“How Stories Passed Down Through the Generations Can Help Uncover a Family’s Journey: The Story of B-Papa” by Dara Tolbert Brooks

Emily Sienkiewicz

The Manatee Genealogical Society will host a hybrid meeting and program on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm EST. Our program speaker, Dara Tolbert Brooks, will present in-person “How Stories Passed Down Through the Generations Can Help Uncover a Family’s Journey: The Story of B-Papa”. B-Papa was the first ancestor I felt a real connection to because of the stories I learned from my paternal grandmother. Through her, a flame was lit that has propelled me forward on my genealogical journey spanning the decades. It’s not been enough to just research my ancestors. I embrace them, walk in their shoes on the very land that they walked. As I learn as much …

From This Day Forward – Documenting Marital Unions of Enslaved and Emancipated Persons, with Renate Yarborough Sanders

Emily Sienkiewicz

Despite the fact that their marriages were not legally recognized before 1865, enslaved couples were uniting in “quasi-marital” relationships, and were cohabitating as husband and wife, as evidenced by many extant documents created during and after the end of America’s Civil War. In this presentation, we explore examples of documents that provide evidence of these relationships, and sources for finding them. For details see familytreewebinars.com/webinar/from-this-day-forward-documenting-marital-unions-of-enslaved-and-emancipated-persons/

At War, At Sea: The Legacy of James Forten as a Revolutionary War Veteran

Emily Sienkiewicz

In February 2023, the Museum of the American Revolution opened the acclaimed special exhibition Black Founders: The Forten Family of Philadelphia. The exhibition introduced visitors to three generations of the family of James Forten (1766-1842), a free Black Revolutionary War veteran and sailmaker, as they battled slavery and defended freedom in the early United States. Matthew Skic, curator of exhibitions at the Museum of the American Revolution, will tell the story of the research behind Black Founders by highlighting the effort to bring together objects and documents relating to James Forten’s wartime experience as a teenaged sailor aboard the American privateer vessel Royal Louis and a prisoner of war held by the British, as well …

Nurses, Matrons, Laundresses, and Cooks: Black Women and Their Role in the Civil War

Emily Sienkiewicz

The Center for Family History is spotlighting the essential yet frequently overlooked contributions of African American women in the military. It intricately traces their evolution from initial roles in wartime support to their active engagement across various branches of the armed forces. Our esteemed panelists, Angela Walton-Raji and True Lewis, will illuminate the myriad challenges these courageous women faced, their remarkable achievements, and the significant barriers they shattered. This session aims to provide a profound understanding of their indelible contributions to military history and their pivotal role in advancing gender and racial equality within the armed forces. This webinar is a celebration of their resilience, fortitude, and the lasting impact they have made on both …

Using Funeral Programs to Inform Genealogy Research

Emily Sienkiewicz

Funeral programs are a unique artifact prevalent in African American communities. Produced at death, these programs record biographical details along with family names, dates, and locations. All the data that we family researchers love to have in our own collections. Join Genealogist Renata Y. Sander to learn more about identifying funeral program collections and how they might inform your own family history. About the presenter: Renate Yarborough Sanders is the descendant of formerly enslaved ancestors, enslavers, and free people of color. She authors two blogs: “Into the LIGHT” and “Genea-Related;” and produces a “(Mostly) African-American Funeral Programs” online database. Renate cohosts “Let’s Talk North Carolina Genealogy,” and she has served as panelist and guest on …

Black History Month: The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow

Emily Sienkiewicz

After the Reconstruction Period of history, the “Black Codes” which had denied free African-Americans their rights to citizenship prior to the Civil War were reinstated in most southern and border states as “Jim Crow Laws”. These laws stayed in effect until Rev./Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. lead the Civil Rights Movement which dismantled the Jim Crow laws throughout the country. This lecture relives the Civil Rights Movement and the roles that Rose Parks, Rev./Dr. Martin Luther King, the Freedom Riders and the Sit-in protests played. Forgotten martyrs of the Movement who gave their lives in battle for first class citizenship are remembered and celebrated. Register in advance. For details see delawarelibraries.libcal.com/event/11559369

The Role of African Americans in the Civil War

Emily Sienkiewicz

African Americans played critical and transformative role in the Civil War. This webinar will provide a comprehensive overview, highlighting their significant contributions not only as soldiers but also as laborers, spies, and nurses. These roles were crucial to the Union’s triumph. Our distinguished panel, featuring Darius Brown and Nicka Sewell Smith, will shed light on the myriad challenges these individuals faced, their relentless struggle for freedom and equality, and the profound impact their service had on the outcome of the war and the shaping of American history. This narrative eloquently articulates the indispensable role of African American participation in one of the most pivotal conflicts of our nation. For details see iaamuseum.org/event/african-americans-role-in-the-civil-war-webinar/

African Americans in the Army: 1868-1948, with Janice Lovelace, PhD

Emily Sienkiewicz

Following the Civil War, when nearly 200,000 African American men served, the U.S. Army established 4 African American infantry (later modified to 2) and 2 cavalry regiments in 1868. They initially served in the West but fought in the Spanish American War and the two World Wars in segregated units. It was not until 1948 that Executive Order 9981 integrated the military. What was life like for these soldiers? Where do you find service and pension records? For details see familytreewebinars.com/webinar/african-americans-in-the-army-1868-1948/

African American Genealogical Interest Group

Amanda Meeks

The group discusses use of variety of sources, including census research, reconstruction and Freedman Bureau records, NARA combined military records of the U.S. Colored Troops, Plantation Slave records, Slave schedules and other. Open to all. For details see dallasgenealogy.org/event/african-american-genealogical-interest-group-49/