH IS DUBBED IN RUSSIA "THE BELLINGCAT LAW."
>> Pelley: CHRISTO GROZEV IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BELLINGCAT, LEADING ITS 30 FULL-TIME RESEARCHERS.
HIS PERSONAL FOCUS HAS BEEN ON RUSSIAN POLITICAL ASSASSINATIONS. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT HOW
VLADIMIR PUTIN OPERATES? >> Grozev: WHAT WE HAVE FOUND OUT IS THAT NONE OF THESE CRIMES COULD HAVE BEEN PERPETRATED
WITHOUT VLADIMIR PUTIN BEING "IN THE KNOW," AND NOT ONLY AWARE, BUT APPROVING OF ALL OF THESE CRIMES.
SO, IN A NUTSHELL, WHAT WE FOUND OUT WAS THAT PUTIN IS OPERATING AN INDUSTRIAL-SCALE ASSASSINATION PROGRAM ON HIS OWN
PEOPLE. >> Pelley: BELLINGCAT'S NEXT BIG PROJECT, THE RUSSIAN ASSASSINATION PROGRAM, STARTED
IN 2018 AFTER A RUSSIAN DEFECTOR AND HIS DAUGHTER, LIVING IN BRITAIN, WERE POISONED WITH A MILITARY-GRADE NERVE AGENT.
THE BRITISH HAD PASSPORT PHOTOS AND FALSE NAMES OF TWO SUSPECTS, BUT NOTHING ELSE. GROZEV KNEW THAT RUSSIA'S
GOVERNMENT AND COMMERCIAL RECORDS ARE FOR SALE ON AN ONLINE BLACK MARKET, SO, WITH THE FAKE NAMES, HE BOUGHT THE
SUSPECT'S PASSPORT RECORDS. THE PASSPORT NUMBERS ON THE TWO PASSPORTS WERE IDENTICAL, EXCEPT FOR THE LAST DIGIT?
>> Grozev: THE LAST DIGIT, EXACTLY. >> Pelley: SO, THEY WERE CLEARLY MADE ONE AFTER THE OTHER?
>> Grozev: EXACTLY. >> Pelley: SUSPICIOUS, CHRISTO GROZEV STARTED DATA MINING. BASED ON OFFICIAL RECORDS, IT
SEEMED AS THOUGH BOTH MEN WERE BORN AT THE AGE OF 32. AND, THERE WAS AN UNUSUAL STAMP ON THE PASSPORT DOCUMENTS.
>> Grozev: THERE WAS A BIG BLACK STAMP IN THE CORNER OF THEIR FILE WHICH SAID, "DO NOT PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THIS PERSON.
IN CASE OF A QUERY, CALL THIS NUMBER." AND, SURE ENOUGH, WE CALLED THAT NUMBER, AND IT WAS THE MINISTRY
OF DEFENSE. >> Pelley: WHEN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE ANSWERED, GROZEV KNEW THE WOULD-BE ASSASSINS WERE
MILITARY INTELLIGENCE AGENTS. TO MATCH THEIR FACES TO THEIR TRUE IDENTITIES, HE SPENT WEEKS COMBING YEARBOOKS AND
PHOTOGRAPHS FROM RUSSIAN MILITARY ACADEMIES. >> Grozev: THE END RESULT WAS THAT WE WERE ABLE NOT ONLY TO
IDENTIFY THE REAL IDENTITIES AND THE AFFILIATION TO THE MILITARY INTELLIGENCE-- WE WERE ABLE TO FIND A THIRD AND A FOURTH MEMBER
OF THE SAME KILL TEAM, THAT THE BRITISH DID NOT EVEN KNOW ABOUT. >> Pelley: OVER MONTHS, GROZEV UNCOVERED A NETWORK OF RUSSIAN
HITMEN, WORKING THROUGHOUT EUROPE, ARMED WITH NERVE AGENT FROM A GOVERNMENT LAB. HE BOUGHT AIRLINE MANIFESTS AND
FOUND SOME OF THE ASSASSINS' TRAVEL OVERLAPPED THE CAMPAIGN STOPS OF ALEXEI NAVALNY, THE TOP POLITICAL OPPONENT OF VLADIMIR
PUTIN. >> Grozev: AND WE FOUND A TOTAL OF 66 OVERLAPS, WAY BEYOND ANY STATISTICAL POSSIBILITY FOR A
COINCIDENCE. >> Pelley: THEY'D BEEN SHADOWING HIM FOR MONTHS, YEARS? >> Grozev: THEY'D BEEN SHADOWING
HIM FOR FOUR YEARS. THEY STARTED SHADOWING HIM THE MOMENT HE ANNOUNCED HIS PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRATIONS IN
2017, APPARENTLY BEING ON STANDBY FOR A POSSIBLE ASSASSINATION WHENEVER THEY WOULD GET THE SIGNAL.
>> Pelley: A SIGNAL CAME IN 2020. ON A CAMPAIGN TRIP, NAVALNY WAS POISONED WITH THAT SAME NERVE
AGENT. HE RECOVERED IN A GERMAN HOSPITAL, RETURNED TO OPPOSE PUTIN, AND IS NOW IN PRISON.
BELLINGCAT'S INVESTIGATION FOUND ASSASSINS ALSO TAILED OTHER PUTIN OPPONENTS. >> Grozev: AND WE FOUND, FOR
EXAMPLE, THAT THE TEAM THAT HAD POISONED NAVALNY HAD TAILED, AT A MINIMUM, 12 OTHER OPPOSITION FIGURES, THREE OF WHOM HAD BEEN
KILLED, IN FACT. POISONED. >> Pelley: INVESTIGATIONS LIKE THAT ARE PUBLISHED ON
BELLINGCAT'S WEBSITE, WHICH IS BLOCKED IN RUSSIA. BELLINGCAT IS A NON-PROFIT FOUNDATION WHICH HAS TRAINED
MORE THAN 4,000 JOURNALISTS AND WAR CRIME INVESTIGATORS IN ITS TECHNIQUES OF GEOLOCATION, VERIFICATION, AND DATA MINING.
>> Alexa Koenig: WE'RE HEADED INTO AN ENTIRELY NEW ERA OF HUMAN RIGHTS INVESTIGATIONS, AND WAR CRIMES INVESTIGATIONS, MORE
GENERALLY. >> Pelley: BELLINGCAT TRAINED ALEXA KOENIG'S TEAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA,
BERKELEY'S HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER. KOENIG IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER, WHICH HAS USED BELLINGCAT'S TECHNIQUES TO
EXPOSE ATROCITIES IN MYANMAR AND CHEMICAL ATTACKS IN SYRIA. >> Koenig: THEY'RE SHOWING THE WORLD THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE
A LARGE OUTFIT, LIKE THE "NEW YORK TIMES" OR THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT, TO PULL THESE DISPARATE BITS OF INFORMATION
TOGETHER, AND ACTUALLY GET UNDERNEATH WHO'S DONE WHAT TO WHOM AND WHEN. >> Pelley: STILL, KOENIG SAYS,
THIS NEW ERA IS CHALLENGED BY THE FACT THAT ANYONE WITH AN INTERNET CONNECTION CAN BE AN INVESTIGATOR.
