1st Edition ~ Carnival of African-American Genealogy: Restore My Name – Slave Records & Genealogy Research
Timestamp this moment Friends because with the arrival of the 1st Edition ~ Carnival of African-American Genealogy: Restore My Name – Slave Records & Genealogy Research, we have made history!
Never before has an open dialogue and mass sharing of historic slave data between the descendants of slaves and slave owners occurred online, and quite honestly, I’d be surprised if exchanges such as this have transpired much offline either!:-)
On February 8, the genea-community began answering my charge to become a Friend of Friends to their fellow African-American researchers, by sharing oft times private slave data encountered through their own personal genealogy research.
Since then, I’ve been alerted daily via emails, blog posts and tweets to online resources that provide invaluable information pertaining to our enslaved Ancestors. Information that otherwise, may never have been discovered.
In addition to the Restore My Name submissions presented below, there have been at least 20-25 individual blog posts citing previously unpublished slave information! Simply AMAZING!:-)
So as the one who first sounded the alarm, let me also be the first to thank the genea-community for proving that we are in fact a true community of supporters to all who choose to join and a shining example that collectively we can rise above history’s most devastating blemish.
We have chosen to heal history, rather than hide from it.
I am proud of you. I am proud of US.
——♦——
Restore My Name – Slave Records & Genealogy Research
Alane Roundtree presents CoAAG 1st Edition: Restore My Name ~ Hammond-Davies Slave Bible Records 1830-1865 posted at A Friend of Friends.
…the Ancestors cannot seem to escape the auction block even in death.”
These words, written by Alane Roundtree on March 1, regarding slave records contained in a bible belonging to the Hammond-Davies families of Georgia and South Carolina, cut me to my core.
As I read Alane’s email, I came to understand that since 2004, she has been a true Friend of Friends to eight pages of the original bible manuscript containing the birth, death and marriage dates of the men, women and children once enslaved by the Hammond-Davies family.
I also learned that on February 25, at Swann Galleries in New York City, the Hammond-Davies Bible was sold a second time, for the total sum of $5,760.00.
To my knowledge, until Alane and I began our exchange, she was totally unaware of the CoAAG’s existence and its First Edition theme – Restore My Name ~ Slave Records and Genealogy Research.
As Miriam Kidmiff of Ancestories says, it was a pure psychic roots experience — the Hammond-Davies Ancestors chose for their names to be restored at this very moment.
Peace to the Ancestors who have entrusted us with this part of their journey to freedom and thanks to the Friend of Friends like Alane and the 34 contributors to this First Edition of CoAAG.
The Ancestors aren’t just whispering anymore ~ they are finally exhaling.
——♦——
♦ Herstoryan presents Restore My Name: Slave Records and Genealogy Research, CoAAG, 1st Edition posted at Herstoryan. Herstoryan performs “her first act of genealogical kindness regarding slave documents” by sharing the Last Will and Testament of Cager Creel of Adair County, KY.
♦ Bill Grimke-Drayton presents Descendant of the Slaveholding Drayton Family in America and Barbados posted at LowCountry Africana. A guest blogger at LowCountry Africana, Bill shares his candid response to the questions posed by the Carnival of African American Genealogy.
♦ Vickie Everhart presents CoAAG – Restore My Name posted at Be Not Forgot. Vickie of Be Not Forgot spotlights slave births from a Davis bible record.
♦ Joann presents So Close But Yet So Far posted at J-Macs Journey. Joann of J-Macs Journey writes about forging ahead when a researcher fails to respond.
♦ Gini Webb presents Restore My Name ~ CoAAG ~ posted at Ginisology. Gini of Ginisology shares the names of slaves owned by her 4th great grandfather Beal Ijames of Mockville, NC.
♦ Sandra Taliaferro presents We’re Having A Carnival…I Wonder If The Ancestors Will Celebrate? posted at I Never Knew My Father. A unique twist on sharing and community responsibility is presented by Sandra of I Never Knew My Father.
♦ Carol presents Carnival of African-American Genealogy, Restore My Name posted at Reflections From the Fence. Carol of Reflections From the Fence intrigues us with a hint for researchers hunting for slave names and information via the Chancery Cases of Virginia.
♦ Luckie Daniels presents Wordy Wednesday: 1 Random Act of Kindness Changed My Life! ~ CoAAG 1st Edition posted at Our Georgia Roots. An old message board post and family bible lead me to the Daniels family I never knew.
