Alright, before I dive into the core of this — what I am sure will be VERY controversial post — let me pen a Luckie Disclaimer:

1. This post is not intended to address any specific person and/or medium — it’s an open address to the genealogy community as a whole.
2. Please know, that it’s not my intention to offend you, although I accept that some folks may be offended by the subject matter and my willingness to openly discuss it.
3. I welcome healthy dialogue and by healthy, I mean dialogue that is respectful that helps to bring understanding. If you are able to meet me there — please do.
4. Yes, this post was preempted by the recent HerStoryan Super Bowl of Genealogy discussion and subsequent comments BUT not because of it. These feelings are far from new and I realize now, sooner or later, this post had to be written.
5. I ask that you please think before your write — be you black, white, green or blue. NO matter of disrespect is permissible.
6. I have come to accept that whenever I discuss a racially charged issue and/or socially *sensitive* subject matter, I immediately loose Twitter followers and blog supporters. I am 100% OK with that. I am true to me. I set the bar I’m tasked with living up to.

Okay, done.

Now admittedly, I was late coming into the conversation surrounding the formation of HerStoryan’s Genealogy Dream Team. I was away from my computer most of the day and only able to follow sporadically, long enough to know I’d been mentioned, and to see there were mixed reactions to her commentary.

Yes — the dialogue was open, flowing and healthy. Yes — we all have differing perspectives and I loved seeing them vetted here.  But the more I read the 30+ comments {mine included}, I couldn’t help but ask the question — how can the Genealogy community, of which I am a SUPER-active member, communicate so freely in addressing the mention of a fictitious Snooty Patootie {sorry, just quoting facts!:-} yet never respond and/or participate in the many discussions with African-American Genea-Bloggers relating to the challenges researching our lineage due to Slavery?

In almost 2 years of actively participating in the Twitter Genealogy community, I’ve only been asked TWICE to assist with getting family slave documentation online — by Vicki (@BeNotForgot) and Gini (@Ginisology). In the 10+ years I’ve been online, I would guess no more than a dozen.

Help me to understand how you can witness my and other researchers daily struggle with piecing the fragments of our family histories together and not feel moved to share the documentation you’ve discovered and/or held through your personal research?

How can you as a researcher who understands the depth of what we’re doing and the agony of not finding the answers we seek, not be willing to be a modern day Friend Of  Friends?

You greet me in the mornings. Chat with me through the day. Laugh at my jokes. Support me through my Son donating a kidney and my Mom’s daily struggle with Alzheimer’s Disease. Without fail, you consistently read my non-stop posts and *tweets*.

So please help me to understand how my research {and others like me} appears to be completely invisible to you?

Why is it that a very real Luckie, with a very real genealogy challenge can’t garner the kind of open/transparent dialogue that a good-natured {and rather clever} analogy intended for fun could?

Is it really in 2010 that we STILL can’t discuss Slavery? Is it that seasoned genealogists, aware of the value a Random Act of Kindness holds, won’t share what you know with me and others?

We’ve come up with tons of very creative ways to slice the genea-pie! Why isn’t there ever ANY mention of {or events to address} the very present slave history in this community OTHER than from an African-American author?

Before we charge Dr. Gates with acknowledging and supporting our genealogy efforts, WE must set the example within our community and do it first.

It’s just my philosophy… let small issues remain small.  Let big issues be addressed and resolved quickly.  Acknowledged or not — this is a BIG communal issue.

Whew! Finally, I’ve said it.

Luckie.