Family Name Study Guide
Family Name, the documentary, traces the efforts of filmmaker Macky Alston to uncover the history that unites three present-day families that share his last name-two are black and one is white.
In the film, Alston shares the journey he took to learn more about his name, his family history, and ultimately, himself. It is a journey that helped him discover how he and his family relate to the outside world.
The accompanying study guide encourages students to think about the following questions:
- What is the relationship between our name and our identity?
- What have you learned about the intricate relationships between a person's family and his or her identity?
- If you decided to explore your family and its history, what places
would you visit? - What prompts people to change their thinking about "race"?
