Research At The National Archives And Beyond!

Listeners will be able to learn the beliefs and ideals from Dr. Joy G. Kinard a historian who has worked in African American History and Historic Preservation for over 20 years and whose family has been involved for over 70 years. This show will share with listeners a different perspective on preserving African American History in their neighborhoods with municipal development on the rise all over the nation, African American historic sites are left vulnerable and are being demolished that need to be saved. Kinard will discuss examples of wins and losses in this battle using community activism, advocacy, and new trends with the impacts of COVID-19.

As a Family Historian and DNA Data Manager, Jerome has had the opportunity to use his family’s oral history, coupled with an extensive collection of  DNA results, a well-maintained family tree and modern research resources/tools to  bridge the gap between African-American persons on this side of the Atlantic Ocean with their distant cousins (in Africa). All available resources have to be brought to bear (including using: Sibling Summation techniques, various DNA testing company’s data holdings, GEDmatch and DNA Painter to successfully find distant DNA matches in Nigeria and Senegal using these methods.  Finding your family’s Kunta Kinte is rewarding and will provide a source of interest and pride for your family. The use of small (single digit) centimorgan (cM) values/results will certainly play a critical part in the successful analysis directly because of the distance you must travel back in time  to make the necessary connections to the most recent common ancestors (MRCA)s – to validate [ if consolidated w

In most homes, women gather at the kitchen to celebrate and comfort each other, discuss important topics, make life-changing decisions, and address the challenges of life.  The My Sister's Keeper Kitchen Table Talks are a culturally relevant and historic community-defined practice of creating safe spaces for the exploration of significant issues impacting the health of black women.  Katrina Kimble is the Project Coordinator for the Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare's - My Sister's Keeper Project.  She has worked in population health and community engagement for over 15 years.  She has a Bachelor's in Human Resource Management from The University of Memphis, a Wellness Advocate Certificate from Living Compass Health Ministry, and a Health Minister Certificate from Wesley Theological Seminary.  Katrina's mission in life is to help individuals discover their journey to wholistic wellness.  She believes that we should strive to be well not perfect...  

Learn about the Center for Healing Racial Trauma with  Dr. Candice Nicole Hargons. Intervention: The Center for Healing Racial Trauma is dedicated to using love, liberation, equity, and creativity informed therapeutic interventions to help racially/ethnically marginalized people heal from racism. Prevention: The Center for Healing Racial Trauma additionally provides continuing education and training for mental health, education, business, religious, and medical professionals, and we engage in and support activist work, to create an anti-racist world.   Dr. Candice Nicole Hargons is an award-winning assistant professor of counseling psychology at the University of Kentucky, where she studies sex, social justice, and leadership – all with a love ethic. She is also the founding director of the Center for Healing Racial Trauma. Dr. Hargons is the creator of the Ally + Accomplice Meditation for Cultivating an Anti-Racist Mindset and the Black Lives Matter Meditation for Healing Racial Trauma, which has been feat

Angela Walton-Raji is known nationally for her research and work on Oklahoma Native American records.  Her book Black Indian Genealogy Research, African Ancestors Among the Five Civilized Tribes, is the only book of its kind focusing on the unique record sets pertaining to the Oklahoma Freedmen.  Angela has published two volumes called Freedmen of the Frontier from a blogging project that unfolded in 2017. The goal was to document 52 families from Indian Territory in 52 weeks.By the end of that year, 52 family histories had been placed on the African-Native American Genealogy blog. The families covered in the books are Indian tribal Freedmen---people who were once enslaved by Cherokees, Choctaws, Chickasaw, Creek and Seminole Indians. Many of the elders in some of the families highlighted, were people who were brought to Indian Territory on the Trail of Tears. The Trail of Tears is the same journey that forced those tribes from their homes in the southeast to the west. The lesser known story is that those