♦ Vicky Daviss Mitchell presents Edwin Nelms Will and Inventory posted at Mariah’s Zepher. Vicky of Mariah’s Zepher shares slave names from the will of Edwin Nelms of Grimes County Texas, and ponders the connection to her family.
♦ Toni Carrier presents Why Did I Not Know My Family Held Slaves? posted at LowCountry Africana. Toni of LowCountry Africana asks the thought-provoking question-Why Didn’t I Know My Family Held Slaves?
♦ Renate Sanders presents Restore My Name – CoAAG posted at Into the LIGHT. Renate of Into the Light meets a descendant of the slave-owning Yarboroughs of Franklin County, NC.
♦ Lorine McGinnis Schulze presents Carnival of African-American Genealogy: Slaves & Slave Owners posted at Olive Tree Genealogy Blog. Lorine of Olive Tree Genealogy Blog shares, “I am the descendant of slave owners. My husband is the descendant of slaves. We have each encountered unique experiences as we seek records of slave names”.
♦ Taneya Koonce presents Taneya’s Genealogy Blog: CoAAG Carnival: Research Connections posted at Taneya’s Genealogy Blog. Taneya of Taneya’s Genealogy Blog meets a Koonce family descendant likely connected to the lineage of her ancestors slave owners.
♦ Greta Koehl presents Restore My Name – Slave Records and Genealogy Research posted at Greta’s Genealogy Bog. Greta of Greta’s Genealogy Blog is looking for the slaves of Hiram Brinlee of Collin, TX, and spotlights forums for sharing slave data.
♦ Dionne Ford presents All Relative posted at Finding Josephine. Connecting with a Howcutt researcher in England, Dionne of Finding Josephine strikes gold when she gets info on her ancestor Temple Burton.
♦ John Newmark presents Slave Records and Genealogy Research posted at Transylvanian Dutch. John of Transylvanian Dutch shares his thoughts and perspective on the five aspects for discussion in the first CoAAG.
♦ Robyn presents Restore My Name posted at Reclaiming Kin. Robyn of Reclaiming Kin gives her insightful responses to three of the questions offered for discussion.
♦ TCasteel presents The Wills of Two Nances posted at Tangled Trees. TCastell of Tangled Trees tells us “Ancestors, Reuben Nance and his father, William Nance, of Virginia, both left wills that listed slaves by name.”
♦ Amy Cain presents Carnival of African-American Genealogy (CoAAG) posted at Reconnected Roots. Amy of Reconnected Roots shares the 1844 will of Samuel Wright of York District, SC.
♦ Heather Wilkinson Rojo presents Black History Month – Part 1 posted at Nutfield Genealogy. Heather of Nutfield Genealogy shares slave names found in family records.
♦ Felicia Mathis presents Carnival of African-American Genalogy: Restore My Name at Echoes of My Nola Past. Felicia of Echoes of My Nola Past writes about the importance of descendants of slave owners sharing slave-related information.
♦ Kathleen Brandt presents Researchers to Share Family Slave Records – Responsibilities and Reasons posted at a3Genealogy. Kathleen of a3Genealogy shares emancipation records for Amyntus Earl of Hopkins County, KY.
♦ Mavis Jones presents Carnival of African – American Genealogy posted at Georgia Black Crackers. Mavis of Georgia Black Crackers writes about the family bible of Henry Hosch which contains the names of her enslaved ancestors.
♦ Anita Wills presents Carnival of African-American Genealogy posted at Slave & Genealogy Records. Anita of Restore My Name talks about finding and restoring the names of her slave ancestors.
♦ George Geder presents Restore My Name – Slave Records and Genealogy Research posted at Geder.Genealogy. George of Geder Genealogy speaks to the timeliness of the CoAAG and spotlights his ancestor Annie Ghant-Geder-Stewart.
♦ Debra Osborne Spindle aka “Tex” presents Restore My Name? Slave Records in the Family posted at All My Ancestors. Debra of All My Ancestors shares a division of slaves from the estate of Mordecai L. Spindle who died in 1857 in Virginia.
♦ Leslie Ann presents Carnival of African-American Genealogy — First Edition posted at Ancestors Live Here. Leslie Ann of Ancestors Live Here writes about her ancestor Captain George Cannon and his involvement in the slave trade.
