Over 100 congressmen and at least two members of the Supreme Court have slave ancestors. One of them is Julia Brownley, California Democratic Congressman. He points out that knowledge of the family's slave past has deeply affected him, but that it is essential to recognize that past.

The experts who participated in the study do not intend to personally signal anyone, but have highlighted the influence of slavery on current politics: In the U.S. Congress, there are also few heirs of slaves, but they're much less than the heirs of landowners.