"The Kentucky African American Civil War Soldiers Project"
The July 2021Third Saturday meeting of the AAGGKY will be held on 17 July 2021 at 1:00pm on Zoom. Dan Gediman, the executive director of Reckoning, Inc. will give a presentation about his organization’s latest initiative, the Kentucky African American Civil War Soldiers Project. The main goal of this project is to create a free searchable database of all 23,700 formerly enslaved men from Kentucky, who gained freedom for themselves and their families by enlisting in the Union Army.
Prior to 1870, enslaved people were rarely included in the US census or other official records, which makes it very difficult for their descendants to learn the identities and histories of their ancestors. However, there is a treasure trove of information about formerly enslaved soldiers from Kentucky in a set of ledger books, kept by the Union Army, which contains the names of their enslavers. Knowing the identity of the enslaver can lead to records that mention the soldier’s family members by name, which can provide a doorway back in time for researchers who are trying to find links to their ancestral families.
Gediman will present examples of stories and family connections for USCT soldiers he has already researched. He will also talk about a pilot project already underway this summer with help from AAGGKY volunteers.
Dan Gediman is a long-time public radio producer whose work has been heard on All Things Considered, Morning Edition, Marketplace, and This American Life. He has won many of public broadcasting’s most prestigious awards for his work. He is currently the executive producer and host of the radio and podcast series The Reckoning: Facing the Legacy of Slavery in America.
Register in advance for this Zoom meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYvc-6hpz8sEtZDiJCcC0iNvGos-VxlEEe0
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
As always, all meetings are open to all and there is no charge.
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"Following the footsteps of the French family from Kentucky to Chicago"
Our June presenter, Trina Michelle Robinson, told us on 19 June 2021 how she traced the migration of her maternal ancestors as they moved from bondage to freedom in the years before the Civil War. Their journey included getting an education in the early days of Berea College and success in Chicago soon after their migration. She also discussed how she uses different storytelling techniques to explore her ancestry to help her process all the information she has learned about her family.
Trina Michelle Robinson explores the relationship between memory and migration through film, sound, archival materials and text. Her work has been exhibited throughout the country and she told the story of exploring her ancestry with The Moth Mainstage .
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Early Frankfort’s Black Businesses, Buildings, and Big Time Operators”.
On15 May 2021, Russ Hatter, the "Story Keeper of Frankfort provided us with an account of the history of African American life in Kentucky's Capital City through past businesses, iconic buildings and citizens of note.. This was a fun and educational event for all Kentucky researchers.
After 40 years as a radio announcer, Russ Hatter quit the radio business to begin a new career as Assistant Curator of Historic Sites for the Parks and Recreation Department in Frankfort, Kentucky. He retired in 2013 and now works part-time at the museum in the research department.
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BRICK WALLS & RABBIT HOLES
17 April 2021 @ 1:00 pm EDT
Have you been butting your head against a brick wall?
This month the AAGGKY will be focusing on your personal brick walls. We will choose four questions and allot 20 minutes for group discussion and comment. To give us a head start, please submit your brick wall question by April 13th and we will include them in our meeting reminder notice.
BRICK WALL RULES
Submit ONE specific problem you need help with. Be prepared to give very brief (3-5 min) but detailed background information. Please include:
At our Third Saturday of February program on February 20, 2021, Shirl Marks guided us through 169 years of the history of Mountain Island in Owen County, Kentucky. Mountain Island was left to freed slaves by their former owner, James Herndon and six generations later, the descendants of those former slaves are seeking to preserve the ownership and history of the island. Shirl was joined by family members, who share in the effort to preserve their family history.
Shirl Marks is a Co-founder and charter member of the AAGGKY and is President and Founder of Stonetown Haven, a historic African American house and settlement in Stamping Ground, KY. .
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The July 2021Third Saturday meeting of the AAGGKY will be held on 17 July 2021 at 1:00pm on Zoom. Dan Gediman, the executive director of Reckoning, Inc. will give a presentation about his organization’s latest initiative, the Kentucky African American Civil War Soldiers Project. The main goal of this project is to create a free searchable database of all 23,700 formerly enslaved men from Kentucky, who gained freedom for themselves and their families by enlisting in the Union Army.
Prior to 1870, enslaved people were rarely included in the US census or other official records, which makes it very difficult for their descendants to learn the identities and histories of their ancestors. However, there is a treasure trove of information about formerly enslaved soldiers from Kentucky in a set of ledger books, kept by the Union Army, which contains the names of their enslavers. Knowing the identity of the enslaver can lead to records that mention the soldier’s family members by name, which can provide a doorway back in time for researchers who are trying to find links to their ancestral families.
Gediman will present examples of stories and family connections for USCT soldiers he has already researched. He will also talk about a pilot project already underway this summer with help from AAGGKY volunteers.