♦ Martin Hollick presents Caesar Wallace ca. 1738-1821 of New Hampshire posted at The Slovak Yankee. Martin of The Slovak Yankee presents a fascinating story of Caesar Wallace of New Hampshire “a man of colour” who served during the American Revolution.
♦ Martin Hollick presents The Slovak Yankee: Fortune Yeaton ca. 1770 (?) – After 1800 of N.H. and Maine posted at The Slovak Yankee. Martin of The Slovak Yankee shares the story of Fortune Yeaton, a slave and free man of color, of New Hampshire and Maine.
♦ Ruth Himan presents Slave Records and Genealogy Research posted at Hayley. Ruth of Hayley offers her opinions on the questions offered for discussion for this first CoAAG, and in her own words is “looking forward to the actual connecting of the dots.”
♦ Dorsey presents Restore My Name posted at In Honor of My Ancestors. Dorsey of In Honor of My Ancestors wonders whether to mention the “s” word when attempting to connect with descendants of slave owners.
♦ Leah presents Slaves of the Wellons Plantation in Pulaski Co., KY posted at Internet Genealogist. Leah writes about her search for the slaves of the Wellons Plantation in Pulaski, County, KY.
♦ Michael Hait presents Restore My Name: the first Carnival of African-American Genealogy posted at African-American Genealogy Examiner. Michael of the African-American Genealogy Examiner urges that the records involving slaves and former slaves must be brought to light.
♦ Craig Manson presents “Restore My Name:” The First Edition of the Carnival of African-American Genealogy posted at GeneaBlogie. Craig of GeneaBlogie thinks the budding dialogue between descendants of slaves and descendants of slave owners is a mightily important step for American genealogy and history, and is inspired to reach out to descendants of his ancestors slave owners.
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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
CoAAG 2nd Edition ~ Grandma’s Hand: Grandmothers and Their Influence On The Family
Host: Sandra Taliaferro of I Never Knew My Father
Grandmothers are often the matriarchs of the family. In fact, truth be told, many of us were raised by our grandmother; if not, she was definitely a constant in our lives.
For the 2nd Edition of CoAAG: Grandma’s Hand, write a post about your memories of your grandmother and be sure to include a picture of Grandma if you have one!
There are two options:
♦ By Submission Form. Use the CoAAG submission form provided by Blog Carnival. It’s quick, easy and pain-free!:-)
♦ By Email. Send an email to Sandra Taliaferro, the 2nd Edition Host. Include your blog name, the post title and permalink URL of your carnival submission. Make sure to put ‘Grandma’s Hand’ in your email subject line!
——♦——
So that does it! Thank you for supporting the Carnival of African-American Genealogy!
See you next month on April 19th when the 2nd Edition of CoAAG returns to town! Ancestors and cotton candy are on me!:-)
We are the change.
~ Luckie.
* Special Thanks to Sandra Taliaferro, GeneaBloggers and footnoteMaven ~ my personal CoAAG Cheering Squad!:-)
What an incredible array of entries! Can’t wait to read each one. Congratulations for opening a much-needed dialogue. I hope the community dialogue and sharing continues!
Toni
A great carnival – this is wonderful and I am so happy to see this dialog. You rock Miss Luckie!
You look mah-velous! A fantastic carnival with purpose. Congratulations, my friend.
-fM
[...] you know what? They’re actually doing it. Today I woke up and found the Carnival of African-American Genealogy’s Restore My Name–Slave Records and Genealogy Res… project in my Google Reader. For the first time, black researchers and white researcher are using [...]
Pingback by Bringing Them Into the Light — 19 March 2010 @ 3:24 pmCongrats on the first of many! Looks great — impressive list of contributors/contributions!
Luckie,
You did an amazing job on your first carnival and I am so glad this has come about!
Honestly, I don’t think there is any limitations as to where this can go and the impact that it will have on African-American genealogy and genealogy as a whole.
Thank you Luckie for creating a safe and wonderful place for all of us to come together and share information that is so very important and crucial to be told.
I posted on my own blog about this, but I wanted to come over here and say more directly: this is a huge thing you’re doing.
I don’t have any slave records. I’m a descendant of Minnesota Norwegians…so there’s little chance I’ll find any.
