Dr. Ann Wead Kimbrough
Good Genes Genealogist
Unlocking the Mysteries of your Family’s History
Our genealogy traces our family from western and central Africa and western Europe. Our ancestors entered the United States at the Virginia and Georgia Ports. First cousins Mark Owen and Ann Lineve Wead (it is protocol to use the maiden names of females in genealogy searches) are responsible for writing this blog. Although Ann has been involved in genealogy research while searching for certain ancestors since the age of 10, the cousins began deeper research of their families during the COVID-19 Pandemic Year of 2020. Devoting as much as 6 hours some evenings to the methodical training and research of genealogy, the cousins completed the year 2020 by earning genealogy certificates.
Featured Videos
Roots Revealed
Stories of Geanological Discovery
A captivating series brought to you by Good Genes Genealogy, where we embark on an extraordinary exploration of the rich tapestry of history and genealogy within the Hillside Truth Center family. Join us as we uncover fascinating stories and unveil hidden connections, shining a light on the remarkable journeys of our ancestors.
Juneteenth :
The Path to Progress and Equality
Through the voices of Galveston’s BOI’s and historians, the video ensures that the lessons of Juneteenth remain vibrant and relevant, inspiring viewers to reflect on the past and engage in the ongoing fight for a more equitable future.
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https://youtu.be/3zKdn9X6nfshttps://youtu.be/Lv9tno6o4vM?si=AHFN289YrW6LxwOw
GGGS Blog
Helping you discover your treasured African American & Afro Caribbean/Diasporan ancestry.
Unlock Hidden Family History Gems with these Free Genealogy Resources in Libraries
Discover a treasure trove of free resources for genealogy enthusiasts with our latest WordPress post. From printable family tree templates to online databases and tools, unlock the key to tracing your family history and uncovering valuable information. With a diverse range of offerings and user-friendly interface, this guide is perfect for all levels of researchers. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your genealogy journey and get started for free today!
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Decoration Day, May 1, 1865: Nation’s first Memorial Day
Happy Decoration Day! The Good Genes Genealogy team remembers when our Maternal Great Grandmother Edna Robinson would rise early in Omaha, Nebraska with family members so that they would be the first at the cemetery to clean and decorate the humble grave markers. On both sides of my family, we visited the relatives who were buried primarily in Omaha’s Forest Lawn Cemetery. It was a solemn time, yet a memorable time for me as a child. Many family members who transitioned before Aunt Beverly had humble grave markers that were reminiscent of the enslaved grave markers of rocks or humble […]
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Unlock Your Family History: Free Genealogy and Ancestry Finds
Uncover your family’s past with free genealogy and ancestry resources. Discover your roots and unlock the secrets of your family history through online databases and websites. Start your journey today.
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Uncovering Family History: Tracing Ancestors via U.S. Government Photos
Embark on a journey through time as you uncover family history with the help of U.S. government photos. From bustling city streets to rural country landscapes, discover the visual narrative of your ancestors’ lives.
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Uncovering the History of Dallas’ Freedmen’s Cemetery
The history of Dallas’ Freedmen’s Cemetery dates back to the Reconstruction Era, serving as a final resting place for formerly enslaved individuals. Recent excavation efforts aim to uncover and preserve this crucial piece of history for future generations.
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Unlocking Your Family’s Past: A Beginner’s Guide to Ancestry Research
Discovering and exploring your ancestry can be a fascinating and meaningful journey. In our latest WordPress post, we provide novice genealogists with the essential tools and tips to get started in ancestry research. From navigating through online databases to organizing family information, we uncover the key elements for a successful quest into your family’s past. As we highlight the advantages of tracing your roots, we also showcase the distinctive qualities that make ancestry research a fulfilling and rewarding experience. Unlock your family’s history and begin your journey today with our comprehensive guide on how to get started in ancestry research. Uncover your family’s past and trace your roots with ease – learn how to kickstart your journey in ancestry research with WordPress. From building your family tree to finding historical records, this post offers practical tips and essential tools to help you dive into your genealogy. Unlock a wealth of information and connections, and embark on a fascinating quest to discover your identity and heritage. Don’t miss out on this must-read guide for all those curious about their family history.
