African Roots Podcast #119 July 15, 2011

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Hello and welcome back to the African Roots Podcast. You can always reach me at AfricanRootsPodcast@gmail.com.

Well—this weekend is a big one in terms of Civil War history, commemoration and celebration! The official grand opening of the African American Civil War Memorial is underway. Well I hope that if you can this weekend, take in some of the many activities underway in Washington.  But beyond that—this is the opportunity to truly embrace our own civil war history.

This weekend also marks the anniversary of two important Civil War battles:  the Assault at Ft. Wagner, and also on the western frontier, the Battle of Honey Springs. Most significantly were the actions of the 1st Kansas Colored Infantry. This unit was the first black unit to engage the southern forces at Island Mound, Missouri.

There are so many opportunities for all of us to celebrate, and commemorate the actions and the impact of the Civil War. Soldiers can be researched, cemeteries can be documented, civilians and their involvement can also be honored. Women like Susie King Taylor were active as nurses and women worked as contrabands, and let’s not forget the children who served as drummer boys and musicians in the war.

There is ample opportunity for us to commemorate this history in our own way.  We can find the soldiers in our own community and tell their stories,create a blog. I have a USCT blog, as do others, but you can also document a cemetery with US Colored Troops, we can adopt a soldier and study his history–we can also tell the stories of the community—the first teachers in the many contraband camps, tell the stories of the camps as well. I point out the efforts of Professor Dru who has also created her own Civil War blog. But you can do so much more—visit a national cemetery and note the US Colored soldiers buried there. Learn how to identify the headstones of black soldiers.

What an opportunity to document this history.

Anyway—with this being the time of the sesquicentennial, is the time to engage in new and stimulating projects to tell this rich history!

A reminder tonight for many to tune in to the Geneabloggers Radio program tonight to hear the efforts of how you can also teach your love of genealogy to the next generation. Professor Dru aka Drusilla Pair will be featured along with Elyse Doerflinger and Jari Honora, both young people who are the facess of the next generation of genealogists! Also featured will be Nicka Smith, who also is making strides with the next generation.

Well once again, thanks for listening and thanks so much all that you are doing as well. In the meantime, keep researching, keep documenting and keep sharing what you find.

Posted by Angela Y. Walton-Raji

Author, lecturer and researcher. Author, "Black Indian Genealogy Research, An Expanded Edition". Editor, Voices of Indian Territory. Member AAHGS -Afro-American Historical & Genealogical Society. PAAC-Preservation of African American Cemeteries. Founding Member of AfriGeneas. Faculty member for Samford IGHR, MAAGI-Midwest African American Genealogy Institute.

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