I discovered that while studying birds to create his well-known works of art, he often killed the very bird that he was painting. Without access to color photography, this was a common way for naturalists to study animals. What was more troubling was learning that, like so many of his time, his treatment of his fellow human beings was no less life-threatening than his treatment of the birds he studied.

In one of Audubon’s written accounts of a birding expedition, he described coming across a family who had recently escaped from slavery. His account describes the family as being gathered around a fire, seeking warmth and nourishment. When Audubon approached, they welcomed him into their circle. In response, Audubon took the family back to the man who claimed to own them. Unlike the birds at bird banding, which we released after their short captivity, this family was forced back into society’s system of oppression.