Update #2 - (Finally) A Response from the City Manager

Dear Readers:
I have not been able to read this entire letter.  I got a message about it, and began reading, but I am at work, and my break is ending.  From what I did read (just the first few paragraphs), my sense is that Angela Harris is passing the buck, but I'll come back later with more of a commentary.  Meanwhile, I just want to share this with you, as I know that there are folks who are following along, and waiting for updates.

Please click HERE to read the letter of response from Angela Harris, Franklin County City Manager, regarding the destruction of historical documents in the courthouse basement.

Also, an article was just published in the Raleigh, NC-based News and Observer, yesterday.  I was interviewed extensively for this piece, but none of my comments were used.  (Hmmm...) Special thanks to genea-friend, Angela Walton-Raji, who helped me to tweet the news of this out on the day it was happening.  Certainly, those initial tweets played a significant role in gaining the "international attention" this situation has garnered.

Click here to read my eyewitness account (and first post on the subject) of what happened on December 6th, when (my) history was destroyed in Franklin County.

Click here to read the brief update I shared a month later, following a Franklin County Commissioners Meeting, during which several citizens spoke and inquired about the destruction of the records.

Thanks for reading.  Your comments are welcome!

Renate

Click HERE to read a final UPDATE on this very sad situation.

AAHGS 2013 - A Reflection

It's been three days since I returned home from Nashville, where I attended my very first (history and) genealogy conference.  I'd thought that I would sit right down and author a nice, long reflection about my experience, but as soon as I got in on Sunday night, reality hit me HARD.  I'd barely closed the door behind me before I was deep into lesson planning, data reports, grading papers, and a plethora of other tasks that keep me (and other teachers) busy for hours and hours, each day.  And so it has been for the past three days.  There's not been a minute to spare, until now, and still the idea of writing a long post right now is out of the question!

That said, I will just say what's most important:  I HAD A WONDERFUL TIME AT THE 2013 NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE AFRO-AMERICAN HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGY SOCIETY! The leadership of AAHGS really put together a nice event!

As with any affair of this magnitude, there were a few things that could have been better, and a lot of things that could have been worse.  AAHGS provided conference attendees with evaluation forms, which I believe they sincerely intend to take seriously.  It was evident that their intent in planning this conference was to meet the needs of all attendees, and to provide participants with valuable learning experiences, as well as opportunities to socialize and network with each other, with the goal of supporting and enhancing our research efforts.  They did this in a classy, and professional way, and I believe that everyone who attended got something out of the conference experience! (And, the food was good, too!)

For me, the most valuable part attending the conference was being able to meet and spend time with several of my genea-friends, whom I've "known" for years, online, but had never met, in person.  Toni Carrier, Taneya Koonce, and Mavis Jones have each provided me with support, encouragement, and even (dare I say?) friendship for many years.  I am so very happy to have met them! (I also met, and got to spend quite a bit of time with Mavis' lovely mother, who accompanied her to the conference.  What an added treat!)

Not only did I meet three of my online friends for the first time, but I was also privileged to see and spend a bit of time with two other special ladies from my online genealogy circle. Angela Walton-Raji and Dr. Shelley Murphy are leaders in the genealogy community.  I've had the pleasure of meeting each of them, previous to the AAHGS conference, and it was wonderful to be in their presence, again!

Last, but not least, I also got a chance to get to know a young lady, Dinah W., from my own AAHGS chapter, whom I'd seen and chatted (briefly) with at meetings, but had never spent any time around, and I got to see my chapter president, Selma Stewart, in another environment.  (Somehow, Selma and I didn't really get to spend any real time around each other, but we did see each other, often, in passing!)

Yes, for me, being able to share this experience with people I "knew" was the best part of the deal.  Being somewhat of an introvert, I know that if these ladies hadn't been there, my experience would have been quite a different one.  But, our online connection gave me a comfort level with each of them, that made me feel as comfortable as if we'd been old friends, which made me want to socialize, more than I probably would have if I hadn't known anyone there.  So, thanks, ladies!  (Hopefully, you're reading this!) :)

Top left: Mavis & Renate; Top right: Angela, Toni, Mavis, Renate
Center-L-R: Dinah, Mavis' mom, Mavis, Renate
Bottom left: Toni, Renate; Bottom right: Taneya, Shelley, Renate

I'd like to publicly thank AAHGS for putting on a fabulous conference, and for allowing me the opportunity to be a part of it. I don't know if I can do it every year (yet), so Pittsburg 2014 is up in the air, for now.  However, 2015 brings the AAHGS National Conference to Richmond, VA, and my chapter (Hampton Roads) is sure to share in some of the work of hosting, so I know I'll be there!

