Harris-Stowe State University to Host African-American Genealogy Workshop

Harris-Stowe State University is hosting the second annual conference themed “Genealogy from Cradle to Grave: Researching the African-American Family over the Generations,” in conjunction with the St. Louis African-American History and Genealogy Society. The conference will be held Saturday, February 19, 8 am - 4 pm at Harris-Stowe State University’s William L. Clay, Sr. Early Childhood Development/Parenting Education Center, 10 North Compton Avenue.

The keynote speaker for the event is Deborah A. Abbott, Ph.D., a past-president of the African-American Genealogical Society in Cleveland, Ohio, and a retired professor of Counseling from Cuyahoga Community College. Dr. Abbott will address the crowd on “Leaving a Legacy: The Storytelling Imperative.” Workshop speakers include a number of renowned authorities on the topic including: Dr. Patricia Johnson, Dr. Diane Smoot, Dr. Robin Hanson, Dr. Shelia Johnson Smith, Susan Anderson, La Donna Garner, Janis Minor Forte, Michael Melendez, James A. Vincent, and Julius Crouch.

Topics to be covered during the day include: DNA Tests and African-Americans — Using Genetic Research to Identify the Undocumented Past; Making Family Connections Online; Beyond the Basics: Vital Records and Related; Health Interventions in Early Childhood: Preventing Chronic Diseases; One Record Leads to Another and Another; What’s New in Family Search; C.S.I. Cemetery Records; Using Nontraditional Sources to Identify and Trace Slave Ancestry; How to Get Kids Involved in Genealogy; Unlock Your Family’s Past, Be a Photo Detective; and Beginning Genealogy.

Registration fees are $40 for St. Louis AAHGS members, $45 for nonmembers, and $50 for day-of registration. To pay online or for additional information, please visit www.stl-aahgs.com.

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