I am incredibly honored, grateful, and humbled for this wonderful book review of From Fragments to Foundation by lecturer, genealogist and blogger, Robyn Smith. She graciously titled it "A Master Class in Genealogy." Robyn shared, “I finished the book in two days, which was a testament to how superb it was: I rarely finish any …
Continue reading Interview & Book Review: A Master Class in Genealogy
CLICK HERE TO ORDER. I’m deeply honored and humbled by this powerful review from Jacqueline Laughlin, and I wanted to share it here on my blog as an expression of heartfelt gratitude. On November 3, 2025, she left me this incredible comment along with a link to her full review. She wrote: “This is truly …
I’m overjoyed to share that my new book, From Fragments to Foundation, is officially available! This project comes straight from my heart, mind, and soul. It’s a seven-generation odyssey that brings history to life through the lens of genealogy, resilience, and discovery. More than just my family’s story, it’s a teachable journey—revealing how to uncover …
Continue reading NOW AVAILABLE: From Fragments to Foundation
GREAT NEWS: This book is now available. Click HERE to order. I have exciting news! I am happy to announce that my new book, From Fragments to Foundation: Uncovering a Buried History of Tragedy and Triumph, will be released in late October. Ordering will be available soon. Stay tuned! Please see book details below for a …
You’ve traced your African American ancestry back to the 1870 U.S. Census, only to hit what genealogists often call the "1870 brick wall." You’ve read books and articles about slavery in America and now face the question: How do I research my family’s history beyond emancipation? How do I identify and document my enslaved ancestors? …
Continue reading Breaking Down that Ugly 1870 Brick Wall: Tracing Your Enslaved Ancestors
I’ve had this poem saved on my computer since 2001. It highlights the vital role of oral history and the importance of interviewing our family elders. Their memories and stories are priceless. Since then, many of my own elders have passed away, but I’m deeply grateful that they shared so much of my family’s history …
Someone recently asked if Ancestry.com’s Pro Tools is worth the investment. I wanted to share a quick example based on my experience. (Note: I’m not affiliated with Ancestry.com.) For me, it became worthwhile when they introduced the Enhanced Shared Matches feature. This tool shows how much DNA a match shares with your shared matches—those who …
An incredible discovery surfaced when I found another genetic group (or genetic network) among my mother's sister's DNA matches. They were discovered when I saw that Cousin A below shares 21 cM over 2 segments with my aunt on her maternal side, per AncestryDNA. Among the shared DNA matches were four others who also had a Lomax …
Continue reading “They Were Born in Africa”: Was This Correct?
Genetic groups are very instrumental in discovering family connections that had been either unknown or is a genetic verification to family already found from genealogy research. All my genetic genealogy cases on this blog involve finding or confirming a family member after uncovering genetic groups (i.e. genetic networks) among my parents’ DNA matches. A genetic …
Celebrating Black History Month should be done continuously with intensity; nothing or no one can take our history, even while national forces aim to hide the accomplishments of Black people, women, and other marginalized groups. Let's continue to highlight the sacrifices, diligence, bravery, and unyielding resiliency of our ancestors. All of that is in our …
Continue reading Drawing Strength from the Ancestors’ Stories 2
Roots Revealed 