THE PROBLEM BECOMES, HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE THEY'RE RIGHT? >> Koenig: THAT'S ALWAYS THE RISK.
AND I THINK ONE BIG CONCERN IN THIS SPACE IS THE ETHICS OF DOING THIS WORK, AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU DON'T GET IT WRONG.
>> Pelley: ALEXA KOENIG'S U.C., BERKELEY CENTER RECENTLY WORKED WITH THE UNITED NATIONS TO PUBLISH GUIDELINES FOR WITNESSES
WHO POST EVIDENCE, AND FOR AMATEUR INVESTIGATORS. STANDARDS? >> Koenig: YES.
>> Pelley: RULES OF EVIDENCE? >> Koenig: EXACTLY. SO, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE BEING REALLY INNOVATIVE AND CREATIVE
ABOUT HOW TO USE A LOT OF DIGITAL TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES TO ULTIMATELY SOLVE THESE PUZZLES. BUT THE PROBLEM IS, A LOT OF
THEM ARE NOT TRAINED AS LEGAL INVESTIGATORS. THEY'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT THINGS LIKE CHAIN OF CUSTODY,
AND HOW DO YOU ESTABLISH THAT SOMETHING YOU GRABBED FROM THE INTERNET HASN'T BEEN CHANGED IN TRANSIT, AND SHOULD ACTUALLY BE
TRUSTED AS RELIABLE ONCE IT REACHES A COURT OF LAW? SO, OUR WORK IS HOPEFULLY DESIGNED AROUND HELPING THEM DO
THAT IN A WAY THAT MAXIMIZES THAT VALUE FOR ACCOUNTABILITY. >> Pelley: ULTIMATELY, WHAT IS YOUR HOPE FOR YOUR UKRAINE
INVESTIGATIONS? >> Grozev: WE ALREADY HAVE BEEN APPROACHED BY THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT.
WE'VE BEEN APPROACHED BY SEVERAL PROSECUTION AUTHORITIES IN EUROPE, WHO WANT TO INITIATE THEIR OWN CASES INTO WAR CRIMES.
AND WE NOT ONLY HOPE, BUT WE KNOW THAT OUR DATABASE, OUR SEARCH NOW WILL BE USED IN A FUTURE-- LET'S CALL IT SOMETHING
LIKE A NUREMBERG TRIAL. >> Pelley: THERE MAY BE NO ACCOUNTABILITY FOR RUSSIA IN A COURTROOM, BUT THE WORK OF
TRADITIONAL JOURNALISTS AND BELLINGCAT'S EXPANDING DATABASE ARE OVERWHELMING PUTIN'S PROPAGANDA.
YOU HAVE EXPOSED A NUMBER OF RUSSIAN INTELLIGENCE OPERATIONS, SOME OF WHICH INVOLVE ASSASSINS. AND, I WONDER IF YOU FEAR FOR
YOUR OWN SAFETY? >> Higgins: YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT YOUR OWN SECURITY. IT'S AN EXTRA LEVEL OF PARANOIA.
IT DOESN'T KIND OF RULE MY LIFE, BUT YOU JUST HAVE TO BE KIND OF HYPERSENSITIVE, SOMETIMES, TO CERTAIN THINGS.
>> Pelley: WHY TAKE THE RISK? WHY YOU? >> Higgins: IF RUSSIA IS TO SUSTAIN ITSELF, IT HAS TO RULE
BY FEAR. YOU CAN'T JUST LET THAT FEAR OVERTAKE YOU. IF YOU'RE IN A POSITION TO DO
SOMETHING, IF YOU HAVE INFORMATION, IF YOU HAVE THE MOTIVATION AND YOU HAVE THE STRENGTH TO DO IT, YOU SHOULD DO
IT. >> Pelley: UKRAINE WILL BE THE MOSTTHOROUGHLY DOCUMENTED WAR IN HISTORY.
RUSSIA SAYS NO CIVILIANS HAVE BEEN HARMED BY ITS FORCES, AND SCENES OF ATROCITIES ARE STAGED. BUT, PUTIN'S DEFENSE IS A
THROWBACK TO A PREVIOUS CENTURY, ANALOG DENIALS IN THE AGE OF THE DIGITAL WITNESS. ( TICKING )
>> HOW BELLINGCAT IS USING TIKTOK TO INVESTIGATE THE WAR IN UKRAINE. AT 60minutesovertime.com.
>> Lesley Stahl: JUST OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SAT A GRAND WHITE HOUSE CALLED SHARSWOOD, SILENTLY HOLDING SECRETS FROM
THE PAST, WAITING FOR A NEW OWNER TO UNCOVER THEM. SOUNDS LIKE THE OPENING LINE OF A SOUTHERN GOTHIC NOVEL.
BUT THIS STORY IS ABOUT A REAL FAMILY, AND A REAL HOUSE, THIS COUNTRY'S HISTORY, AND A MAN WHO FOUND HIMSELF AT THE CENTER OF
FAR MORE THAN HE HAD BARGAINED FOR. THE MAN IS FRED MILLER, A 56- YEAR-OLD AIR FORCE VETERAN WHO
WAS LOOKING TO BUY PROPERTY IN HIS VIRGINIA HOMETOWN FOR HIS LARGE EXTENDED FAMILY'S FREQUENT GET-TOGETHERS.
HE HAD NEVER HEARD THE NAME SHARSWOOD, AND YET THIS OLD HOUSE WOULD LEAD HIM ON A JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY, WITH
SURPRISES AND REVELATIONS THAT SEEM BOTH IMPOSSIBLE AND INEVITABLE ALL AT ONCE. THESE ARE THE GENTLE HILLS OF
PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY, VIRGINIA-- QUIET, RURAL FARM COUNTRY NEAR THE NORTH CAROLINA BORDER THAT ONCE PRODUCED MORE TOBACCO THAN
ANY COUNTY IN THE STATE. >> Fred Miller: HEY, WE'RE GOING TO GATHER UP IN THIS ROOM HERE, MAINLY.
>> Stahl: FRED MILLER GREW UP HERE, IN A CLOSE FAMILY THAT LIKES GETTING TOGETHER REGULARLY FOR BIRTHDAYS, FISH FRYS AND, AS
HIS COUSIN ADAM MILLER TOLD US, JUST ABOUT ANYTHING. >> Adam Miller: WE PLAY GAMES, AND WE DO, LIKE, A LOT OF FOOD
COMPETITIONS. >> Stahl: I HEAR THE FOOD IS MAINLY CAKE. >> Adam: YEAH.
( LAUGHTER ) TOO MANY CAKES-- >> Fred: TOO MANY CAKES. >> Stahl: FRED'S COUSIN, TONYA
MILLER POPE, AND HIS SISTER, DEBRA COLES, TOLD US IT'S A BIG FAMILY. FRED'S MOTHER BETTY AND HIS AUNT
BRENDA WERE TWO OF 11. HOW MANY COUSINS? >> Aunt Brenda: OH MY GOD! ( OVERTALK )
>> Karen Dixon-Rexroth: HUNDREDS. >> Fred: IT'S HUNDREDS-- >> Family Member: HUNDREDS.
>> Brenda: AT LEAST 100. >> Stahl: SO NO WONDER FRED NEEDED TO FIND-- >> Family Member: YES!
( LAUGHTER ) >> Fred: A HUGE PLACE. >> Brenda: EXACTLY. >> Stahl: FRED LIVES IN
CALIFORNIA, WHERE HE WORKS AS A CIVIL ENGINEER FOR THE AIR FORCE, BUT HE VISITS THE FAMILY IN VIRGINIA OFTEN.
>> Fred: ONE DAY, OUT OF THE BLUE, MY SISTER CALLED ME AND TOLD ME ABOUT A BIG HOUSE UP THE ROAD FOR SALE.
>> Stahl: THIS SISTER RIGHT HERE? >> Fred: YEAH. >> Karen: YEAH.
>> Stahl: KAREN DIXON-REXROTH, FRED'S BABY SISTER, HAD SPOTTED IT. >> Karen: ME AND MY MOM WAS
RIDING PAST THE HOUSE, AND I SAW THE "FOR SALE" SIGN. I SAID, "OH, MY GOODNESS. WE HAVE TO GET THIS HOUSE."
I CALL FRED. "FRED, THIS HOUSE IS FOR SALE." HE'S LIKE, "WHAT HOUSE?" I SAID, "YOU KNOW THE HOUSE--
THE-- THE SCARY HOUSE," I CALL IT. ( LAUGHS ) >> Stahl: THE "SCARY HOUSE" WAS
LESS THAN A MILE UP THE ROAD FROM THEIR MOM'S. THEY'D PASSED IT EVERY DAY AS KIDS ON THEIR WAY TO SCHOOL.
WHAT DID YOU KNOW ABOUT SHARSWOOD? >> Betty Dixon: ABSOLUTELY NOTHING--
>> Tonya Miller Pope: NOTHING. >> Debra Coles: NOTHING. >> Brenda: NO. >> Adam: JUST KNEW IT WAS-- SAW
THE HOUSE-- >> Tonya: A BIG HOUSE. >> Karen: HE WAS DEBATING, "SHOULD WE PUT IN A BID FOR IT?"
I SAID, "YES, ABSOLUTELY. LET'S DO IT." >> Stahl: DID SHE TWIST YOUR ARM?
>> Fred: IT TOOK ALL THE TWISTING SHE COULD DO. BECAUSE I-- I D-- I DIDN'T WANT TO BUY IT--
>> Stahl: BUT THINKING HIS BID WOULD BE REJECTED ANYWAY, HE MADE AN OFFER OF JUST ABOVE THE $220,000 ASKING PRICE.
WHY DID YOU THINK THEY WEREN'T GOING TO ACCEPT THE OFFER? >> Fred: WELL, I MEAN, I'M-- INITIALLY, ME, I THOUGHT THAT
BECAUSE I WAS BLACK THAT THEY WOULD NEVER-- SURELY, THEY WOULD NEVER SELL THIS HOUSE TO SOMEONE THAT'S BLACK.
SO FOR US TO BE ABLE TO OWN THIS THING, I THOUGHT IT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN, YEAH, IN A MILLION YEARS.
>> Stahl: SO GUESS WHAT HAPPENED? A MILLION YEARS. >> Fred: A MILLION YEARS
HAPPENED. ( LAUGHS ) >> Karen: YES. ( LAUGHS )
YES, ABSOLUTELY. >> Fred: WE USE TO ALWAYS SEE THIS HOUSE OUT HERE. >> Stahl: SO IN MAY OF 2020,
FRED MILLER PURCHASED THE FULLY- FURNISHED HOUSE, PLUS 10.5 ACRES OF LAND, FROM A FAMILY CALLED THE THOMPSONS, WHO HAD OWNED IT
SINCE 1917. >> Fred: THE FIRST TIME I DROVE UP TO THE PLACE, ALL I COULD DO IS STOP BY THE EDGE OF THE ROAD
THERE AND JUST LOOK UP IN-- IN AMAZEMENT. LIKE, WOW, THIS IS-- THIS IS MINE.
>> Karen: THIS IS AN ORIGINAL ROOM FROM THE 1800s. >> Stahl: KAREN SAYS SHE GOT OBSESSED WITH THE HOUSE,
SPENDING NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS ONLINE RESEARCHING ITS SECRETS. >> Karen: HIDING SPOT THEY SAY WAS FROM THE CIVIL WAR, SO THEY
WOULD HIDE THE VALUABLES-- >> Stahl: SECRET HIDEAWAY. >> Karen: YEAH, A SECRET HIDING SPOT.
>> Stahl: SHE DISCOVERED THE HOUSE HAD BEEN BUILT AROUND 1850, IN THE GOTHIC REVIVAL STYLE, BY A WELL-KNOWN NEW YORK
ARCHITECT. AND SHE LEARNED AND TOLD HER FAMILY THAT ITS NAME HAD BEEN SHARSWOOD.
>> Fred: EVERY DAY SHE WAS CALLING ME WITH NEW INFORMATION. I'M LIKE, "MY GOODNESS, OKAY, RELAX."
( LAUGHTER ) >> Stahl: ARE YOU EXAGGERATING? EVERY DAY? >> Fred: NO, I'M NOT
EXAGGERATING AT ALL. ( LAUGHTER ) >> Stahl: BUT THEN, KAREN TURNED UP SOMETHING THAT STUNNED HER.
IN THE 1800s, SHARSWOOD HAD BEEN THE SEAT OF A MAJOR, 1,300-ACRE PLANTATION, ONE OF THE LARGER ONES IN THE COUNTY.
WHAT DID YOU THINK OF YOU OWNING A PLANTATION? >> Fred: I WAS A LITTLE BIT-- A LITTLE SHOCKED BY THAT, I WOULD
SAY. BECAUSE I JUST WANTED SOMEWHERE TO HAVE FAMILY GATHERINGS. >> Tonya: WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT
IT WAS A PLANTATION, AND THEN I'M LIKE, OKAY, FRED JUST BOUGHT A PLANTATION-- >> Family Member: RIGHT.
>> Tonya: I WAS LIKE, WE OWN-- WE OWN A PLANTATION-- >> Karen: YEAH, WHAT WE GOING TO DO UP HERE?
>> Tonya: IT WAS JUST-- A FEELING OF JUST-- POWER. IT WAS JUST A POWERFUL FEELING. >> Karen: IT IS.
>> Stahl: POWERFUL, BUT OF COURSE, "PLANTATION" IMPLIES SLAVERY, AND BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR, PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY HELD
MORE THAN 14,000 ENSLAVED PEOPLE. THE STATE OF VIRGINIA, JUST UNDER 500,000.
