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Hello and Welcome Back! Today is Friday June 25, 2010. My name is Angela Walton-Raji and this is the African Roots Podcast. You can always reach me at AfricanRootsPodcast@gmail.com.
It’s good to be back after a week away last week at the Samford University Genealogical Institute. A full week it was and I enjoyed it so much! If you would like to read about my experiences, you may do so on my blog.
Some events coming up.
Saturday June 26, in Little Rock Arkansas at the Arkansas History Commission, an interesting set of workshops are being offered. All will be looking at Arkansas history differently. They are from 9:30 – 1:00 in the state capitol building, in downtown Little Rock. This is also considered a professional development day by the Arkansas Dept of Education. Two workshops look especially interesting—one focuses on the inter-connectedness of a family owned business and the immediate community. Secondly there is and fascinating workshop on the Spanish Influenza epidemic of 1918. In case you are wondering if there is any relationship between these subjects, and African American genealogy—well keep in mind that whatever happens on a large scale in the community affects or impacts the African Aemrican community as well. And as we tell the stories of our ancestors, we should also tell the stories of their communities.
Each presentation will include a question and answer period. The seminar begins at 9:30 a.m. and concludes at approximately 1:30 p.m. This event is free, but registration is required. To register, please email state.archives@arkansas.gov, or call 501.682.6900. Registration deadline is noon on June 25, 2010. Box lunches will be provided with registration.
Best wishes to folks in Charlottesville Virginia. They have been forming a new chapter of AAHGS, and tomorrow they are having a meeting. AAHGS Chapter of Central Virginia, meeting Saturday, 6/26, 12 noon to 2pm.
Saturday, July 10, 2010 at 10:30 am. The Agnes Kane Callum Chapter of AAHGS will present a program entitled “Historical and/or Genealogical Websites.” The program will be at its usual location at the Enoch Pratt Library – Northwood Branch on Loch Raven This will be a great opportunity to learn what is new on the web. There is much more going on than mere websites.
Sunday, July 11, 2010 – Friday, July 16, 2010. The National Institute on Genealogical Research will hold its annual conference inWashington, DC at the National Archives. Now registration is closed, but this institute like the program at Samford is a thorough and intense experience and worth the time.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010 at 10:00 am. Each month the Library of Congress offers an orientation class so that genealogists can learn more about the holdings at th e nation’s library. The class is called “Resources for Genealogical Research at The Library of Congress.” The class will meet in room LJ G42 of the Jefferson Building. All participants must have a Reader Registration Card and if you do not have one, it can be obtained prior to the class and can be obtained in room LM 140 of the Madison Building. For more info, call 202-707-5537
Do you have ancestry in the West Indies? Then this will interest you. On Wednesday, July 21, 2010 at 11:00 am. The National Archives will present a program entitled “Caribbean Immigrants: Using Federal Records to Locate Ancestors from theWest Indies, 1890-1930.” The program will be presented by Archives staff .
Saturday, August 7, 2010 at 10:30 am. The Baltimore Afro-American Historical & Genealogical Society the Agnes Kane Callum Chapter will present a program entitled “Brickwalls.” This is a favorite workshop of the chapter and many get a jump start by having others join in to find brick wall solutions.
I wanted to encourage you to look at historic events that affected your community, and incorporate the impact of those events on your family’s history. Political events, natural disasters, all of them have an effect on our lives. Well they did on our ancestors as well. Some of the workshops focused on that last week, and it raised my consciousness on how to develop questions when speaking to elders–that incorporate local history. Tell the WHOLE story, for we do much more than just collect names.
Well, that’s it for me this week. I have a busy weekend ahead—I am off to Nevado tomorrow morning–for a family event. I look forward to spending time with cousins—and plan to enjoy, and to come back with some new stories!!
In the meantime, thank you for listening, I always appreciate your being there.
Keep doing what you do—keep researching, keep documenting and please keep sharing what you find.