Welcome back to the African Roots Podcast! You can reach me at AfricanRootsPodcast@gmail.com
Greetings everyone from the lovely city of St. Louis Missouri! I am coming to you from the campus of Harris-Stowe State University in the lovely city of St. Louis Missouri, which lies on the banks of the Mississippi River! That’s right I am here in St. Louis for MAAGI, the Midwest African American Genealogy Institute!
And—-I have some wonderful guests lined up for you to hear share their experiences with you. I have 6 guests from the Writer’s Track here at MAAGI, and they have graciously agreed to share their opinions with you about their experience
Dr. Shirley Greene, Toledo Ohio
My first guest is Dr. Shirley Greene from Toledo. She is focusing on a paternal line and free men of color who were revolultionary soldiers. She hopes that by August of 2016 that she will have something in writing. She has enjoyed the writer’s track, and has come to understand and become more informed about the options for writers that are available. She is not a first time attendee, as she attended MAAGI two years ago, and came back again this year. Dr. Greene is also a historian and works to engage the students through emphasis of the stories.
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Faye Sigers, Austin Texas
Secondly we welcomed Faye Sigers who came to MAAGI this year from Austin Texas. She described her ancestors from Alabama and Mississippi. She is also a member of the Chicago AAGHSC as well. She appreciated getting ideas from other people, and how to get her own story told. She enjoys reading blogs and she has been told to tell more of her own stories. She found that MAAGI inspired her level of confidence.
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Sandra Cowan-Dorton
Sandra Cowan-Dorton is a native of St. Louis and she is here to share her experience of having attended MAAGI and the writing track. She has a fascinating family history background that you will want to hear more about. MAAGI exceeded her expectations. She has a unique story to tell. She has an interesting story of discovery of your own family. When she was in her 30’s, she learned that her grandparents were passing, and came northward on the Great Migration. This revelation had a major impact on her life, and her goal is to write about the family history and share it with others.
Dr. Shelley Murphy
Dr. Shelley Murphy is one of the members of the faculty, and she is involved in the Strategies and Methods class. As the creator of the “So What” concept, she is one of the critical must go-to classes. She shares her perspective about teaching at MAAGI. She discusses
Linda M. Simms
Linda M. Simms a recent blogger really dove into the writing class and has a strong interest in writing a book about her family. A native of St. Louis. MAAGI exceeded her expectations. She learned techniques on blogging, and she is interested in enhancing her blog where she documents her family based in Mississippi. She strongly recommends the MAAGI experience. She has been a genealogist for over 25 years and hopes to take advantage of her experience and document it in her family book.
Tracey Hughes
Tracey Hughes, is one of the “founding participants” in MAAGI. She resides in Kansas City and shared her sentiments about this third year experience. She described how she introduces her readers to her ancestors. The writing track has given her several ideas on how she will enhance her writing, and get herself on a calendar to produce a publication within the following year.
It was a pleasure to speak to those MAAGI participants who were so enthusiastic about what they experienced here. Ihope that next year that many new listeners will want to explore the experience of an institute.
I’m going to start making plans now to attend in 2016. Sounds wonderful.