>> Dexter Miller: I SAID, "DO YOU REALIZE WHAT THIS IS?" THEY DIDN'T HAVE A CLUE. >> Stahl: DEXTER MILLER, ONE OF
FRED AND KAREN'S MANY SECOND COUSINS, KNEW SOMETHING ABOUT SHARSWOOD BECAUSE, YEARS AGO, HE'D BEEN COWORKERS WITH BILL
THOMPSON, WHOSE FAMILY THEN OWNED IT. BILL JOINED US FOR A CONVERSATION ON WHAT USED TO BE
HIS CHILDHOOD PORCH. YOU GREW UP IN THIS HOUSE. >> Bill Thompson: I DID. THIS WAS MY HOME.
>> Stahl: HE INHERITED MUCH OF THE FARMLAND AND STILL LIVES UP THE ROAD. HIS SISTER INHERITED THE HOUSE
AND SOLD IT TO FRED. >> Stahl: YOU KNOW, WHEN FRED WAS BUYING THE HOUSE, HE DID NOT THINK THAT THE HOUSE WOULD BE
SOLD TO A BLACK PERSON. >> Bill Thompson: WHY WOULD YOU THINK THAT, FRED? >> Fred: WELL, BECAUSE, YOU
KNOW, IT'S-- M-- I MEAN, WE'RE IN RURAL VIRGINIA. RIGHT? >> Bill Thompson: WELL, THIS IS
TRUE. ( LAUGHTER ) >> Stahl: FOR YEARS, DEXTER AND ANOTHER SECOND COUSIN, SONYA
WOMACK-MIRANDA, HAD BEEN TRYING TO PIECE TOGETHER THE MILLER FAMILY'S ORIGINS-- A NOTORIOUSLY DIFFICULT TASK FOR AFRICAN
AMERICANS, BECAUSE RECORDS ARE HARD TO COME BY, ESPECIALLY BEFORE 1865. >> Sonya Womack-Miranda: IT
REALLY WAS A HOBBY. >> Dexter: IT WAS ADDICTIVE. IT WAS ADDICTIVE, IT REALLY WAS. >> Stahl: YOU WERE LIKE PRIVATE
EYES. >> Sonya: YEAH. >> Dexter: YES. >> Stahl: THEY HAD BEEN ABLE TO
TRACE THE WHOLE MILLER CLAN BACK TO ONE WOMAN. >> Sonya: IT'S DEXTER'S GREAT- GRANDMOTHER; IT'S MY GREAT-
GREAT-GRANDMOTHER, SARAH. >> Stahl: SARAH MILLER? >> Dexter: MM-HMM. >> Sonya: YES.
>> Stahl: THEY HAD FOUND A PICTURE OF SARAH MILLER. >> Dexter: THIS IS SARAH RIGHT HERE.
>> Stahl: AND THEY'D GOTTEN HOLD OF HER DEATH CERTIFICATE, WHICH SHOWED THAT SHE'D BEEN BORN IN PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY IN 1868,
JUST THREE YEARS AFTER THE END OF THE CIVIL WAR. AND, THEY FOUND AN EVEN BETTER RESOURCE-- ONE OF THEIR OLDEST
LIVING RELATIVES, A BELOVED FORMER SCHOOL TEACHER NAMED MARIAN KEYES. MS. KEYES, AS EVERYONE HERE
CALLS HER, IS ABOUT TO TURN 90. SARAH MILLER IS THE MATRIARCH OF THE FAMILY. >> Marian Keyes: YES, SHE-- YES,
SHE WAS. >> Stahl: DID YOU KNOW HER? >> Keyes: YES, I DID. >> Stahl: WELL, TELL US ABOUT
HER. >> Marian Keyes: SHE WOULD ALWAYS BE OUT THERE WITH A BROOM IN HER HAND, AND SHE WOULD BE
WAITING FOR US. >> Stahl: MARIAN KEYES REMEMBERS HER GREAT-GRANDMOTHER SARAH AS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH.
>> Marian Keyes: WHAT SHE WANTED YOU TO KNOW, YOU WERE GOING TO KNOW IT. >> Stahl: WAS SHE PERSNICKETY,
AS THEY SAY-- >> Marian Keyes: YES, YES, YES-- >> Stahl: WAS SHE DIFFICULT? STERN?
>> Marian Keyes: VERY. VERY. SHE DIDN'T-- SHE DIDN'T PLAY. SHE DIDN'T PLAY.
BUT WE LOVED HER. >> Stahl: BUT THAT'S WHERE MS. KEYES' KNOWLEDGE OF MILLER FAMILY HISTORY ENDED.
SHE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE GENERATIONS BEFORE EMANCIPATION. WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP, WHAT
DID YOU LEARN OR HEAR FROM YOUR PARENTS ABOUT SLAVERY? >> Marian Keyes: NOTHING. >> Stahl: NOTHING?
>> Marian Keyes: NOTHING. THEY DID NOT TALK ABOUT IT. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THEY WERE AFRAID, WHETHER IT WAS TOO
MISERABLE OR PAINFUL, OR THEY WANTED TO FORGET IT. I DON'T KNOW. BUT THEY DID NOT TALK TO US
ABOUT IT AT ALL. AND WE DIDN'T ASK THEM QUESTIONS ABOUT IT. >> Stahl: WHY NOT?
>> Marian Keyes: WE WERE AFRAID TO. ( LAUGHS ) >> Stahl: WE HEARD THAT AGAIN
AND AGAIN FROM MEMBERS OF THE MILLER FAMILY. >> Dexter: SLAVERY WASN'T MENTIONED AT ALL.
>> Stahl: WAS THERE ALMOST A CODE, "WE DON'T TALK ABOUT SLAVERY," SO NOBODY DID? >> Dexter: IT WAS SOMETHING THAT
EVERY BLACK PERSON KNEW, YOU DIDN'T TALK ABOUT. YOUR PARENTS WAS TO TELL YOU NOT TO DISCUSS GROWN-PEOPLE
BUSINESS. THAT'S WHAT THEY'LL TELL YOU. >> Fred: THE FIRST TIME SLAVERY WAS DISCUSSED WAS-- I GUESS, IN
THE '70s, WHEN "ROOTS" CAME-- THE MOVIE "ROOTS" CAME ABOUT. >> Stahl: THAT'S THE FIRST TIME?
>> Karen: MM-HMM. >> Stahl: WHEN "ROOTS" WAS ON TELEVISION? DID YOU READ ABOUT IT IN SCHOOL?
>> Fred: N-- NOT MUCH. >> Stahl: HIS FAMILY ALSO REMEMBERS "ROOTS" AS PIVOTAL. >> Debra: YES.
>> Karen: MM-HMM. >> Brenda: I THINK THAT'S-- THAT'S WHERE WE ALL-- >> Karen: THAT'S WHERE WE ALL--
>> Brenda: I THINK ALL OF US FELT LIKE, THAT-- >> Tonya: THAT WAS AN EYE- OPENER.
