Angelica Ramos
Contributing Writer
MONTGOMERY COUNTY – Dr. Kerri Moseley-Hobbs is not only the Founder and Executive Director of the More than a Fraction Foundation, but is also a direct descendant of John Fraction, an enslaved person at Historic Smithfield in Montgomery County. Because of her lineage, Moseley-Hobbs also serves as Vice Chair on the Board of Directors for Historic Smithfield, representing the voices of the descendants of Smithfield’s enslaved people. Moseley-Hobbs is passionate about and stands as a pillar for chronicling the history of underrepresented groups throughout the nation, as well as how to discuss and come to terms with the difficult truths held in that history.
The More Than a Fraction Foundation was founded with the intent to go beyond just educating and enlightening the descendants of the Fraction family, with the family foundation adopting the name Fraction to symbolize that they were once considered three-fifths of a person. When discussing and helping others come to terms with their family histories, Moseley-Hobbs said the Fraction Family members are blessed to know as much about their ancestors stories as they do, because many other families do not have that same access to stories, records and other historical documentation that they do.
“A lot of them won’t be able to know,” Moseley-Hobbs said, “the detail of their histories the way we do. Knowing the details of the histories changed us.”
She explains the experience of knowing changed their mindset and forced them to get to know their ancestors past their enslaved status. It took them from thinking of that person only as a slave and helped deepen the knowledge of what other titles they held in life: parent, child, caregiver, etc. Moseley-Hobbs said that to see their ancestors only as enslaved actually limits the experience of slavery, because it reduces them as people who experienced the trauma of going through slavery to one singular title. She explains that acknowledging that complexity and intersectionality helps those discovering their histories see where family traditions, family traits, habits, personalities and so much more originated.
The More Than a Fraction Foundation was founded on the responsibility of researching, educating and potentially reconciling “the unfinished business of slavery.” With the foundation working with other organizations, universities, like Virginia Tech’s Center for Peace Studies, and museums, their events and educational offerings tend to be more organic as they are serving in order to empower those people to continue to carry on the work themselves. They also work with mental health and psychology professionals, as the work MTAFF does can not only be triggering for their audience, but also for themselves.
“We recognize the profound depth of experiences,” the MTAFF vision statement reads, “among Africans in America, African Americans, and Indigenous peoples, acknowledging the intricate layers yet to be explored. Our commitment is steadfast in contributing significantly to the expansion of knowledge, fostering positive progress, and addressing historical issues ingrained in the African American experience during the 18th and 19th centuries.”
In the upcoming year, Moseley-Hobbs and the MTAFF would like to continue the work they do as well as would like to have more funding that can be used to support descendants so that they may grow and build upon their legacies. Moseley-Hobbs explains that this means more than just scholarships, but also helping descendants jump start their careers, small businesses and other opportunities for success. They’d [MTAFF] like to have more funding to help descendants be able to participate more in the events, presentations, reunions, therapy and talks that the MTAFF participate in, especially with transportation as many of the descendants currently are spread out all around the United States. The MTAFF would want to, as they continue to grow, continue to support other descendant groups and provide more resources for others.
“Success comes with joy,” Moseley-Hobbs said, “instead of being limited by money. If people can be guided to the place where their strength is, that joy is infectious.”
