You are Invited Jamestown's African American Genealogy Workshop on May 14th, 2022

Hey! I just wanted you to know Jamestown is sponsoring their African American Genealogy Workshop this year at Francis Marion University in Florence, South Carolina. You can either come and be with everyone else, or you can enjoy the presenters from the comfort of your own home.

All are invited particularly folks with ancestors from South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia. We are expecting our friends from the Gullah Geechee Corridor to also be there.

Those presenting will be:

Shannon Christmas a DNA Expert and Blogger at Through the Trees

Brain Gandy the Director of Darlington County Historical Commission & Museum - “Researching at Darlington County Historical Commission & Museum (DCHC&M)” - He will discuss the new museum addition, including some of the permanent exhibits, examples of information they have in their archives, and how to research that information.

Janice Cross-Gilyard the President of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society - New Jersey Chapter (AAGS - NJ)

Robin R. Foster the Owner of Genealogy Just Ask, LLC - "Digging Deeper into Records Which May Make Grandma Clam Up" - "We will go through records and resources that are very hard for you and your family to process. We will include records and resources from Florence, Darlington, Marion Counties with a few from other counties inside and outside South Carolina."

Steve D. Tuttle of SCDAH - "Sources for African American Genealogical Research at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History" - "I will be speaking about the pre-emancipation and post-emancipation records that we have described on our website (https://scdah.sc.gov/research-and-genealogy/resources/african-american-genealogy)."

You have a great line up! Come with your questions.

Any questions about the event email Terry James at jamest955@att.net

To pay:

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Put in $20.00 (plus $15.00 if you want t-shirt) Let Terry know if you want Zoom or in-person. If in-person, pay by April 16th.
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A Little More about Presenters

Shannon Christmas

Named an “essential blog for genetic genealogy education” by the Board of Certification for Genealogists, Through The Trees is a blog for genealogy enthusiasts seeking to locate and leverage new tools and emerging technologies to break through genealogical brick walls.

The blog’s author, Shannon Christmas, a genetic genealogy influencer, educator, practitioner, and thought leader featured on BBC, NPR, Radio Sweden, and The Atlantic, finds family as a Research Manager for Ancestry’s research arm, AncestryProGenealogists. A professional genealogist and biological family reunification specialist with over a decade of experience and deep roots in Virginia and The Carolinas, Shannon employs expertise in genetic genealogy, adoption/unknown parentage research, kinship determination, colonial American and African American genealogy to identify genetic ancestors (including unknown parents), solve genealogical mysteries, and facilitate the development of lineage society DNA evidence policies. Shannon’s technology consulting background informs his work advising direct-to-consumer DNA testing and genealogy technology firms on product development.

A former 23andMe Ancestry Ambassador and Ancestry.com Ace, Shannon Christmas manages The Captain Thomas Graves of Jamestown Autosomal DNA Project and serves as a co-administrator of The Hemings-Jefferson-Wayles-Eppes Autosomal DNA Project and The Macon DNA Project. A genetic genealogy instructor on the faculty of The Midwest African American Genealogy Institute, Shannon has a special interest in harnessing the power of autosomal DNA to verify and extend pedigrees, investigate oral history, and reconstruct ancestral genomes.

Routinely invited to lecture at international genealogy conferences, Shannon Christmas was one of a select few genetic genealogists invited to participate in the American Society of Human Genetics’ Roundtable on Genetic Ancestry Inference. Shannon was tapped to investigate the genetic lineage of Governor Lawrence Douglas Wilder of Virginia and presented his findings at The 2015 Afro-American Genealogical and Historical Society’s National Conference in Richmond, Virginia. In the past, Shannon Christmas has received invitations to lecture on genetic genealogy at Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage, James Madison’s Montpelier, Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, George Washington’s Mount Vernon, The White House, and The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

A certified product manager, Shannon has a Bachelor of Arts in Government from Harvard University and a Masters in City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Brian Gandy

Janice Cross-Gilyard

Janice Cross-Gilyard joined the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society – New Jersey Chapter (AAHGS-NJ) in 2016 and served as Vice President and is currently serving her second term as President. She is the Editor of the Family Times Newsletter, and Programming Coordinator. Janice is also a proud member of Sons & Daughters of the United States Middle Passage.

As a Genealogist and Family Historian, Janice has conducted her family research for the past 25 years and documented her family’s history back to 1720. She is proud of her ancestors, which include farmers, educators (two founded universities), abolitionists, mariners, midwives, and pastors.

She has made numerous genealogy presentations at genealogical and lineage societies, churches, libraries, universities, and she has presented for Family Search during their RootsTech conferences.

In September, she became Host along with Co-Host, Cherekana Feliciano of the weekly podcast, Speak On It! History & Genealogy Conversations with Janice & Cherekana.

Her professional experience includes over 20 years in Public Relations providing various consulting services for several Fortune 500 companies.

Robin R. Foster

In 1985, I learned how to be successful at finding my own ancestors with the assistance of the spirit. Later, I combined that knowledge with the knowledge of how to successfully create social media groups for the purpose of answering genealogical questions.

I was a FamilySearch Missionary (2007-2014). Putting forth a great pioneering effort to share my knowledge on social platforms not originally used to disseminate genealogical information, I was selected as Family Tree Magazine's "Social Media Mavericks: 40 to Follow" in 2014.

I work to assist patrons of all colors with their ancestry. I am the co-founder and owner of Genealogy Just Ask at www.genealogyjustask.com (main Facebook Group with over 64,000 members).

I am a member of the South Carolina Genealogical Society - Columbia Chapter. I am a member of Anson County Historical Society, in Wadesboro, North Carolina (www.ansonhistoricalsociety.org). On February 28, 2015, and 2018, and February 2021, I presented at the Wisconsin Black Historical Society. I served as a volunteer at the Lawrence Local History and Genealogy Room of the Greenwood County Library, and the Greenwood, SC Family History Center director.

On February 1, 2020, I presented "Easily Finding My Union County, SC African American Ancestors" for Rose Hill Plantation, in Union, South Carolina. In October 2020, I presented "Genealogy Tips from a Pinterest Social Media Maverick" to the Milwaukee County Genealogy Society.

As of December 2020, I am actively compiling the research and history of Ervin James at Jamestown in Florence County, South Carolina on behalf of Jamestown Foundation. In March 2021, I presented "How I Found My 3rd Great Grandmother" to the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, Inc. New Jersey Chapter.

I taught "Researching on FamilySearch.org" for the Grand Strand Genealogy Club of Myrtle Beach, SC on April 10, 2021. On November 9, 2021, I authored the book, "My Best Genealogy Tips: Quick Keys to Research Ancestry" (https://amzn.to/3KlOmLm). That led to two great book reviews: https://bit.ly/32azhuS and https://ginaraemitchell.com/my-best-genealogy-tips.

Using Microsoft Teams, I presented "African American Genealogy: How to Start" for one of Merck’s Employee Business Resource Groups (EBRG), the League of Employees of African Descent on 16 February 2022. I also participated in the "Charlotte Observer" event, “Tracing Black roots: The process, challenges and emotional journey of exploring ancestry," held on February 24, 2022 (https://bit.ly/3HF4fK6).

Steve D. Tuttle

Steven D. Tuttle has worked at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History since 1984 and is

currently Deputy Director for Archives and Records Management.

He has a bachelor's degree in history from the University of North Carolina at Asheville (1981) and a master's degree in library and information science from the University of South Carolina (1992).

Steve is the author of two publications, Census Records at the Archives and African American Genealogical Research.