>> Stahl: BUT EVEN AFTER "ROOTS," YOU DIDN'T GO AND SAY, "WHAT ABOUT OUR FAMILY?" >> Karen: NO.
>> Stahl: EVEN THEN? >> Karen: NOT AT ALL. >> Stahl: WHAT HELD YOU BACK? >> Fred: I JUST DIDN'T THINK
THEY WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IT. >> Stahl: BUT DIDN'T YOU WANT TO KNOW? >> Fred: I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE
KNOWN. I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE KNOWN. >> Stahl: FRED'S PURCHASE OF SHARSWOOD WAS ABOUT TO GIVE HIM
A CRASH COURSE IN HIS HOMETOWN'S SLAVERY ROOTS. IT STARTED WITH A CALL FROM TWO ARCHEOLOGISTS, WHO WANTED TO
COME DO RESEARCH. >> Dennis Pogue: WE'RE HISTORIC PRESERVATIONISTS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE START FROM
THE IDEA THAT THESE PLACES MATTER. >> Stahl: DENNIS POGUE ONCE WORKED AT MOUNT VERNON; DOUG
SANFORD AT MONTICELLO. THEY ASKED IF THEY COULD COME EXPLORE SHARSWOOD. BUT, THEY WEREN'T INTERESTED IN
THE ORNATE HOUSE DESIGNED BY THAT FAMOUS ARCHITECT. WHAT THEY CARED ABOUT WAS THE DILAPIDATED BUILDING WITH THE
TIN ROOF PAST THE BIG OAK TREE BEHIND IT. THEY SUSPECTED IT HAD ONCE BEEN SLAVE QUARTERS.
>> Doug Sanford: THERE WERE ONCE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF THESE BUILDINGS. THESE WERE ONE OF THE MOST
COMMON TYPES OF ARCHITECTURE IN VIRGINIA. >> Pogue: LET ME GIVE YOU THE RUNNING DIMENSIONS.
>> Stahl: BUT NOW THESE BUILDINGS ARE RARE, WITH FEWER THAN 1,500 BELIEVED TO BE STILL STANDING, AND POGUE AND SANFORD
STARTED A PROJECT TO SEARCH FOR THEM. >> Pogue: SO, ONE, TWO, THREE FOUR...
>> Stahl: FRED AND KAREN INVITED THEM TO COME INVESTIGATE. THEY EXAMINED, MEASURED, AND SEARCHED FOR CLUES.
>> Pogue: YOU CAN SEE THE SIDING IS... >> Stahl: THEY SHOWED US SOME OF WHAT THEY FOUND.
>> Pogue: THESE ARE THE KIND OF NAILS THAT WE EXPECT TO SEE ON BUILDINGS BEFORE 1800. HAND-MADE, WROUGHT NAILS.
>> Stahl: HAND-MADE? >> Pogue: YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE HAMMER STROKES ON THE HEAD. >> Stahl: IS THIS THE ORIGINAL
SIDING? >> Pogue: THESE ARE REMNANTS OF THE ORIGINAL SIDING. ABSOLUTELY.
OKAY. >> Stahl: THEY WORKED FROM NOON TO DUSK, AND FINALLY GAVE KAREN AND FRED THEIR CONCLUSION.
>> Pogue: IT'S GOT A COMPLEX HISTORY, BUT WE THINK PART OF THAT HISTORY, A BIG PART OF THAT HISTORY WAS, IT WAS A-- A
QUARTER FOR ENSLAVED FOLKS. >> Stahl: THEY SAY IT'S ONE OF THE BEST PRESERVED THEY'VE SEEN. THEY BELIEVE IT WAS ORIGINALLY
BUILT IN THE LATE 1700s AS A HOUSE FOR A WHITE FAMILY... >> Sanford: THAT'S WHERE THE ORIGINAL DOOR WAS.
>> Stahl: ...AND WAS LATER DIVIDED INTO TWO SEPARATE, SINGLE-ROOM SLAVE DWELLINGS. >> Stahl: TWO FAMILIES?
>> Sanford: YEAH. ONE HOUSEHOLD HERE; ANOTHER ENSLAVED HOUSEHOLD OVER THERE. >> Fred: IT JUST SHOWED THAT IT
WAS TWO DIFFERENT WORLDS: THIS FRONT, BIG, BEAUTIFUL WORLD HERE, AND LAVISH; AND YOU GO RIGHT BEHIND THE HOUSE AND THERE
WAS A WHOLE DIFFERENT STORY. IT'S KIND OF CRAZY FOR ME JUST TO EVEN WALK AROUND OUT THERE. >> Stahl: DO YOU OWN THAT?
DO YOU OWN THE SLAVE HOUSE, TOO? >> Fred: I OWN THE SLAVE HOUSE. I DO. THAT'S MINE.
>> Stahl: WOW. >> Fred: YEAH. ( LAUGHS ) >> Stahl: FRED MILLER'S PURCHASE
CONTINUES TO SURPRISE HIS FAMILY, AND INTRIGUE HISTORIANS, WHEN WE COME BACK. ( TICKING )
>> Lesley Stahl: WHEN FRED MILLER UNWITTINGLY PURCHASED WHAT HE NOW KNOWS TO BE THE SHARSWOOD PLANTATION HOUSE--
WITH SLAVE QUARTERS JUST BEHIND IT-- HE KNEW VIRTUALLY NOTHING ABOUT HIS OWN FAMILY HISTORY. HE'D ALWAYS ASSUMED HIS
ANCESTORS HAD BEEN ENSLAVED, BUT IT FELT TO HIM LIKE AN UNKNOWABLE PART OF A DISTANT PAST.
LEARNING ABOUT HIS GREAT- GRANDMOTHER, SARAH MILLER, WHOM HIS MOTHER HAD KNOWN AS A CHILD, PIQUED HIS INTEREST, SO WHEN HE
FOUND OUT HER HOUSE WAS STILL STANDING JUST A FEW MILES AWAY FROM SHARSWOOD, HE ASKED HIS MOTHER, BETTY DIXON, TO GO THERE
WITH HIM. >> Fred: ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO WALK DOWN THROUGH HERE. >> Stahl: BETTY'S GRANDMOTHER
SARAH HAD BEEN THE FIRST OF THEIR ANCESTORS TO BE BORN INTO FREEDOM, SHORTLY AFTER THE CIVIL WAR.
>> Betty: LAST TIME I SAW THIS CABIN, IT HAD NO LIGHTS. NO ELECTRICITY. >> Stahl: BETTY REMEMBERS
VISITING AND SPENDING THE NIGHT HERE WITH HER GRANDMOTHER AND COUSINS. >> WHOA.
WHAT IS IT, ONE ROOM? >> Stahl: SARAH'S HOUSE DIDN'T LOOK MUCH BIGGER THAN THE SLAVE DWELLING: JUST A SINGLE ROOM,
WITH A SMALLER ONE ABOVE IT. AND NO INDOOR PLUMBING. >> Fred: COME A LONG WAYS, HUH? >> Betty: SURE DID.