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Genealogy Group Think: It works
Initiating a genealogy group is an awesome endeavor. On Sunday, March 10, 2024, it happened at my home church, Hillside International Truth Center. I expected about 25 persons; we more than doubled that number. We had a common interest: To explore and gain ground in learning our collective and individual family histories. The majority of Atlanta’s Hillside International Truth Center’s congregants are African American. That’s why the forming of our monthly in-person gatherings to share and learn more about how to effectively locate our ancestral loved ones, is vitally important since African Diaspora family history researchers experience the greatest hurdles […]
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Keep digging: Finding African Diaspora genealogy stories in Mexico
Today’s freebie is straightforward: Keep researching your ancestry in all regions of the world. Around the globe, the remnants of African Diasporan appear in most cultures. In this quick installment, see the results of the African American slaves finding safety in Mexico. Keep digging and learn of the great Gaspar Yanga. A huge statue in Vera Cruz, Mexico, is dedicated to the “Primer Libertador de America or “first liberator of the Americas,” (1545 – 1618) who led one of the first successful slave revolts in colonial Mexico. For years he negotiated with Spain on eleven points, including the ability to establish […]
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How to begin your ancestry/family history research
For many, the question of where to begin the hunt for their ancestors, is huge. Here are a few of the questions and comments the Good Genes Genealogy Services (GGGS) team receives from our prospective and new clients: I am adopted and I don’t know anything about my birth family. I don’t know my mother’s maiden name. I don’t know my Dad or his family. Since the U.S. Census doesn’t have any official records about Black people until 1870 and even that is incomplete, how am I supposed to trace my family back to their arrival in the United States? […]
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Genealogy humor
Floridians and nearby genealogy researchers: Meet up in Lake County
This wonderful event is from the Wilson Griot Legacy site: WILSON GRIOT LEGACY The Wilson Griot Legacy is a modern enterprise to create new sacred storytelling to unravel information inherent in our genealogical past. RESEARCHING BLACK FAMILY HISTORY Posted byWILSON GRIOT LEGACYSeptember 9, 2023Posted inUncategorized I will be joining with the Kinseekers Genealogical Society of Lake County, Florida in conjunction with the Leesburg Public Library in a special event on Saturday, September 23, 2023. Both in-person and virtual event: Saturday, 23 September 2023 9:45am – 3:30pm EST Informal meet ‘n greet at 9:30am EST. Event is free & open to all!! Advertisement Presented by Kinseekers Genealogical Society and the Leesburg […]
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Freebie Friday!
Middle Peninsula genealogy group to host virtual talk ‘Tracing Our Ancestors’ | Richmond Free Press m.richmondfreepress.com Historian and genealogist Karice Luck-Brimmer will discuss “Tracing Our Ancestors’ Footprints” and how Black people can reclaim their heritage during a virtual meeting of the Middle Peninsula African-American Genealogical and Historical Society on Saturday at 11 a.m. Ms. Luck-Brimmer also will discuss her role in tracing the ancestry of Air Force veteran Fred Miller. In 2020, Mr. Miller purchased an 1850s-era Gothic Revival-style house near his childhood home in Pittsylvania County. He wanted a large space to host gatherings for his extended family. In […]
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Babysitting for a song
Working in the Right Place, Right time Eva Narcissus Boyd was a teenager who was a babysitter to the young child of the Brill Building songwriters Carole King and Gerry Goffin. They heard her sing and also loved her dancing. “Little Eva” was asked by the team to sing a demo of their anticipated song for Dee Dee Sharp. Eva was so good that King and Goffin decided to release her first song, “The Loco-Motion,” and it became a #1 pop hit and sold a million copies in 1962. She ended her nanny career and became a singer. Sadly, her […]
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“Testimony against slavery”
Every tone {of the songs of the enslaved} was a testimony against slavery, and a prayer to God for deliverance from chains.” Frederick Douglas, abolitionist, activist, and author, from “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (1845).
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Remembering sports ancestors who broke color barriers and overcame hate
Often, reviewing the hatred and violence suffered by African American ancestors, are tough matters to endure and often neglected in history books. Yet, the examples of persevering despite the sad circumstances, can spur on genealogy and ancestry researchers to compare and contrast the past with today’s societal practices. Good Genes Genealogy Tip: Interview your family members about their sports histories. Some may share the good and also the unhappy times that they or their parents may have endured. Learn how they survived the taunts and personal risks to their families and themselves. Overcomer Robinson He broke the color barrier in […]
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Mental health remedies found in researching ancestors
For many years, the Good Genes Genealogy team — Mark and Ann Lineve — did not know much about the man pictured above, our maternal Grandfather Eugene Gibson Owen, Jr. The short story is that Grandpa Owen moved away from the Midwest city and state, Omaha, Nebraska, when our mothers — Lyla and Angeline — were small children in the 1940s. The stories that were whispered around the family was that Grandpa Owen followed his desire to be discovered by Hollywood executives and become a music and movie star. In 1982, Ann traveled to Los Angeles, California to locate her […]
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Linking today’s events with those of our ancestors
Tips on how you can break down brick walls By now, many of us who are searching for answers to the mysteries of our African Diasporan ancestors have found that the routes to getting research are often nontraditional. Consider another avenue to hopefully find your ancestors. Tap into your imagination, natural instincts and recall the stories you’ve heard to search for clues about your ancestors’ journeys. Hopefully, you will find a new detail to help break through those brick walls. Look for ancestors in someone else’s life If your ancestors worked at the Ford Motor Co. in the 1960s in […]
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Sad, yet necessary sources for African American ancestry researchers
The last place many African Diaspora ancestors want to research is through the study of slave sales. The writing and imagery are sadly powerful in the historical accounts of financial transactions and public spectacles involving slaves. Yet, the mostly oddly written newspaper advertisements and posters, often offer great clues to African American, Caribbean American, Native American and European Blacks’ genealogy and ancestry links. The best clues to tear down the “brick wall” research are found in the names on the ads by the slave owners. Their imprints are often with first and surnames and identities of their family members who […]
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Thoughts on slavery — 1854 or 2023?
