Genealogy: Black Family History Symposium

Genealogy: Black family history symposium Feb. 26 ajc.com

By Kenneth H. Thomas Jr. reporter for the AJC

The annual celebration of Black History Month is always a good time for those of African-American heritage to begin researching their ancestry, if they have not done so already.

On Feb. 26, the National Archives at Atlanta in conjunction with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will sponsor "Continuing the Journey of Generations," a black family history symposium and luncheon. It was held at the National Archives, 5780 Jonesboro Road, Morrow.

New this year are sessions on African-American family history research and activities for young people. The keynote address will be given by retired U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Michael N. Henderson, the first African-American from Georgia to receive membership in the National Society, Sons of the American Revolution (NSSAR).   http://www.blackfamilyhistoryday.com/

Writers if you are in Georgia, and researching, you may want to contact t
he metro Atlanta chapter of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society. 
The group welcomes visitors and will help anyone get started.  address is AAHGS, P.O. Box 54131, Atlanta, GA 30308. The website can be found by going to the parent website, www.aahgs.org, and going to "local chapters" and then the map. You may contact the group via e-mail at aahgsatlanta@gmail.com.

Spring workshop in Columbus:

The Georgia Genealogical Society will hold its spring workshop on March 5 in Columbus. Claire Bettag, a nationally known genealogist, will be the speaker. Her main subject will be "Locating the Keys to Untapped Treasures Found at the National Archives in Morrow, Ga." She also will address government documents as untapped genealogical treasures and bounty land records.

The workshop will be held from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Columbus Public Library, 3000 Macon Road, Columbus. The co-sponsors will be the Columbus Public Library and the Muscogee County Friends of Libraries.  For further information, contact Karen Molohon, 770-421-1522 (evenings), or programs@gagensociety.org. The GGS website contains more details about the program and the speaker.

Atlanta research guide:

A new "Atlanta City Guide" offering information on how to use Atlanta research sources can be found in the March 2011 Family Tree Magazine. This four-page insert was written by Sunny Morton with the input of several local researchers. This quick look at Atlanta's history and research facilities will help anyone get started, whether they come to the city in person or start via the Internet. One fact omitted is that DeKalb County deeds are lost before 1842 -- something one must consider in any Atlanta research effort. The issue is available at local bookstores or at www.familytreemagazine.com.

StoryCorps Griot is an initiative to ensure that the voices, experiences, and life stories of African Americans will be preserved and presented with dignity. A Griot (pronounced gree-oh) is a storyteller, a position of honor in West African tradition, who hands down family and community history from one generation to the next. All interviews recorded as part of the Griot Initiative will be archived at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History & Culture in addition to the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.