>> Fred: GLAD I DIDN'T HAVE TO LIVE IN HERE. >> Betty: WELL, HAD TO MAKE IT WORK.
>> Fred: YOU WANT A PIECE OF THIS WALLPAPER TO TAKE WITH YOU? >> Betty: YEAH. >> Fred: HOPE THE LANDLORD DON'T
SAY NOTHING. >> Betty: OH LORD. THERE YOU GO. >> Stahl: SARAH MILLER IS BURIED
IN THE CEMETERY OF THE CHURCH THE MILLER FAMILY STILL ATTENDS. >> Fred: I'M GLAD NOW I CAN ACTUALLY COME HERE AND SEE.
>> Woman: YEAH. >> Stahl: BUT, UNBEKNOWNST TO THIS MILLER FAMILY, JUST FIVE MILES UP THE ROAD IN A DIFFERENT
CHURCH CEMETERY, WAS A TOMBSTONE THAT ALSO READ "MILLER"-- A FAR OLDER ONE, WITH NAMES FRED AND HIS FAMILY HAD NEVER HEARD OF...
BUT WERE ABOUT TO. IN KAREN'S SEARCH FOR INFORMATION ABOUT SHARSWOOD, SHE FOUND A DOCUMENT THAT MENTIONED
THEM. >> Karen: IT GAVE THE NAMES OF THE ORIGINAL OWNERS, WHO WAS NATHANIEL CRENSHAW MILLER, AND
ALSO CHARLES EDWIN MILLER. >> Stahl: MILLER? >> Karen: YES. MILLER.
>> Stahl: ANY LIGHT BULBS? ANY WIRES CONNECT? >> Karen: NO, NOT AT THAT POINT. >> Fred: FOR ME, IT DIDN'T.
AT THAT TIME IT STILL DIDN'T. >> Karen: NOT AT THAT POINT, IT DID NOT. >> Stahl: OTHERS HAD SUSPECTED A
CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TWO SETS OF MILLERS. >> Bill Thompson: BECAUSE I WAS TELLING DEXTER, BACK IN '88, I--
>> Stahl: BILL THOMPSON SAYS HE HAD MENTIONED THE THOUGHT TO DEXTER 30 YEARS AGO. >> Bill Thompson: WHAT WE HAD
BEEN TAUGHT IN HIGH SCHOOL WAS THAT, WHEN THEY FREED THE SLAVES, THEY JUST TOOK THE LAST NAME OF THE PERSON THAT WAS
THERE, WHICH WAS MILLER. I JUST HAD TOLD DEXTER, "DEXTER, IT'S A GOOD CHANCE THAT YOUR ANCESTORS CAME OFF OF THIS
FARM." >> Dexter: HE DID. HE SAID THAT. >> Stahl: SO YOU KNEW THAT THIS
WAS A PLANTATION? >> Dexter: I DID. >> Stahl: WELL, FRED, YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T KNOW.
>> Fred: I HAD NO IDEA. >> Stahl: DEXTER, YOU DIDN'T TELL FRED. >> Dexter: I DID NOT TELL FRED.
I DID NOT TELL ANYONE. >> Stahl: DEXTER SAYS HE'D KEPT IT TO HIMSELF, BECAUSE HE HADN'T FOUND ANY WAY TO PROVE IT.
AND THAT'S WHERE THIS BECOMES A DETECTIVE STORY, WITH THE MILLER COUSINS NOW ON A MISSION TO FIGURE OUT WHETHER IT COULD BE
POSSIBLE THAT THEIR OWN ANCESTORS MIGHT HAVE BEEN ENSLAVED ON THE VERY PROPERTY FRED NOW OWNED.
THE FIRST STEP WAS FIGURING OUT WHO THEIR LAST ENSLAVED ANCESTORS WERE, AND SARAH MILLER'S DEATH CERTIFICATE HELD
THE ANSWER. THE NAMES OF HER PARENTS: DAVID AND VIOLET MILLER, WHO WOULD HAVE BEEN ADULTS AT THE TIME OF
EMANCIPATION. DID YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THEM? >> Karen: NOT AT ALL.
NOT AT ALL. >> Marian Keyes: I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THEM. WE DIDN'T--
>> Stahl: EVEN MARIAN KEYES, WHO KNEW SARAH MILLER, HAD NEVER HEARD THEIR NAMES. >> Marian Keyes: NOTHING.
>> Stahl: WOW. >> Marian Keyes: SURE DIDN'T. >> Karice Luck-Brimmer: I JUST-- I-- I WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW.
>> Stahl: ENTER KARICE LUCK- BRIMMER, A LOCAL HISTORIAN AND GENEALOGIST. KAREN REACHED OUT TO HER TO SEE
IF SHE COULD HELP. WHAT ARE THE SPECIAL CHALLENGES IN LOOKING FOR THE ANCESTORS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS?
>> Luck-Brimmer: AFRICAN AMERICANS WERE NOT LISTED BY NAME UNTIL THE 1870 CENSUS. SO, BEFORE THAT, THEY WERE JUST
A NUMBER. >> Stahl: YOU MEAN, IF THEY WERE ENSLAVED, THEY WEREN'T LISTED? >> Luck-Brimmer: YES.
AT ALL. SO, REALLY, YOU'RE JUST LOOKING FOR ANY TYPE OF TIPS AND CLUES THAT YOU CAN.
>> Stahl: SHE STARTED BY LOOKING AT 1860 RECORDS FOR SHARSWOOD'S THEN-OWNER, N.C., FOR NATHANIEL CRENSHAW MILLER.
>> Luck-Brimmer: THERE HE IS. >> Stahl: N.C. MILLER, RIGHT THERE, OKAY. >> Luck-Brimmer: YEAH.
HE HAD 58 SLAVES HERE. >> Stahl: BUT WITH ONLY AGE AND GENDER LISTED... YOU HAVE "ENSLAVED PEOPLE," 69,
44, 34, AND NOT A SINGLE NAME. >> Luck-Brimmer: NO NAMES. >> Stahl: THERE WAS NO WAY OF KNOWING WHETHER VIOLET AND DAVID
WERE AMONG THEM. SO, KARICE LOOKED UP DAVID AND VIOLET MILLER IN THE 1870 CENSUS, THE FIRST ONE AFTER THE
CVIL WAR, WHERE THEY FINALLY APPEARED BY NAME. IT SHOWED THEY WERE FARMHANDS, THAT THEY COULDN'T READ OR
WRITE, AND IT LISTED THEIR CHILDREN-- INCLUDING, AS KARICE SHOWED US, A VERY YOUNG SARAH MILLER.
THERE'S SARAH. SHE'S ONE YEAR OLD. >> Luck-Brimmer: ONE YEARS OLD. >> Stahl: AND THIS LOOKS LIKE
EMILY. >> Luck-Brimmer: YES. >> Stahl: SHE'S THREE. AND HERE'S SAMUEL.
