Church Collaboration Puts Focus on African American Genealogy

African American genealogy experts united in Chicago, Illinois, on March 7 for a family history workshop aimed at promoting learning and building community ties.

More than 40 genealogy enthusiasts, most of them attending from outside The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, participated in classes and heard talks by experts from Chicago’s Newberry Library and the Afro-American Genealogical and Historical Society of Chicago.

The event was at a Church meetinghouse in the Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side.

The collaboration was the first of its kind in the area, combining the Church’s resources with those of the other entities to assist with a challenging but rewarding aspect of family history research: finding African American ancestors.

Before the 1870s, enslaved people were typically excluded from census records. In addition, tracing lineages in African American genealogy can be extra difficult due to family bonds being broken in the slave trade. Yet progress in finding relatives continues.

“It’s so gratifying to bring up a record on the computer with the name of an ancestor,” said Grace Dumelle, genealogy and local history assistant at the Newberry Library. “I helped an older woman one time who started crying when she saw a Hinds County, Mississippi, marriage record. ‘That’s my mother! That’s Lula Mae!’ I started getting teary-eyed myself.”

After the opening session, participants could choose beginner or advanced hands-on workshops led by Church family history experts. During lunch and in the halls, participants shared stories and tips.

“The luncheon had a fun vibe,” said Barbara Maloof, director of communications for the Chicago Illinois Stake, who organized the event. “Our visitors shared a wealth of experience regarding their families and genealogy.”

Chicago Illinois Stake President Scott Shurtliff added that local Church members were “thrilled” to welcome both organizations for a day of learning and networking.

“We appreciate the longstanding partnership and love of genealogy that we as a Church share with these two organizations,” said President Shurtliff, who also spoke at the event.

Dumelle said that continuing the collaboration between the Church, the library and the genealogical society is key. For instance, she said, the Newberry Library holds many publications authored by the Afro-American Genealogical and Historical Society of Chicago or its members, while Dumelle and her colleagues help people navigate the Church’s FamilySearch resources.

Additionally, the Newberry Library has a robust genealogy program, with an extensive collection of primary source material that includes postcards, photos and letters from Chicago but also from across the country.

“We all serve genealogists in different ways and help with the hunger to know one’s roots,” Dumelle said.

— Colleen Thomas is a media specialist for the Church’s communication council in Chicago, Illinois.

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