Dan Gediman is a long-time public radio producer whose work has been heard on All Things Considered, Morning Edition, Marketplace, and This American Life. He has won many of public broadcasting’s most prestigious awards for his work. He is currently the executive producer and host of the radio and podcast series The Reckoning: Facing the Legacy of Slavery in America.
Register in advance for this Zoom meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYvc-6hpz8sEtZDiJCcC0iNvGos-VxlEEe0
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
As always, all meetings are open to all and there is no charge.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
"Following the footsteps of the French family from Kentucky to Chicago"
Our June presenter, Trina Michelle Robinson, told us on 19 June 2021 how she traced the migration of her maternal ancestors as they moved from bondage to freedom in the years before the Civil War. Their journey included getting an education in the early days of Berea College and success in Chicago soon after their migration. She also discussed how she uses different storytelling techniques to explore her ancestry to help her process all the information she has learned about her family.
Trina Michelle Robinson explores the relationship between memory and migration through film, sound, archival materials and text. Her work has been exhibited throughout the country and she told the story of exploring her ancestry with The Moth Mainstage .
=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=
Early Frankfort’s Black Businesses, Buildings, and Big Time Operators”.
On15 May 2021, Russ Hatter, the "Story Keeper of Frankfort provided us with an account of the history of African American life in Kentucky's Capital City through past businesses, iconic buildings and citizens of note.. This was a fun and educational event for all Kentucky researchers.
After 40 years as a radio announcer, Russ Hatter quit the radio business to begin a new career as Assistant Curator of Historic Sites for the Parks and Recreation Department in Frankfort, Kentucky. He retired in 2013 and now works part-time at the museum in the research department.
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BRICK WALLS & RABBIT HOLES
17 April 2021 @ 1:00 pm EDT
Have you been butting your head against a brick wall?
This month the AAGGKY will be focusing on your personal brick walls. We will choose four questions and allot 20 minutes for group discussion and comment. To give us a head start, please submit your brick wall question by April 13th and we will include them in our meeting reminder notice.
BRICK WALL RULES
Submit ONE specific problem you need help with. Be prepared to give very brief (3-5 min) but detailed background information. Please include:
- Your name and contact information (phone/email)
- What is your specific problem; what are you trying to prove or disprove
- What is the date range
- What surname(s) are involved
- What region or area
- What type of document are you looking for
- Some places you have already searched
At our Third Saturday of February program on February 20, 2021, Shirl Marks guided us through 169 years of the history of Mountain Island in Owen County, Kentucky. Mountain Island was left to freed slaves by their former owner, James Herndon and six generations later, the descendants of those former slaves are seeking to preserve the ownership and history of the island. Shirl was joined by family members, who share in the effort to preserve their family history.
Shirl Marks is a Co-founder and charter member of the AAGGKY and is President and Founder of Stonetown Haven, a historic African American house and settlement in Stamping Ground, KY. .
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We celebrated our 10th Anniversary on January 16, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. Dr. Kathy Bullock presented the program "Singing in the Spirit: The African American Sacred Music Tradition". Our afternoon also included the installation of officers for 2021-2022 and a tribute to our Charter Members.
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NOW ACCEPTING ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS for 2021: $30 INDIVIDUALS - $50 ORGANIZATIONS
CHECK/MONEY ORDER: AAGGKY | P.O. BOX 1211 | FRANKFORT, KY 40602
PAYPAL: Click <Join Us!> above
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NOW ACCEPTING ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS for 2021: $30 INDIVIDUALS - $50 ORGANIZATIONS
CHECK/MONEY ORDER: AAGGKY | P.O. BOX 1211 | FRANKFORT, KY 40602
PAYPAL: Click <Join Us!> above
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Welcome to the web home of the
African American Genealogy Group of Kentucky!
Also known as AAGGKY or simply, "The Group," we are a not-for-profit organization formed in 2011 by several like-minded individuals interested in the preservation of African American history and heritage in the Bluegrass.
Are you interested in learning about United States Colored Troops, slave records, conducting oral histories, or planning family reunions? So are we. Share our passion. Share your stories. Browse our site to learn more about our organization, upcoming events, what we offer and how you can join.
Are you interested in learning about United States Colored Troops, slave records, conducting oral histories, or planning family reunions? So are we. Share our passion. Share your stories. Browse our site to learn more about our organization, upcoming events, what we offer and how you can join.
"I too am of the hills, my folks have corn rowed tobacco, laid track, strip mined, worshipped and whiskied from Harlan to Maysville, old Dunbar to Central...We put the heat in the hot brown and gave it color. Indeed some
of the bluegrass is black."
from Kentucke
by Frank X Walker
Poet Laureate of Kentucky 2013 - 2015
by Frank X Walker
Poet Laureate of Kentucky 2013 - 2015