>> Luck-Brimmer: YEAH. >> Stahl: HE'S FIVE. TO KARICE, THAT MEANT SAMUEL, SARAH'S OLDER BROTHER, WAS BORN
BEFORE EMANCIPATION. SO, KARICE SEARCHED FOR HIM IN ANOTHER HISTORICAL RECORD CALLED THE VIRGINIA SLAVE BIRTH INDEX,
WHERE SLAVE OWNERS HAD TO LIST BIRTHS ON THEIR PROPERTY. >> Luck-Brimmer: THIS DOCUMENT. >> Stahl: AND THERE, UNDER N.C.
MILLER'S NAME... >> Luck-Brimmer: N.C. >> Stahl: RIGHT. >> Luck-Brimmer: AND THERE'S
SAMUEL. >> Stahl: OH. WAS SAMUEL. >> Luck-Brimmer: AND, LOOK AT
THAT. >> Stahl: OH, MY WORD. >> Luck-Brimmer: IT LISTS VIOLET AS HIS MOTHER.
>> Stahl: IT WAS THE GENEALOGY EQUIVALENT OF A SMOKING GUN. SO THIS IS PROOF THAT VIOLET, SARAH'S MOTHER, WAS ENSLAVED BY
N.C. MILLER? >> Luck-Brimmer: YES, YES. >> Stahl: AND THIS IS ABSOLUTE PROOF?
>> Luck-Brimmer: THIS IS ABSOLUTE, DEFINITE PROOF. >> Stahl: AND YOU WERE ABLE TO TELL KAREN--
>> Luck-Brimmer: THAT HER ANCESTORS, DAVID AND VIOLET, WERE ENSLAVED AT SHARSWOOD. >> Karen: THAT WAS TOUGH.
>> Stahl: SO, DID YOU CALL FRED? >> Karen: I DID. I DON'T THINK HE BELIEVED ME, IN THE BEGINNING.
>> Fred: I DIDN'T BELIEVE HER. >> Stahl: SO THE CONNECTION SUDDENLY IS MADE WITH YOUR FAMILY, SLAVERY, AND THIS HOUSE.
>> Karen: AND THIS HOUSE. >> Fred: THIS HOUSE. >> Stahl: AND YOU OWN IT. >> Fred: ONCE I REALIZED THAT IT
WAS ACTUALLY MY BLOOD THAT WAS HERE, IT TOOK ON A WHOLE NEW MEANING FOR ME. IT REALLY SADDENS ME SOMETIMES
WHEN I-- YOU KNOW? AND I'M UP-- A LOT OF TIMES, I'M UP WEE HOURS OF THE NIGHT NOW, JUST THINKING ABOUT WHAT
HAPPENED HERE. >> Stahl: AS NEWS SPREAD THROUGH THE FAMILY, THERE WAS SADNESS. BUT THAT'S NOT ALL THERE WAS.
>> Tonya: I ALMOST FELT LIKE I WAS LOSING MY BREATH FOR A MOMENT. IT WAS ALMOST LIKE A FEELING OF
BEING FOUND. >> All: YES, MM-HMM. >> Tonya: THIS IS WHERE I STARTED.
AND AS BLACK PEOPLE, WE DON'T ALWAYS KNOW WHERE WE STARTED. >> Stahl: SO, HERE WE ARE, SITTING IN THIS HOUSE.
>> Marian Keyes: I CAN'T BELIEVE IT. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT. THAT I'M-- IN THE PLANTATION
HOUSE OF THE PLANTATION THAT MY FAMILY WAS ENSLAVED. >> Stahl: YOU'RE LAUGHING AS IF THIS CANNOT BE TRUE.
>> Marian Keyes: CANNOT BE, THAT'S RIGHT. BUT IT IS. >> Sonya: I FELT-- I FEEL
COMPLETE. >> Stahl: WOW. >> Sonya: I'M NOT HALF OF A HUMAN BEING ANYMORE.
THEY MAKE ME WHOLE, EVEN IF I DON'T KNOW THEM. I FELT A CONNECTION TO THEM AT SHARSWOOD.
>> Dexter: I TOUCHED THE TREE, I HUGGED THE TREE, AND I SAID, "OH, MY GOD, YOU WAS HERE WHEN MY ANCESTOR WAS HERE."
I WONDER WHICH ANCESTOR OF MINE HAS TOUCHED THE TREE. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY OR DO, I JUST HUGGED THE TREE, AND FELT
LIKE, "I'M HOME." >> Stahl: HE SHARED THE NEWS WITH BILL THOMPSON, WHO HAD HAD THAT HUNCH ALL THOSE YEARS AGO.
>> Bill Thompson: I LOOK AT IT THAT I'VE BEEN A SERVANT TO THIS FARM AND THIS HOUSE MY WHOLE LIFE.
AND, FOR THE MILLER FAMILY TO COME BACK HOME TO MY HOME-- OUR HOME-- >> Fred: OUR HOME.
ABSOLUTELY. >> Bill Thompson: IT'S GREAT. IT'S A CELEBRATION OF-- OF COMING HOME.
>> Stahl: YOU'VE NEVER HEARD ANYTHING LIKE THIS? >> Pogue: NO. >> Sanford: YEAH.
SO, A NUMBER OF PLANTATION PROPERTIES, LIKE MOUNT VERNON AND MONTICELLO, HAVE ESTABLISHED RELATIONS WITH DESCENDANTS OF
THE ENSLAVED THERE. BUT TO ACTUALLY SEE THOSE DESCENDANTS COME TO OWN THAT PLANTATION PROPERTY?
WOW. >> Debra: THIS IS GOD. >> Adam: MM-HMM. >> Debra: THIS IS-- THIS IS
WHERE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE. >> Brenda: IT'S LIKE A FULL CIRCLE, LIKE IT WAS MEANT TO HAPPEN--
>> Fred: IT'S GOD'S WORK. >> Brenda: TO ME, IT'S LIKE IT WAS MEANT TO HAPPEN. >> Stahl: THE MILLERS ALSO SEE
THE HAND OF THEIR ANCESTORS IN ALL OF THIS. >> Fred: I THINK THEY HAD TO BE, BECAUSE I DID EVERYTHING-- I DID
EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO MAKE THIS FAIL. >> Brenda: TO NOT MAKE IT HAPPEN.
YEAH. >> Fred: I TRIED TO MESS IT UP, AT EVERY ANGLE. >> Stahl: BUT THOSE ANCESTORS
HAD ONE MORE SURPRISE IN STORE. WITH ALL THE REVELATIONS, THERE WAS ONE QUESTION THAT CONTINUED TO GNAW AT DEXTER: WHERE WERE
HIS ENSLAVED ANCESTORS BURIED? SO, JUST WEEKS AGO, HE ASKED BILL. >> Dexter: I SAID, "BILL,
THERE'S ONE QUESTION THAT'S BEEN BOTHERING ME: WHERE IS THE SLAVE CEMETERY?" HE SAID, "DEXTER-- IT'S RIGHT
OVER THERE." I SAID, "RIGHT OVER WHERE?" HE SAID, "YOU SEE THOSE TREES OVER THERE?"
