African Roots Podcast #34 November 20, 2009

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Hello and welcome back!
Today is Friday November 20, 2009
My name is Angela Walton-Raji
And this is the African Roots Podcast!

Upcoming Events:
November 21
St. Louis
A screening of the Emmy nominated film Traces of the Trade will take place at the St. Louis Museum of History from 1-3 pm. After the screening, a panel discussion will follow. This films depicts the story of Katrina Brown who discovered her family ties to the largest slave owning family in American history, and her journey of discovery and healing. The event is hosted by the St. Louis African American Genealogy Society. Information can be obtained here.

Cherokee County Georgia seeks information about the local black community. They are learning a lot about the community as they are digitizing and preserving the personal papers of Mrs. Magnolia Thomas a well known educator from the town of Woodstock GA in Cherokee County. It is hoped that others from the black community will also donate their personal papers to the historical society so that more will be learned about the community’s African American lives.

November 20-21 2009
Attention book lovers—-the Georgia Archives is having a major book sale. 25,000 books are going on sale this week at the state Archives. As inexpensive as $1, some major finds can be at this book sale event. The sale will go throughout the weekend and booklovers will have a grand time pouring over thousands of titles.

ROOTSMAGIC is offering some of its software for free. ROOTSMAGIC Essentials is now offering a modified version of their major software program, providing basic record keeping for beginning genealogists. I must point out that there are also other free programs available for new genealogists as well, including the PAF (Personal Ancestral File) offered by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Legacy Software is also free and can be downloaded as well. After one has developed some experience they may wish to later upgrade to the full ROOTSMAGIC program, or purchase other programs such as Family Tree Maker, The Master Genealogist.

November 23 residents of Wellington Kansas will have a chance to listen to Col. George M. Boyd who served in WWII as a Tuskegee Airman. He will speak at 6:30 pm at the Wellington Steakhouse and the meeting is free to the public. Additional information can be obtained by phoning (620) 326-3401.

December 16
Those in or near Washington DC may want to mark their calendars to attend the National Archives book signing event, to hear noted author Annette Gordon Reed, author of the Hemingses of Monticello. The event is at 7 pm. Advance copies of the book can be reserved at a discount from the Archives bookstore by phoning 202-357-5271.

There are some lessons to be learned from Magnolia Thomas of Woodstock Georgia. She is the teacher whose personal papers are being scanned and digitized. As researchers we all know the value of documentation, but have we considered the need to tell our own personal stories in addition to the stories of our ancestors? Are we keeping our letters, and journals and diaries? Are our own photos documented and preserved for the next generation? 100 years from now, our descendants—whether collateral or direct—will appreciate getting a glimpse into our own lives if we leave the evidence for them to follow. Let us appreciate that we are in a special place—between two periods of time, the past with all of its challenges and the future with all of its promises. Remember those yet to come as you continue to do what you do, documenting and telling your own story.

Thanks for listening and have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Keep researching, keep documenting and keep sharing what you find!

(For previous episodes, click on the date of each episode to activitate the podcast.)

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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