A Denver, Colorado native, Mr. Stephen Hammond is a retired federal employee having spent his entire 40-year career as an earth scientist with the United States Geological Survey. He is now a Scientist Emeritus with the agency. Steve has now swapped his full-time geology work for genealogy and family history research. It is a hobby he’s had since he was in grade school. His goals are to educate and inspire others to document their own family history. He is a 7th generation member of the Syphax family of Washington, DC; a line that moved by force to New Orleans and then by choice to Denver. He has participated in a variety of National Park Service programs at the Arlington House – the Robert E. Lee Memorial to highlight the lives of his Syphax ancestors and other enslaved Americans on the estate. He has spoken at the African American Civil War Museum and the historic Decatur House on Lafayette Square both in Washington, DC and has contributed to exhibits at George Washington’s Mount Vernon and the Smiths

 Telling Her Story: Finding Female Ancestors When Few Clues Exist” Viola Osborne Baskerville is a Richmond native who has been tracing several lines of her own family history for over thirty years.  Brief sketches  about three family matriarchs led her on a hunt to find out more about  them. Ms. Baskerville is a member of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society (AAHGS), Greater Richmond VA Chapter as well as a member of ASALH, Richmond Chapter.  She received her B.A. from the College of William and Mary and her Juris Doctorate from the University of Iowa, College of Law.  As a public servant, she advocated for the preservation of Virginia’s African American history through placing statues and historical markers, most notably a monument to Arthur Ashe in Richmond and a plaque naming and honoring Virginia’s Black Reconstruction Era state lawmakers at the Capitol.  In addition, Ms. Baskerville secured state funded scholarships for former students locked out of Virginia’s schools when the state clo

How an 1829 Slave Bill of Sale & A Question Connects Janice Cross-Gilyard to her 5th Great-Grandmother, Willoughby McWhite. Janice Cross-Gilyard will share how a segment from the PBS Show – The History Detectives has impacted her genealogy research. Jeanie Hans (From Wichita, Kansas) found a box of her grandfather’s possessions. Among some books and old gun manuals, she found a disturbing document: an 1829 ‘Bill of Sale’ for the purchase of a 17-year old “negro girl” named Willoby. Jeanie wants to know more about this young girl. Jeanie asks host Eduardo Pagan to find out what happened to Willoby. (Source:  PBS Program – The History Detectives)  https://www.pbs.org/video/history-detectives-bill-sale/ Janice Cross-Gilyard is a Charter Member of The Harriet Tubman Chapter of Sons & Daughters of the United States Middle Passage.  She also joined the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society – New Jersey Chapter in March of 2016 and currently serves as President, Editor of the Family Times News

 Renate began seriously researching her paternal Yarborough line in 1997, after the death of her father. She learned that the progenitor of this line,her great-grandfather, Calvin, had been enslaved in North Carolina for the first 25 years of his life, and that during that time, he had multiple owners. Renate shares Calvin's slavery story on numerous platforms - at workshops and conferences, on webinars, and through her blog, "Into the LIGHT;" and is still working continuously to uncover more details of his life, both before and after emancipation. Renate Yarborough Sanders has been formally engaged in genealogy research for 23 years.  She is the descendant of enslaved ancestors, as well as enslavers and free people of color. Renate authors two blogs: “Into the LIGHT”, focused on her own family history; and, “Genea-Related”, a platform for presenting a variety of information of genealogical interest.  Renate also produces a “(Mostly) African-American Funeral Programs” online database, in which she publishes

  Adrienne Abiodun is a professional genealogist located outside of Tampa, Florida. Combined, her personal and professional genealogical pursuits span nearly two decades, fourteen years of which have been in the exploration of genetic genealogy. She is a member of the Florida Genealogical Society, and a handful of lineage societies which include: Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War (DUVCW), Sons and Daughters of the United States Middle Passage (SDUSMP) which she serves on the board for and Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) where she is presently the National Vice Chair for the NSDAR DNA Network Committee and State Chairman for the Florida Society Children of the American Revolution. Her niche areas include African American genealogy, Deep South U.S., lineage societies and genetic genealogy.  Adrienne strives to make genealogy down-to-earth, fun and attainable by anyone interested in their family history. By mixing past professional experience in experiential marketing with genealogy, Adri

