AAHGS 40th Annual Conference! Day 2

Day two of the 40^th Annual AAHGS Conference started with Ancestral Libation which is an African tradition of pouring of a liquid in memory of the dead.  Before the Ancestral Libation, Sister Martha led the attendees in the song "Remember Me" in honor of our deceased ancestors.  Then the plenary session speaker was Paul Heinegg.  He spoke about how he researched the family histories of most free African American families in North Carolina and Virginia during the colonial period.  You can read more about his work at http://freeafricanamericans.com.

Today had offered a total of 16 one-hour sessions.  Sessions topics included: DNA, Research Methodology, Genealogy Proof Standard, the Founding of AAHGS, BCG Certification, and Researching Enslaved Ancestors.  Some of the presenters were AAHGS Founder, Dr. Elizabeth Clark-Lewis; Dr. Shelley Murphy; Shannon Christmas; Leslie Anderson; Thom Reed; LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson; and Sherri Camp.

The luncheon speaker was Dr. Karsonya Wise-Whitehead.  Her subject was "400 Years of Black History: We Will March On ‘Til Victory is Won".  She spoke about stories that she gathered for her book, "I Speak for the Unforgotten", about black people in Baltimore – the Black Butterfly.  Also, during the luncheon was a panel discussion with the 2019 International AAHGS Book award Winners.

Today was a day of fellowship, learning, and celebrating genealogy and history.  Everywhere I turned there were groups of people sharing stories, laughing, and embracing.  It was really like one big family reunion.  Attendees were able to reconnect with each other, meet people from social media, and make new genealogy buddies.  Today was a busy day with all the sessions offered, the vendors being available, and the author’s luncheon.  It’s days like this when I see the joy that this organization brings to people that makes me so proud to be a member.

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Written by

Trisha Mays-Cummings

AAHGS Member and Blogger