Tag Archives: African American history

Genealogy Book Black Friday Sale!

We are thankful that you are a member of our genealogy family. To show our gratitude, the Good Genes Genealogy Services team is offering our November 2021 ebook, Family Ties That Bind, to you at a Black Friday 2022 rate. We are providing you with preview of the book. Please follow the link to ourContinue reading “Genealogy Book Black Friday Sale!”

All set: Precious finds from our grandmother’s China set collection

There are many ways to learn of our ancestor’s good taste in fine things. The Good Genes Genealogy team — First Cousins Ann Wead Kimbrough and Mark Owen — are fortunate that our grandmother, “Mama” Helen Wilkes Owen Douthy, was a collector of fine items, including china settings. Mama Helen always found discreet ways toContinue reading “All set: Precious finds from our grandmother’s China set collection”

White Cane Day: Seeing ways to celebrate visually impaired ancestors

In our family, we are aware of at least two relatives — one is an ancestor — who were and are visually impaired. In our lineage, Great Aunt Ada Chitwood Wilkes, became blind during our Grandmother Helen Wilkes Owen Douthy’s youth. The other visually impaired — fully blind — relative is John Charles Kimbrough, 36,Continue reading “White Cane Day: Seeing ways to celebrate visually impaired ancestors”

Laboring Days for Black Americans: The story behind the September holiday

It’s’ Labor Day. The “celebration” is a U.S. holiday and has been dubbed the unofficial closing of summer. There are many layers to the meaning of Labor Day for Black folk. Here is an excerpt from the ebook, “Black Laboring Days,” Copyright © 2021 by Ann Wead Kimbrough, Mark Owen Chapter FourLabor Day and BlackContinue reading “Laboring Days for Black Americans: The story behind the September holiday”

FREEBIE FRIDAY!

Join this listing, especially if you know the names of your families’ enslavers. Even if you are like us and have not confirmed those names, join the ones who have located this part of their legacies. https://beyondkin.org/enslaved-populations-research-directory/?s=09

Closing the Month of Sankofa with Ancestral Prayer and Healing

On a warm Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022, Hillside’s Presiding Bishop Dr. Jack L. Bomar, led the sacred, community “Ancestral Prayer” ceremony. It included drumming that girded the rhymical and ancestral honoring blessings with the pouring of libations by Hillside member Sharon A. Smith. Today, she said, “I am the High Priestess” while acknowledging the oldestContinue reading “Closing the Month of Sankofa with Ancestral Prayer and Healing”

Freebie Friday!

I am taking a different narrative to receiving tips on where to find freebies to aid in genealogy research: Let’s freely give back a gratitude of thanks to a man who quietly helped a cherished civil rights favorite. Rosa Parks would have been a 109 years old this month. Mike Ilitch transitioned two years ago.

Our Creative, Progressive Ancestor: Mama Helen

To summarize my maternal grandmother’s life: She did the most. In the winter months during 1963, my Maternal Grandmother, Helen Mary Wilkes (and also spelled Wilks), was donning a thinly clad garment and acting in the Greek tragedy, “Antigone.” That in of itself is nothing spectacular. That is, except that “Mama Helen” (as were toldContinue reading “Our Creative, Progressive Ancestor: Mama Helen”