But before this conversation started, I can tell you honestly that I would never have put my records out there. I would have been that person you see on your blog stats, who is searching for your ancestor and never emails you. “Why did they come here and not say anything?” you think. That would have been me. I would have researched the hell out of every slave I knew about, but I never would have said a word to you, because I would have thought that doing so would have caused you pain. Truth be told, there’d be some selfishness in there too, because I would have had no idea how to write that email. How do you say, “Hi, nice to meet you, my grandpa owned yours and here’s the proof?” How do you say, “I’m sorry for this?” You can’t…or at least, I can’t. And I’d just keep quiet.
So finding out that you would actually WANT to hear from me is a HUGE revelation. Huge. I never would have guessed it.
By holding out your hand and saying, “It’s okay. I am ready to hear this,” you are doing something that is goes WAY beyond genealogy. You are sending a message that we can talk about these things. You are saying, “I am strong enough for this.” You are opening the door to something some of us thought might never be possible, and you are demonstrating tremendous strength.
So many of your slaves had no headstone, no paper trail, no easily found legacy. But the legacy their descendants are creating with effort this says more than any headstone ever could.
Where ever they are…I’ll bet they are proud.
My first Carnival and how relevant to not only the African American community but to all genealogists. The contributions are amazing. I look so forward to reading these posts, one by one. Might I thank all those who contributed, as they add to the retelling of my past. And, thank you Luckie and the hosts of the COAAG,
My first Carnival and how relevant to not only the African American community but to all genealogists. The contributions are amazing. I look so forward to reading these posts, one by one. Might I thank all those who contributed, as they add to the retelling of my past. And, thank you Luckie and the hosts of the future COAAG topics. I hope I can write about my Great Grandma…she was exciting!
Luckie
Today is an important day, as you have narrowed the digital divide, ever so slightly and ever so significantly. I am amazed and impressed to see how many people responded to the call, and who got it—-yes, they got it!
What a thrill to see names from wills and Bible records and names that once rested in private collections, and to see them transcribed and shared. How honest some were in sharing their own emotional reaction to seeing children separated and sold in different lots. Those once enslaved have been humanized now with their names, they shall “be not forgot” as we can now call their names.
In addition, this has been done, in a such a spirit of collaboration.
There is still much to be done, for so many more of the “folks from the family” will need to be encourage to join the blogging community. Blogging will become the vehicle from which veteran researchers will go from being mere “takers” to “producers” of genealogical information. Some will have to be prodded, as there are less than a dozen among us now, but this might be the encouragement for a new beginning.
But today is still such a good day. You said so beautifully, <i<"We have chosen to heal history, rather than hide from it."
And all of us whether descendants of those who enslaved or those who were enslaved, we all did this and we can all grow from it.
Today is a good day, indeed!
Thank you Luckie for hosting this cyber event, and I am so happy to have participated and even happier to read all the other wonderful entries. Let’s hope this is just the beginning of some good things to come not only for genealogy, but for all people in all ways.
I have been reading the Carnival posts for several hours, and I am not finished! No, not complaining! How wonderful, what a great response. Congratulations, now, I am going to go back to reading.
Kudos to all contributors, and especially you, Luckie.
You did an awesome job in getting this Carnival up and running. I’ve been waiting for this day to come since you made the announcement. I have been sharing your blog with people today (non-genealogist), who want to start looking into their family history. The stories, and Carnival is truly an inspiration for me. This is a powerful tool.
Congratulations again – looking forward to the next one.
Congrats on the Carnival!! Its more than expected and the dialogue is so amazing. We stand on the shoulders of those that came before us and I’m sure all our Ancestors are thanking Luckie and Sandra. You guys are giving voice to so many lost Ancestors. So proud that everyone is willing to share!!
[...] First Carnival of African-American Genealogy, Restore My Name: Slave Records & Genealogy Researc…, was a huge success, with 35 submissions of slave data, resources and heart-felt posts. Our [...]
Pingback by Introducing A Friend of Friends {AFoF}: Repository of Slave Records & Related Information « Our Georgia Roots | Our Ancestors of Washington-Wilkes — 21 March 2010 @ 7:59 pmCongratulations on the first edition of this carnival! Well done, great contributions!
[...] CoAAG Contributor HerStoryan shared the transcribed Will Cager CREEL, 1863 Adair County, Kentucky. [...]
