SLAVERY AND THE MAKING OF AMERICA

If you have never seen this documentary, I invite you to do so. It is a very powerful narrative about the origins and centuries long practice of slavery in the Americas. It explores the reasons people were kidnapped and enslaved and how the institution evolved and continued for generations.

8TH ANNUAL AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILY HISTORY SEMINAR

Mark your Calendars! The 8th Annual African American Family History Seminar on March 9, 2013. We will have a variety of classes with more than 20 Genealogists speaking including myself, plus a Keynote Speaker and Meghan Mullins of 23andMe, the organization that conducts DNA testing on hand.

 

This years' theme is "Celebrating 150 years of Emancipation" in honor of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation by Abraham Lincoln.

 

Be sure to stay posted for additional information and a scheduled of classes which will be coming soon.

 

 

 

THE 2012 DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION - A HISTORIC EVENT

As a genealogist, I usually teach people how to trace their family history but last September 2012, I made a little history of my own. I was a Delegate at the Democratic National Convention for California's 6th Congressional District.

As a Delegate, I attended caucuses and briefings in order to learn what we needed to do to get President Barack Obama re-elected. Needless to say, it went very well and our President is once again in office leading our country to economic recovery.

I was very happy and proud to be a part of this historic occasion especially since there was irony in me doing so. A little over 150 years ago, the slave owner, Henry Marshall who owned some of my ancestors was a Delegate from Louisiana to the Confederate Provisional Congress from 1861-62.  His driving force in doing so was to preserve "states rights" and protect the institution of slavery.

 I am sure that Marshall's conviction to his cause was just was strong as mine was when I attended the Democratic National Convention. However, the outcome was thankfully quite different. The Confederates lost the war, my ancestors were freed and 150 years later, their great-great-great grand-daughter became a Delegate to re-elect the nation's first African American President! God is good.

Now, I have a bit of genealogy to pass down to my descendants.