Thanks for reading!

Renate

AAHGS 2013 National Conference - Day 3

Day 3 - October 12,2013 

     Whew!  I'm TIRED!  AAHGS has had us going from sun up to sun down, without a break (until now), but it's been fun!
     Today, I attended three great sessions.  I started the morning with the energetic, and enthusiastic presenter, Mr. Dwight Fryer, of Memphis, Tennessee.  In his talk, "Unlocking Memphis History An Inclusive Look at the Colorful History of Tennessee's Largest City",  Dwight told the story of the often overlooked impact of the contributions made by African-Americans to the history of Memphis. In his own entertaining way, he kept his audience interested and engaged, as he told us stories about how the first mayor of Memphis married a woman of (1/16th) color, and got run out of town, The Battle of Memphis, Yellow Fever taking over the city, and more.  This was a very enlightening session!

Dwight Fryer



     I stepped out during the question/answer portion of Mr. Fryer's session, so that I could slip in and hear a minute or two of the classes my genea-friend's Angela Walton-Raji, of My Ancestor's Name. The USCT Chronicle, and African Roots Podcast, and Taneya Koonce, of Taneya's Genealogy Blog.  Both of these knowledgeable ladies had packed rooms, with thoroughly engaged audiences.  I was in Angela's room long enough to take her picture, and hear her (as she shared the story of uncovering and discovering her Uncle Sephus) remind her audience that "Spelin doznt cownt!" :)  In Taneya's room, I stepped in just in time to hear her explaining the importance of finding the RSS ID numbers for web sites we wish to track.  She shared that she loves to use findmyfacebook.com, a site I wasn't even aware of!


                                              

Angela Walton-Raji

Taneya Koonce


    After this, we had a delicious lunch, followed by three more blocks of concurrent sessions (one hour, each).  First, I attended another Dwight Fryer session, "Unlocking Our Southern Mosaic: Examining A Family's Life Near Its Slavery Origins. Here, Fryer shared the processes he used to verify oral history from the lips of his family's 105 year-old matriarch about incidents that occurred during slavery. Next, I participated in the presentation, "Understanding African American Genealogical Patterns as Remnants of Slave Culture: Demographics, Family Dynamics, and Religious Practices", which was presented by Rev. Dr. Richard Gardiner and graduate student, Ms. Ceteria Richey. This session incorporated audience participation, in the reading of excerpts from the WPA (Former) Slave Narratives, and was followed by a very lively, and emotion-filled question/answer period, during which members of the audience directly challenged each other, and the presenters with impassioned arguments of their points. It was getting "hot" in there, but it was all in love, and we closed on a good note. :)
     My last session of the day was with Dr. Shelley Murphy, who was this time presenting on the topic, "Hitting the Genealogy Brick Walls & Challenges: The Search for Information about Joseph Brand Davis".  Shelley shared the research strategies she used to overcome "challenges" (not brick walls) she encountered while researching her ancestor, Joseph Brand Davis.  She identified common challenges, as well as those particular to African and Native American research.  Shelley suggested several useful strategies to researchers, such as listing what you know and don't know, keeping a checklist, having a map of the area you're researching, and most importantly, remembering to ALWAYS develop a plan! 
   After the third, afternoon session, we actually had a two-hour break before dinner, which is actually when I started writing this post.  However, fatigue took over, and I didn't get to finish it, until now (Sunday morning). The evening continued (after the break) with "Nashville's African American Music History Dinner and Award Presentations".  We were served another delicious meal, and were entertained by a young violinist and her brother, who sang for us. Then, our keynote speaker, Thomas Cain, took us back through Nashville's (Black) musical history, stopping to sing and play for us, as well as to share recordings from a very popular former radio station (which I neglected to write down the call numbers of), which were very entertaining.  AAHGS awards followed, with author Michael Henderson ("Got Proof! My Genealogical Journey Through the Use of Documentation") receiving the organization's highest honor, The James Dent Walker Award.  A very special Lifetime Achievement award was given posthumously to the founder of AAHGS, James Dent Walker, and was accepted by his wife.  The evening ended with a Cake Walk and Ball, which I decided not to attend, because I was sooooooo tired.
     So, that was Day 3 of my first genealogy conference.  It was a wonderful day of learning, sharing, meeting, greeting, and eating!  Today will be my last, here in Nashville.  I will recap my experience with one last post, later this evening. 

Thanks for reading!

Renate