2016 Black History Month Genealogy Conference

“Hallowed Grounds:

Sites of African American Memory” Hosted by

AFRO-AMERICAN HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY, INC., STATE OF MARYLAND & WASHINGTON, DC CHAPTERS

CENTRAL MARYLAND PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MARYLAND

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MARYLAND JAMES DENT WALKER - DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

AND

AFRICAN AMERICAN SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP WASHINGTON DC FAMILY HISTORY CENTER

THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS FAMILY HISTORY DEPARTMENT

Saturday, February 20, 2016

7200 CONTEE ROAD LAUREL, MD 20707 8:30AM – 5:00PM

Registration begins January 15, 2016 - http://www.wdcfhc.org/AAHGS-Conf/ No charge to attend; bring your own lunch; no caffeine allowed on premises; pre-print workshop handouts

Snow date Saturday, 2/27/16

2016 Black History Month Genealogy Conference

Saturday, February 20th “Hallowed Grounds: Sites of African American Memory”

8:30AM – 9:00AM Conference Registration 9:00AM – 10:00AM Welcome/Opening Remarks – Alice Freeman Harris

Keynote Address - Angela Walton-Raji

Workshop 10:10AM - 12:30PM Chiquita Sorrels Genealogy for Beginners - (Beginner)  

Session 10:10AM - 11:30AM - Sanctuary Shannon Christmas Using DNA Testing for Genealogical Research

(Intermediate/Advanced)

Session 11:40AM - 1:00PM - Sanctuary Aaron Dorsey Slave Genealogy Research - Conducting Slave Era Research

(Intermediate/Advanced)

LUNCH 1:00PM - 1:45PM

Workshops 1:50PM - 3:05PM - (Concurrent sessions) Shelley Murphy The “So What” Concept – Analyzing a Record

(Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced) Robyn Smith Invisible Brick Walls (Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced)

Workshops 3:15PM - 4:30PM - (Concurrent sessions) Alice Harris Linking DNA and Traditional Genealogy (Intermediate) Francis David Jenkins and Jacqueline Tillman-Lewis

Telling Your Story  (Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced)

Exhibition Tables - Lunchroom Library of Congress African American Veterans History Project Carol Kostakos Petranek Freedman’s Bureau Indexing Project Virginia Mercer Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, Inc. (AAHGS)

4:45PM - 5:00PM Closing Remarks - Alice Freeman Harris

KEYNOTE ADDRESS by ANGELA WALTON-RAJI

Angela Walton-Raji

A founding member of AfriGeneas.com, Angela is also a genealogist specializing in information for beginners, via daily and weekly online genealogy chats on AfriGeneas. As host of a weekly genealogy podcast, a number of instructional videos and as an expert consultant on video documentaries, Angela combines her skills as a genealogist with a warm on camera personality that brings comfort to her viewers through her instructional videos on YouTube, while providing them with useful information. She is a published author, host of 3 blogs, in addition to a 10-year ongoing message board, 3 websites, and The African Roots Podcast (africanrootspodcast.com). A researcher with national reputation, Angela’s talents have been recognized by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC, for over a decade.

“Hallowed Grounds: Sites of African American Memory” Retain and refresh the memories of our forbears’ struggles for freedom and justice, and their belief in

God’s grace and mercy.*

Chiquita Sorrels

Since she was a teenager, Chiquita has been interested in her family history. She is originally from West Chester, PA and both her maternal and paternal families have resided in Chester County, PA for over 150 years. Chiquita has a Master’s Degree in Library Science from Drexel University, a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Maryland and is an adjunct professor at Montgomery College. She is currently the President of the Montgomery County Maryland Chapter of AAHGS.

Genealogy for Beginners

10:10AM - 12:30PM

In this session, learn how to get started with your family research, where to access free research tools and how to organize your research findings. (Beginner)

Shannon Christmas

Shannon is an experienced genealogist specializing in genetic, colonial American, and African-American genealogy in Virginia and the Carolinas. Shannon serves as a 23andMe Ancestry Ambassador, administrator of The Captain Thomas Graves of Jamestown Autosomal DNA Project, co-administrator of The Heming’s-Jefferson-Wayles-Eppes Autosomal DNA Project, and blogger of Through The Trees, “a didactic guide to new tools and technologies for genealogy” (http://throughthetreesblog.tumblr.com/). Shannon has a special interest in harnessing the power of autosomal DNA to verify and extend pedigrees, assess the veracity of oral history, and reconstruct ancestral genomes.

Using DNA Testing for Genealogical Research

10:10AM - 11:30AM

In this session, Shannon will demonstrate how to use DNA analysis in concert with traditional genealogical research methods to demolish brick walls. It is strongly recommended that attendees have already completed a DNA test. (Intermediate/Advanced)

Aaron Dorsey

A native of Oakland, California, Aaron has been doing genealogical research for over ten years. He has a Bachelor’s degree in U.S. History and Master’s degree in Education Policy, both from Stanford University. He began researching his family history during college after reading the book Jubilee, which focuses on the life of the mixed-race slave who was the grandmother of the author Margaret Walker-Alexander. Aaron has documented the history of his family in Alabama, California, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. However, his research has been centered in Texas, where he has traced his ancestors back to 1839.