>> Stahl: SO, DID YOU JUST GO RIGHT UP THERE, THEN? >> Dexter: WE WENT RIGHT UP THERE.
>> Stahl: THE TREES BILL THOMPSON POINTED TO, JUST BEYOND FRED'S PROPERTY, SURE DIDN'T LOOK LIKE A CEMETERY-- THAT IS,
UNTIL YOU START TO LOOK CLOSELY. IS THAT ONE OF THEM-- >> Fred: THAT'S ONE OF THEM, RIGHT THERE.
>> Stahl: OH, MY GOSH! >> Fred: AND THAT'S-- AND THAT'S ONE. AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS THE--
INDENTION RIGHT THERE-- THE HEADSTONE THERE. MAYBE THIS IS A FOOTSTONE ON THE OTHER END.
>> Karen: YES. >> Stahl: ( GASPS ) OH, MY. >> Fred: IT ALWAYS SEEMED LIKE
TO BE-- >> Stahl: OH, YEAH-- >> Fred: THERE'S ONE, YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
>> Stahl: POKING UP THROUGH THE LEAVES ALL AROUND US WERE POINTED ROCKS-- SOME SMALL, SOME MEDIUM-SIZED.
NO NAMES, NO ENGRAVING. JUST PLAIN, ANONYMOUS MARKERS, OF MANY, MANY LIVES. WOW.
THIS IS ASTONISHING. >> Karen: IT IS. >> Stahl: IT'S KIND OF OVERWHELMING, ISN'T IT?
>> Fred: IT IS. >> Karen: IT IS. IT REALLY IS. I MEAN, WE ALL LIVE IN THE SAME
AREA, WE COME PAST THIS PLACE, AND WE WOULD NOT KNOW THAT OUR ANCESTORS WERE RIGHT THERE BESIDE US THE ENTIRE TIME.
>> Stahl: FRED, IF YOU HADN'T BOUGHT THAT HOUSE... >> Karen: RIGHT. YOU'RE RIGHT.
>> Fred: IF I HADN'T BOUGHT THAT HOUSE, WE'D NEVER KNOW. >> Stahl: IT WOULD NEVER-- >> Karen: NEVER.
>> Stahl: SO HOW HAS ALL OF THIS AFFECTED YOU? >> Fred: IT'S-- IT'S CHANGED ME. IT'S DEFINITELY CHANGED ME.
>> Stahl: YOU EVER ANGRY? >> Fred: I GET A LITTLE-- LITTLE BIT UPSET SOMETIMES, WHEN I FIND OUT THINGS THAT I SHOULD HAVE
KNOWN ALREADY. >> Stahl: ANGRY AT YOURSELF? >> Fred: AT MYSELF, AND AT THE SYSTEM, BECAUSE I THINK THAT WE
SHOULD HAVE KNOWN MORE. >> Stahl: WHAT ABOUT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM? >> Fred: SHOULD HAVE KNOWN MORE.
>> Stahl: FAMILY? >> Fred: SHOULD HAVE KNOWN MORE, ABSOLUTELY. >> Stahl: YOU WANT THE STORY OF
SLAVERY TOLD. >> Fred: I WANT THE STORY OF SLAVERY TOLD. IT'S IMPORTANT.
SO, THIS WAS CONVERTED FROM A DOOR TO A WINDOW? >> Pogue: YEAH, YEAH. >> Stahl: FRED WANTS TO DO
WHATEVER'S NECESSARY TO PRESERVE THE SLAVE HOUSE. >> Pogue: YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN EXPOSED FOR, YOU KNOW, 200
YEARS. >> Fred: YEAH, RIGHT. >> Stahl: HE'S IN THE PROCESS OF SETTING UP A NON-PROFIT TO MAKE
THAT POSSIBLE. >> Fred: THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME TOO, BECAUSE I KNOW A WHOLE LOT OF EMPHASIS IS ON-- ON THAT BIG,
WHITE HOUSE THERE. >> Sanford: WELL, EXACTLY. >> Fred: BUT THIS RIGHT HERE IS REALLY NEAR AND DEAR--
>> Sanford: WELL, THIS IS THE STORY-- >> Fred: --TO ME, RIGHT. YEAH, THIS IS THE STORY, RIGHT
HERE. >> Sanford: THIS IS-- THIS IS YOUR FAMILY'S STORY-- >> Fred: YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT. THERE'S EIGHT RIGHT HERE. >> Stahl: AND HE'S BEEN THINKING
ABOUT THE CEMETERY, TOO. >> Fred: I CAN IMAGINE THIS BEING SOMEONE YOUNG. >> Karen: WE HAVE TO DO
SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. >> Fred: YEAH, HAVE TO. AND I WILL. I'M GOING TO FIX IT.
>> Stahl: DO YOU THINK YOU MIGHT ALLOW HISTORIANS TO COME AND-- >> Fred: ABSOLUTELY. ABSOL-- THIS PLACE WILL BE OPEN
TO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO LEARN. >> Stahl: ANYONE? >> Fred: ANYONE CAN COME HERE. >> Stahl: BUT FOR NOW, SHARSWOOD
IS SERVING THE PURPOSE FRED BOUGHT IT FOR IN THE FIRST PLACE-- GATHERING THE MILLER FAMILY TOGETHER IN CELEBRATION.
♪ HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU ♪ ♪ HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU ♪
>> Stahl: WHAT DO YOU THINK VIOLET AND DAVID WOULD THINK IF THEY COULD SEE THAT YOU OWN THIS PLACE?
>> Fred: YEAH, I'M HOPING-- I'M HOPING THEY WOULD BE PROUD OF US. AND I THINK THEY WOULD BE.
THEY ENDURED A LOT. I MEAN, I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH. LOOKING DOWN ON US NOW, THEY
MUST BE SMILING AT US. ♪ HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU ♪ ( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) ( TICKING )
>> Stahl: IN THE MAIL THIS WEEK: VIEWERS COMMENTED ON LAST SUNDAY'S STORY ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC ON THE MENTAL
HEALTH OF YOUNG PEOPLE. SHARYN ALFONSI'S INTERVIEW WITH 11-YEAR-OLD AUSTIN BRUENGER DREW PARTICULAR ATTENTION.
"I WAS SO MOVED BY THE YOUNG MAN'S INSIGHT, VULNERABILITY, AND BRAVERY THIS EVENING. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL BOY."
"DESPITE HIS DEPRESSION, AUSTIN IS AN ASTUTE AND MATURE BOY WHO, THROUGH HIS COURAGEOUS COMING FORWARD, WILL INSTILL THE
RESOLVE FOR OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE TO SEEK HELP." AND, THERE WAS THIS FROM A NEW JERSEY VIEWER: "I SIMPLY WANT TO
SAY THANK YOU TO AUSTIN AND ALL OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN YOUR STORY. THEY ARE SAVING LIVES BY TALKING
ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES." I'M LESLEY STAHL. WE'LL BE BACK NEXT WEEK WITH
Captioning funded by CBS and FORD. We go further, so you can. Captioned by
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