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In the Shadow of Infamy

The children of controversial public figures must face their parents' reputations. Here is how some are dealing with the complicated inheritance.
created by Kathryn Ostrofsky on March 28, 2024
Robert S. McNamara at a news conference in April 1966

Robert McNamara’s Son Reckons With a Legacy of Destruction

Craig McNamara’s family did not talk about the Vietnam War. He spent his life asking questions about it.
by Noah Kulwin via The New Republic on July 6, 2022
 
When a son knows at a young age that something is wrong with his father's behavior.

The Broken Road of Peggy Wallace Kennedy

All white Southerners live with the sins of their fathers. But what if your dad was one of the most famous segregationists in history?
by Frye Gaillard via The Bitter Southerner on January 6, 2020
 
When a parent has become the symbol of past malevolence.
Patti Davis sits for a portrait with her pug, Lily, at her home.

For Years, the Reagans' Daughter Regretted Some Things She Wrote. Now She's at Peace.

Patti Davis has spent a lifetime chronicling her life with parents Ronald and Nancy Reagan. In a new book, 'Dear Mom and Dad,' she reckons with them as people.
by Mary McNamara via Los Angeles Times on February 6, 2024
 
When a daughter knows the gulf between he father's public actions and private beliefs.
A black and white photograph of a person playing the guitar.

My Father, Cultural Appropriator

The daughter of Buddy Holly's bandmate reflects on the defensiveness some white people have about the roots of rock 'n' roll.
by Sarah Curtis via Los Angeles Review of Books on June 5, 2021
 
When studying a parent's legacy requires confronting difficult issues.
Ethel and Julius Rosenberg after their arrest in New York for espionage in 1950.

The Rosenbergs Were Executed For Spying in 1953. Can Their Sons Reveal The Truth?

The Rosenbergs were executed for being Soviet spies, but their sons have spent decades trying to clear their mother’s name. Are they close to a breakthrough?
by Hadley Freeman via The Guardian on June 19, 2021
 
When mystery still surrounds a parent's actions and reputation.
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