Slave Genealogy Research

11:40AM - 1:00PM

Brick walls in tracing enslaved ancestors may be the result of improper research habits as well as the lack of records. This session is focused on helping researchers understand basic genealogical strategies for finding enslaved ancestors. Learning to research effectively can help researchers avoid brick walls in their research. (Intermediate/Advanced)

 

 

Shelley Murphy

A native of Michigan who currently resides in Virginia, Shelley is commonly known as the “familytreegirl”. She is a founding member and the current President of the Central Virginia Chapter of AAHGS and the Vice President of the Central Virginia Genealogical Association. Shelley is also a member of the National Genealogical Society, Association of Professional Genealogists, and Central Virginia History Researchers. She a Coordinator for the Midwestern African American Genealogy Institute (MAAGI) which is held annually. In addition to presenting Genealogy 101 workshops at the local community college, Shelley does presentations at state and national genealogy conferences. She has a Doctorate of Management in Organizational Leadership and works as an adjunct professor for Averett University. Shelley's tagline is "Know your roots, they are long and strong."

The “So What” Concept Analyzing a Record

1:50PM - 3:05PM

Have you searched for records and finally found that special person you have been looking for? So what? What does the record tell you? Is this all that you need? “So What" is a concept used to help analyze genealogical records and resources. The goal is for researchers to learn to question the value of the evidence and plan the path to new leads and discoveries. (Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced)

 

Robyn Smith

Author and Genealogist Robyn Smith has been researching her family and others for 18 years. An engineer by day, Robyn makes good use of those research and problem-solving skills in the field of genealogy. She specializes in Maryland research, African-American and Slave-era research and Court Records research. Robyn has a strong interest in promoting the documentation of families and communities, and emphasizing the use of proper genealogical standards in our research. Robyn teaches an Advanced African-American Genealogy class part-time at Howard Community College in Columbia, MD, lectures locally and has published several genealogy articles in local journals. She is also the author of a new book The Best of Reclaiming Kin and the genealogy blog "Reclaiming Kin" which can be viewed at http://msualumni.wordpress.com.

Invisible Brick Walls

1:50PM - 3:05PM

Do You Have An Artificial Brick Wall? Robyn Smith will discuss the many ways that researchers often call genealogical problems "brick walls" when they really are not. (Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced)

 

   

Alice Freeman Harris

Alice has over thirty five years’ leadership experience in government and private industry, and was owner of a small business. She has been researching her family history since retirement. She is a graduate of the National Institute on Genealogical Research at NARA, the Institute of Genealogical and Historical Research at Samford University, and the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburg, and is a member of several national genealogical societies. In January 2010, Alice re-activated the Central Maryland Chapter of AAHGS and has served as Chapter President since then. In 2011, Alice was presented the AAHGS President’s Award and in 2014, Central Maryland Chapter won the AAHGS Chapter of the Year Award. Alice is passionate about genealogy. She has taught African-American genealogy at Howard Community College, at local and national conferences, and at other venues. At present, Alice devotes most of her time to mentoring and inspiring others, particularly young people, to learn more about their heritage.

Linking DNA and Traditional Genealogy

3:15PM - 4:30PM

There is no doubt that African American genealogy can be a challenge, particularly if your ancestors were enslaved. Using a case study from her own family research, Alice will demonstrate how she linked her autosomal DNA test results with traditional genealogy techniques to break through a brick wall in her research. The presentation will include a few basic tips and tools for analyzing autosomal DNA test results. Of course autosomal DNA test results alone will not magically find your ancestors. Techniques will be included for combining results from research of key slave-era genealogical records and DNA test results to help increase your chances of success with African American genealogy. (Intermediate)

Francis (Frank) was born in Paterson, NJ. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering and did post-graduate work in Systems Management. Frank retired from the Federal Government in 2008. He has been doing genealogy for over 35 years with a concentration in South Carolina and New Jersey research. Frank is an active member of AAHGS, the Washington DC Family History Center (WDCFHC) African American Special Interest Group, and several national and local genealogical societies and organizations.

Francis David Jenkins

& Jacqueline Tillman-Lewis

Jacqueline (Jackie) is a native of New York City, NY and has been doing family research for over 16 years. Jackie has a Bachelor’s degree in Management/Communications and a Master’s degree in Organization Development. She was employed for over 35 years with AT&T and Verizon. Jackie joined AAHGS at the national level in 2012 and is currently a member of the James Dent Walker Washington DC Chapter of AAHGS. She serves on the chapter Social Media and Educational and Community Outreach Committees. She is also an active member of the WDCFHC African American Special Interest Group and a participant in the annual Black History Month Program for the past four years. She continues to discover and document the history of her family from MD, VA, WV, NC, PA, NY, and DC. Jackie believes that discovering ones’ history is a ticket to the future.