This is a collection of runaway slave ads from Edgefield county, South Carolina. Edgefield split into multiple counties, Aiken county being one. The ads cover the 1830s-1860s. Get a different side of slavery, the side we’re not really taught about. About those who weren’t gonna stay in bondage and got away. Jerome A. Gaines, born and raised in Aiken county, South Carolina. At a young age, his Sweet grandmother would tell him little bits and pieces about their family. About 7 years ago he had the urge to conduct research and was able to get back pretty far in his family history. After assisting others with their research, he realized that  he had a special talent. He loves family history and genealogy and it’s important that we know who and where we come from. Therefore, Jerome has  turned his love into a business and is currently working with clients.   Music: Sweet Mello Spice with AK Alexander Productions            

Are you worried that you’ve been collecting ancestral information for years but haven’t done anything with it?   In 2016, Kathy Lynne Marshall, 60, felt the mandate from her ancestors to write their stories NOW. She finally figured out a quick-start method for taking the hints and tips from African American genealogists, family lore, and DNA results to write three books in three years, winning three book awards in the process. She will share her method for determining which book to write, how to get started, and how to finish strong, to leave a written legacy for your family. Encouraging others bring their family stories into the American historical record has become her passion. Each chapter in Marshall’s first book, The Ancestors are Smiling!, was written from the point of view of different descendants of her great-great-grandfather, Otho Williams. Her second book, Finding Otho: The Search for Our Enslaved Williams Ancestors, described her research process and included an  interesting interplay wit

  Join Brian Sheffey for a discussion of the research behind the Moses Williams Project where he will discuss the numerous repositories and databases  accessed in the course of researching his life to-date. Brian Sheffey has expertise in Genetic Genealogy, mid-Atlantic & Southern genealogical research, with an emphasis on the intersection of white, black, and Native American genealogy. He has used his research knowledge to solve cases of unknown parentage from Colonial America to the present day utilizing DNA and paper trail evidence. He has deep ancestral roots in colonial Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina,  as well as the early Kentucky and Tennessee territories. He combine years of experience in marketing research and academia with a passion for genealogical research - and a unique ability to solve seemingly impossible cases. His primary research interests include cases of unknown parentage, such as identifying the white progenitors of his numerous mulatto family lines; and triangulating answ

North Carolina’s Free People of Color, 1715–1885   Warren Eugene Milteer Jr. examines the lives of free persons categorized by their communities as negroes, mulattoes, mustees, Indians,mixed-bloods, or simply free people of color. From the colonial period through Reconstruction, lawmakers passed legislation that curbed the rights and privileges of these non-enslaved residents, from prohibiting their testimony against whites to barring them from the ballot box. While such laws suggest that most white North Carolinians desired to limit the freedoms and civil liberties enjoyed by free people of color, Milteer reveals that the two groups often interacted—praying together, working the same land, and occasionally sharing households and starting families. Some free people of color also rose to prominence in their communities, becoming successful businesspeople and winning the respect of their white neighbors. Warren Eugene Milteer Jr. is assistant professor of history at the University of North Carolina at Greens

  Learn how art celebrates American history, culture and lifestyle. Ted Ellis graduated over twenty years ago  from Dillard University with a B.S. in Chemistry degree and worked as an Environmental chemist for eight years. He then began his professional career as a full-time artist, receiving national recognition and acclaim with his narrative paintings about African American history, culture, and lifestyle. His desire and interest to further impact the world of art lead him to obtain his  M.A. in Museum Studies at Southern University New Orleans. That learning experience was priceless. His master thesis project, "400 Years African Commemorative Art Exhibition: Chronicling the African American Struggle, Resiliency, Perseverance and Triumph from 1619 to 2019” debuted in Washington, D.C. and is now at Old Dominion University. Currently, he is the Vice-Chair for the 400 Years of African American History Commission and Committee Chair for Preservation of African American History: Entertainment, Sports and Cultu

