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Latter-day Saint Jon Dionne (to the right in the white shirt) explains the value of knowing your ancestors and studying family history at the African American Heritage Festival in Manassas, Virginia, on August 5, 2023. Photo by Ryan Mao, Mighty Mao Photography, courtesy of Church News.All rights reserved.This story appears here courtesy of TheChurchNews.com. It is not for use by other media.
By Trent Toone, Church News
More than 4,000 people, including 100 exhibitors, gathered for the 30th African American Heritage Festival, a large event celebrating the diversity of African American culture, in Manassas, Virginia, on August 5.
Among the throng was a FamilySearch booth hosted by members of the Gainesville Virginia Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Volunteers from the stake acted as greeters in front of the booth, engaging those who passed by and answering questions.
Inside the booth, people met with computer-ready family history consultants and other volunteers, including youth, who helped individuals set up free accounts or extend family lines.
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Latter-day Saint Jennifer Georgia, left, and her daughter Melissa Georgia, seated, assist a visitor in navigating FamilySearch for the first time at the African American Heritage Festival in Manassas, Virginia, on August 5, 2023. Photo by Kisha Sogunro, courtesy of Church News.All rights reserved.Joann Bagnerise, a prominent member of the community, was impressed by the FamilySearch booth and its volunteers. Bagnerise is the recipient of several awards, including the 2012 President’s Volunteer Service Award from President Barack Obama and the Distinguished Service Award from the NAACP.
“What a wonderful way to connect with the ancestors,” Bagnerise said. “To see young people being involved makes me hopeful for the future of our communities. Doing genealogy has a way of helping us understand who we are.”
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Latter-day Saint Valerie Payne (seated) speaks with a visitor to the FamilySearch booth at the African American Heritage Festival in Manassas, Virginia, on August 5, 2023. Photo by Kisha Sogunro, courtesy of Church News.All rights reserved.Jennifer Georgia, a member of the Haymarket Ward, met a genealogist with a FamilySearch account who wanted to know more about using the Freedmens’ Bureau records. Georgia provided a short overview of the records and other related FamilySearch resources. She examined his family tree and helped the man track down ancestral names and records he had been searching for to extend his family line — all in a matter of minutes.
“He was beyond thrilled and wants to come to a local FamilySearch Center for more help,” Georgia said.
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Latter-day Saint Jon Dionne (left) shakes hands with Joann Bagnerise at the African American Heritage Festival in Manassas, Virginia, on August 5, 2023. Photo by Kisha Sogunro, courtesy of Church News.All rights reserved.Jon Dionne, a member of the Gainesville Ward and a key promoter of the exhibit, called the event a success and thanked the volunteers who participated.
“Thank you all for kindly working with others to help them find their family, for greeting, welcoming and broadening friendships and relationships,” he said in a news release. “We may search for our own family tree, but they are branches to one all-encompassing family tree.”
Since the event, the FamilySearch exhibit has been invited to participate in several future events, including:
- The 2024 African American Heritage Festival
- The Town of Marshall, Virginia, 225th Celebration
- The Town of Dumfries, Virginia, 275th birthday celebration
Learn more about FamilySearch at familysearch.org.
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