Telling Your Story This interactive session will encourage participants to develop a narrative to

3:15PM - 4:30PM own and share the story of their family (Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced)

AFRO-AMERICAN HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY, INC., STATE OF MARYLAND & WASHINGTON, DC CHAPTERS

Agnes Kane Callum - Baltimore, Maryland - http://baahgs.org  Central Maryland – http://cmgen.wordpress.com

Prince George's County, Maryland - http://pgcm.aahgs.org Montgomery County, Maryland - http://moctymd.aahgs.org

James Dent Walker - District of Columbia – http://aahgsdc.com

AAHGS

Stop by and see what AAHGS has to offer in the Washington, DC Metropolitan area. Members of AAHGS are a diverse group of people of various ages, ethnicities, and professions — all united in the desire to preserve our past as a way of enabling our future. Our members share their knowledge and discoveries by conducting workshops and giving lectures at events for a wide variety of people and/or organizations. One of our primary goals is to assist members in discovering and documenting their histories. Join one of our chapters today.

Carol Kostakos Petranek

Carol serves as a Co-Director of the Washington DC Family History Center (FHC) where she coordinates classes, conferences and community outreach projects. The Washington DC FHC is open for genealogical research for the general public and provides local access to microfilmed family history records, family history computer resources, and internet genealogical websites. Carol volunteers at the National Archives in Washington DC as a Citizen Archivist for the Civil War Widow's Pension Project and as a Genealogy Aide in the Research Room.

Freedman’s Bureau Indexing

Project

The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, FamilySearch, AAHGS, and the National Archives are working together to digitize records of the Freedmen’s Bureau and make them available to the public online. Tens of thousands of volunteers are needed to make these records searchable online. Volunteers log on, pull up as many scanned documents as they like, and enter the names and dates into the fields provided. Once published, information for millions of African Americans will be accessible, allowing families to build their family trees and connect with their ancestors. See http://www.discoverfreedmen.org/    for  additional  information.

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS VETERANS HISTORY PROJECT Participate with the Veterans History Project (VHP) and contribute to the permanent collections of the Library of Congress, one of the world’s most respected research and cultural institutions. During Black History Month and throughout the year, the Library of Congress and the Association for the Study of African American Life and History urge all African American veterans to share their wartime memories with the Veterans History Project.

Library of Congress

Veterans History Project https://www.loc.gov/vets/  

http://www.loc.gov/vets/pr05-AfAmHistory.html

Individuals, family members, veterans, civic groups and organizations are invited to interview veterans by contacting the VHP where staff will provide guidance to ensure that an audio or video interview is made and preserved at the Library of Congress as part of the permanent record of our nation's history. The collection will include stories of veterans and others who served in World War I, World War II, the Korean, Vietnam and Persian Gulf wars, and the Iraq-Afghanistan conflicts. In addition to audio and video-recorded interviews, VHP accepts memoirs and collections of original photographs, letters, diaries, maps and other

historical documents from World War I through current conflicts.

2016 National Black History Theme “Hallowed Grounds: Sites of African American Memory”

The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) selected this theme to bring attention to the centennial celebration of the National Park Service and the more than twenty-five sites and the Underground Railroad Network to Freedom that are part of America’s hallowed grounds, including the home of the father of black history, Dr. Carter G. Woodson. * (http://asalh100.org/)

AFRO-AMERICAN HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY, INC.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH GENEALOGY CONFERENCE

Conference Planning Committee African American Special Interest Group/WDCFHC – Bernice Bennett, Frank Jenkins, Jacqueline Tillman-Lewis

AAHGS Central Maryland – Alice Freeman Harris AAHGS Prince George's County, Maryland – Jane Taylor Thomas & Nathania Branch Miles

AAHGS Montgomery County, Maryland – Chiquita Sorrels AAHGS James Dent Walker - District of Columbia – Virginia Mercer

Washington DC Family History Center (WDCFHC) – Carol Kostakos Petranek

The Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, Inc. (AAHGS) strives to preserve African-ancestored family history, genealogy, and cultural diversity by teaching research techniques and disseminating information throughout the community. Our primary goals are to promote scholarly research, provide resources for historical and genealogical studies, create a network of persons with similar interests, and assist members in documenting their histories.

The Washington DC Family History Center (FHC) is a branch of the Family History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) and is open for genealogical research by both church members and the general public. FHCs provide local access to Church microfilmed family history records, family history computer resources, and internet genealogical websites.

Floor plan

Sanctuary  

Room  -­‐  1   Room  -­‐  2  

Lunchroom  

Room  -­‐  3  

Room  -­‐  4  

Registration