Hidden in Plain Site: Researching for the Descendants of the Enslaved Laborers who built UVA Dr. Shelley Murphy was hired to conduct genealogical research for descendants of the enslaved laborers who helped to build the University of Virginia. This six month position presented challenges in conducting slave era research. She expected brick walls and set goals that would be consistent with her limited research time. Being familiar with the laws, she knew that she had to stay local for the best resources and  follow the money, land, water, community and  the faith of the people.  Over 10 years ago, a group of UVA students proposed creating a memorial to acknowledge and honor African Americans' contributions to the university. This  project responded to a deep need to address an untold and uncomfortable history while building community. Join Terri Allard for a conversation with Dr. Shelley Murphy about the UVA Descendant Outreach Program and Memorial to Enslaved Laborers. https://www.pbs.org/video/memorial-en

Have you considered the role DNA might play in corroborating the oral history of your family? LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson, JD, LLM, CG®, CGL(SM), is a trustee and President of the Board for Certification of Genealogists. She earned a BA from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York, and both a Law degree and a Master of Laws degree from the New York University School of Law. After working as a corporate tax attorney for thirty-five years, she retired from a partner-level position at Ernst & Young in 2013 and turned her attention to her longtime avocation of Genealogy. She is now a full-time genealogist focused on writing and teaching, and currently serves as the Registrar General of the Sons and Daughters of the United States Middle Passage, a national lineage society that honors ancestors who were enslaved in the United States before 1870.  LaBrenda published A Guide to Researching African American Ancestors in Laurens County, South Carolina and Selected Finding Aids(2016), an awar

Learn about the digital humanities project dedicated to the writings and study of Bishop Henry Mcneal Turner. Andre E. Johnson is an Associate Professor of Rhetoric and Media Studies in the Department of Communication & Film at the University of Memphis. He teaches classes in African American Public Address, Rhetoric, Race, Religion, and Interracial Communication. Dr. Johnson is the founding director of the Henry McNeal Turner Project—a digital humanities project dedicated to the writings and study of Bishop Turner. In addition, he has published two monographs on the life and legacy of Bishop Turner. The first one “The Forgotten Prophet: Bishop Henry McNeal Turner and the African American Prophetic Tradition (Lexington Books, 2012) won Outstanding Book Award for the African American Communication and Culture Division of the National Communication Association. The second one, “No Future in this Country: The Prophetic Pessimism of Bishop Henry McNeal Turner (University Press of Mississippi, 2020) is schedu

Dr Larry’s Mother was his first coach providing him with the tools to guide himself through Wesleyan University and Johns Hopkins Medical School, without understanding his own unique learning style. He just worked hard and adapted. This prepared him to become a hospital administrator immediately after completing his fellowship in medical genetics. While director of pediatrics at a community hospital for 17 years and maintaining two private offices he taught in a Family Practice Residency Program. In his practice he managed ADHD children and families with a combination of coaching and medication. He brought awareness about ADHD to the public as the chief administrator for childhood lead poisoning and all other child and maternal health activities for the city of St. Louis. Most notably, he coordinated all of the municipal strategies and interventions for the treatment of children with lead poisoning, a known cause of childhood ADHD. In addition, he collaborated with government, insurance companies, and hospita

John F. Baker Jr. is the author of The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation: Stories of My Family’s Journey to Freedom published by Simon & Schuster(2010).  Baker tells the story of his ancestors, who were enslaved on Wessyngton Plantation owned by the Washington family as well as the story of the hundreds of other African Americans connected with the plantation for more than two centuries.  It is a story of family, faith, and community. Baker has managed to create groundbreaking research in African American history and American history.  He uses historical records to trace genealogy such as Slave bills of sale, Freedmen’s Bureau records, church records, death records, birth records, marriage records, U. S. Census records, Military records, Pension records, Civil War records, Wills, Deeds, Estate records, Plantation records and many others. In addition, he  interviewed dozens of individuals ranging in age from 80 to 107 years old to collect their oral histories.  He used more than 11,000 documents to tr