Pingback by AFoF Alert: Slaves Samuel, Creed & Solomon Named in Adair Co., KY Will of Cager CREEL 1863 | A Friend of Friends — 25 March 2010 @ 10:47 pm[...] CoAAG Contributor Vicki of Be Not Forgot shared a transcribed bible record belonging to Josephine WINGFIELD HENRY nee DAVIS, Morgan County, GA. [...]
Pingback by AFoF Alert: DAVIS & FEARS Slave Births, Marriages, & Deaths Named in Bible of J. WINGFIELD HENRY nee DAVIS, Morgan Co., GA 1805-1858 | A Friend of Friends — 25 March 2010 @ 11:31 pm[...] CoAAG Contributor T. Casteel of Tangled Trees shared transcribed wills listing numerous slave names from two NANCE Ancestors of Virginia — Brunswick County 1749 and Henry County 1812. [...]
Pingback by AFoF Alert: Slave Names Identified In NANCE Wills ~ Brunswick Co., VA 1749/Henry Co., VA 1812 | A Friend of Friends — 26 March 2010 @ 9:51 am[...] CoAAG Contributor Heather of Nutfield Genealogy shared several transcribed records from her family research identifying various slave names. [...]
Pingback by AFoF Alert: Slave Names Mentioned In Family Records ~ CHOATE, WASS, WYMAN, ELLINGWOOD & More – MA/ME | A Friend of Friends — 26 March 2010 @ 10:57 am[...] to A Friend of Friends, for our handy-dandy AFoF Alerts, I am moved but what historic depth our First Edition CoAAG holds and blessed to have been a part of [...]
Pingback by Friend of Friends Friday: Giving You Roses ~ Thanks For Supporting CoAAG’s 1st Edition! « Our Georgia Roots | Our Ancestors of Washington-Wilkes — 26 March 2010 @ 11:22 am[...] CoAAG Contributor and AFoF supporter Gini of Ginisology shares in an ongoing series of posts the transcribed names of IJAMES slaves and descendants (both pre and post-emancipation) of Davie Co., NC [Owner -- Beal IJAMES]. Generation 1 ~ Descendants of John Wesley IJAMES To read the post in entirety, go to: http://ginisology.blogspot.com/2010/02/friend-of-friends-honoring-slaves-of.html Thanks Gini!:-) Luckie. [...]
Pingback by AFoF Alert: IJAMES Slaves & Descendants 1st Generation (Owner Beal IJAMES), Mocksville, NC | A Friend of Friends — 26 March 2010 @ 8:27 pm[...] CoAAG Contributor Kathleen of a3Genealogy shared both the original and transcribed 1841 Emancipation Record of Amyntus EARL of Hopkins County, Kentucky [Owner - Samuel COMPTON]. [...]
Pingback by AFoF Alert: Emancipation Record of Amyntus EARL of Hopkins Co., KY [Owner - Samuel COMPTON] 1841 | A Friend of Friends — 26 March 2010 @ 9:23 pm[...] CoAAG Contributor Debra of All My Ancestors shared the Division of Property record (1857) and the transcribed Essex County, VA Will (1834) for Mordecai SPINDLE citing numerous slave names. [...]
Pingback by AFoF Alert: SPINDLE Slaves Identified In Division of Property/Wills [Owner: Mordecai SPINDLE], Essex Co., VA 1857/1834 | A Friend of Friends — 26 March 2010 @ 9:58 pm[...] CoAAG Contributor Martin of The Slovak Yankee shared the 1818 Pension Affidavit for Caesar WALLACE 1738-1821(?) of New Hampshire, applied for his service in the American Revolution. [...]
Pingback by AFoF Alert: Caesar WALLACE of New Hampshire American Revolution Pension Affidavit 1818 | A Friend of Friends — 26 March 2010 @ 10:22 pm[...] CoAAG Contributor Martin of The Slovak Yankee shared details of the 1784 Inventory List for Moses YEATON of Stafford County, N.H. identifying slave Fortune YEATON as personal property. [...]
Pingback by AFoF Alert: Fortune YEATON Identified on Inventory List of Moses YEATON, Stafford Co., N.H. 1784 | A Friend of Friends — 26 March 2010 @ 10:34 pm[...] of slave owners in pursuit of records and information — and when my last request of slave documentation yielded some 50-60 contributions, I established a slave document repository — AFriendofFriends.com, where the dialogue and [...]
Pingback by Viewing Slavery Through Another Lens — 23 June 2010 @ 12:01 am