Tina Sansome, BellaOnline’s Genealogy Editor, has posted a links and several titles to read if you are researching the military service history of your African American ancestor. Read her article and resources here.
Link to a Tuscaloosa News article on the 2008 archaeological dig at Tannehill State Park. Photos and video are included.
Link to last year’s blog post and news article can be found here.
I have posted about the data FamilySearch is placing online for free previously - the only requirement was registration with the site. Now you can access the free indexes and images without registering here.
I encourage everyone to check out this site. A screen shot of **some** of the data is below.
The Birmingham News has an article online from Friday’s (4/11/2008) newspaper titled “Remnants of Bibb County mining towns uncovered in the woods.” The article gives some historical background on the mining towns of Piper and Coleanor, while mentioning Belle Ellen briefly. It gives much detail on how the cemeteries were discovered - (2) African-American cemeteries and (1) White Cemetery thus far. There is speculation about another there as well. A few names from the marked graves are mentioned… unfortunately it appears that many are unmarked.
Tina Sansome, BellaOnline’s Genealogy Editor, posted an article this week about Frazine Taylor’s new book, Researching African-American Genealogy in Alabama: A Resource Guide.
Frazine is the Head of Reference for the Alabama Department of Archives and History (ADAH) and very experienced in researching African-Americans in pre-Civil War records. I had the pleasure of attending a lecture she gave a few years ago.
Member of BAAGSG (Birmingham African-American Genealogy Study Group) participated in the StoryCorps Griot project a few weeks ago. Read more about their experience and see a photo of our good friend & BGS Board Member, Josephine.
BAAGSG’s StoryCorps Griot Experience
While you are there, read about or listen to some of the other participants in the StoryCorps project.
February is designated as “Black History Month”. In recognition of that some of our favorite subscription databases are opening certain databases to the public for free and other have contests open to all.
This is the week. The long awaited second installment of Henry Louis Gates, Jr.’s 2006 series “African American Lives.” From the website:
Building on the widespread acclaim of African American Lives (2006) and Oprah’s Roots (2007), AFRICAN AMERICAN LIVES 2 again journeys deep into ancestry of an all-new group of remarkable individuals, offering an in-depth look at the African-American experience and race relations throughout U.S. history. Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. returns as series host, guiding genealogical investigations down through the 20th century, Reconstruction, slavery and early U.S. history, and presenting cutting-edge genetic analysis that locates participants’ ancestors in Africa, Europe and America. Joining Professor Gates in the new broadcast are poet Maya Angelou, author Bliss Broyard, actor Don Cheadle, actor Morgan Freeman, theologian Peter Gomes, publisher Linda Johnson Rice, athlete Jackie Joyner-Kersee, radio personality Tom Joyner, comedian Chris Rock, music legend Tina Turner, and college administrator Kathleen Henderson, who was selected from more than 2,000 applicants to have her family history researched and DNA tested alongside the series’ well-known guests.
The first installment is scheduled for this Wednesday the 6th. Check the PBS website for program times and dates in your area.
I encourage everyone to mark your calendars for this one - there is something for everyone who researches their family history. The research techniques and processes are universal. You get to see how the “pros” perform research and as a bonus - information on DNA research.
StoryCorps Griot is a national oral history initiative designed to collect the stories of African Americans.
The Birmingham African-American Genealogy Study Group, a special interest group of the Birmingham Genealogical Society, will be participating in StoryCorps Griot in Montgomery on February 15th.
Six slots for interviews on Friday, February 15th 2008 in Montgomery have been allocated to BAAGSG. The interviews will be 45 minutes and two people at a time.
Most of you have wonderful stories about your family. You will be given a copy of your interview via CD before you leave, and copies will be given to the National Museum of African American History and Culture and to the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. Selected stories are broadcast on NPR. Think of a person you would like to be in the interview with because you will be interview each other.
If you would like to participate, please contact Josephine Govan at (205) 510-2670 or (205) 631-9818 as soon as possible.
While reading one of my favorite newsletters this morning, I discovered something that I didn’t know had existed … although it makes sense that it would have if you think about it. I am talking about Slave Insurance. Pre-1865, the end to slavery in America, insurance companies selling in the South offered insurance not only to a plantation owner’s physical property, but his human property as well. Read more about this practice here.
Certain states have passed laws requiring insurance companies to disclose the information contained in those policies such as the name of the slave, county, other identifying information, name of slaveholder, the county of slaveholder, and to whom the policy was issued.
Information for California and Illinois is online. You are probably thinking like I did. .. but slavery wasn’t legal in those states? The law requires them to give information on polices from companies that have since acquired as well - so you will find coverage for many states including Alabama.
Links to the lists:
