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
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
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
Happy Black History Month! Lately, I have been thinking a lot about how our ancestors survived and persevered through centuries of inhumane, ungodly mindsets, some of which we still face. The operative verb here is "survived." Like my mother’s paternal grandfather, William "Bill" Reed of Tate County, Mississippi, only three generations away from me. In …
Continue reading Drawing Strength from the Ancestors’ Stories
DNA continues to be a strong sledgehammer to pre-Civil War brick walls. This case underscores at least 23 research tips. They are in the conclusion below. Since 1993, I have researched the roots of my mother’s paternal grandfather, William “Bill” Reed (1846-1937) of Tate County, Mississippi. He migrated to northern Mississippi shortly after slavery from …
Continue reading There’s History in a Name: Connecting Dots to the 18th Century
In 2015, several research buddies and I journeyed to Richmond, Virginia to research at the Library of Virginia. As I often recommend, I devised a research plan of names and records to explore. My focus was the records of Rev. William Parrott and his family. He was the last enslaver of my great-great-grandmother, Jane Parrott …
Continue reading One of my Most Heartbreaking Genealogical Discoveries
Federal census records are often deemed as the most important resource in genealogy research. Many new and seasoned researchers rely heavily on them. But other resources should be sought to get a fuller picture of ancestors’ lives and experiences. Federal census records cover every tenth year since 1790 (i.e. 1860, 1870, 1880, etc.), but what …
Continue reading Filling in the Timeline Gaps of your Research
In February, FamilySearch dropped a big bomb. They released an experimental full-text search feature for some of its scanned records that use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to transcribe the handwriting in these records. It’s being called a “game changer,” and I agree 100%. This tool is also instrumental in finding people who don’t often appear in …
Continue reading A Huge Discovery with FamilySearch’s Full-Text Experiment
Roots Revealed 