There is an active U.S. discussion about whether African Americans benefited from the horrific ills of bondage and slavery. A Florida governor who is a candidate for the Republican Party’s 2024 nomination for U.S. president is proudly touting such in his state education’s rewriting of history. His appointees are doubling down on the claim that there were productive, career benefits from the skills utilized by African Americans who were enslaved. This newspaper clipping from a century+ ago is among the documents that mirror today’s comments from proponents of the rewritten history that slavery benefited African Americans. To all ancestry researchers, […]
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How to find your ancestors in historical newspaper articles
Breaking through brick walls to learn more about your African American ancestors The tall dude to the right of the protest sign is Sampson Luster Wead, the paternal grandfather of Ann Lineve Wead Kimbrough of Good Genes Genealogy Service. It is from Ann Lineve’s perspective that this blog is written about a man born on July 2, 1904 in Helena, Arkansas. This picture appeared in the Omaha World-Herald newspaper on July 31, 1953. It included other photos including the one below that accompanied an article about the successful boycotting of a popular ice cream shop due to its blatant discriminatory […]
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“What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”
Abolitionist Frederick Douglass’s priceless speech on July 5, 1852 as depicted by James Earl Jones He was photographed more than Mark Twain and President Abraham Lincoln. He was born a slave and gained freedom, the skills of reading and writing, became a journalist, photographer, orator, author, abolitionist, father, husband and so much more. With his earned standing in the United States and worldwide abolitionist movement, Frederick Douglass’s words are heeded then and today. Happy Fourth of July to all. Celebrate it by hearing the sobering and engaging words of Frederick Douglass through the voice of famed, award-winning Actor James Earl […]
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Ice cold tips on how to research your ancestors
It’s hot outside. It makes one wonder just how they kept cool in those summers. Here’s a post to help you remember and research.
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We were asked to share this great news
‘Reconstructing the Black Archive’ Aims to Create a More Complete Picture of History in South Carolina 29 Jun 2023 9:22 AMAnonymous Twenty-four scholars from across the country will spend three weeks in South Carolina, learning how to teach and tell a more complete picture of American history, thanks to a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. “Reconstructing the Black Archive,” a summer institute run by Furman University and Clemson University, will send the scholars, most of whom teach undergraduate students, into churches, historical associations, museums and other sources to learn to recover missing, often intentionally buried, histories. “These are vibrant […]
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Freebie Friday: Genealogy and ancestry courses for your research weekend
We love freebies, especially when it helps our genealogy and ancestry pursuits. Here are a few great free workshops, seminars and other events: Always consult your government sources for free genealogy and ancestry help. After all, if you pay taxes, you’ve paid for these great services. Here’s one of my favorite, basic sites. The details are great refreshers for many of us. For the newbies to the vast research involved in tracing our ancestors, this U.S. National Archives site is terrific, albeit it appears to be complicated. Happy hunting!
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Freebie Friday: How your ancestors can get you a passport without a U.S. birth certificate
That “old” family Bible with authentic inscriptions about births, deaths and other life events such as weddings and baptisms, will serve you well if you are seeking to get a passport yet do not have a birth certificate. This Freebie Friday tip and more is available on the Good Genes Genealogy social media and our website by the same name. Go to our “Dig a Little Deeper” broadcast site.
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Part Two: The rest of the short story about the U.S. freedom order in Texas
Editor’s note: The first part of this blog was published on the Good Genes Genealogy sites two days ago. Here is the rest of the preview of our upcoming Juneteenth audiobook. General Granger was assigned a difficult task that became worse for him after delivering the freedom message in Texas. According to historians, General Granger “became extremely unpopular among many whites in the state of Texas. He was blackballed and ostracized by many Whites, so much so, that after only six months in command of the Department of Texas, Granger was relieved of his command on August 6, 1865. On […]
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Texas and the origins of Juneteenth
The word came through an in-person delivered order from the United States Government on June 19, 1865 Years before the state of Texas received official notification that its enslaved people were free due to the U.S. Emancipation Proclamation, all other rebellious Confederate states complied with the presidential order. The in-person announcement from U.S. Brigadier General Gordon Granger in Galveston, Texas, came on June 19, 1865. A month earlier, Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith, commander of the Trans-Mississippi division, surrendered on May 26, 1865. Days later, on June 2, 1865, General Smith officially laid down his arms at Galveston. He immediately […]
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In honor of Juneteenth: Pick up an e-book to learn about the other “first” Black holiday
Our first e-book about African American historical and ancestry achievements, is highlighted with lively research about Juneteenth and August First. In honor of this year’s celebration of the nation’s official holiday, Juneteenth, pick up a copy from your favorite online store. “The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection therefore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired laborer.” – U.S. Brigadier General Gordon Granger, […]
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Little known 1930s, “landmark” program aided Native Americans and U.S. environment
A special, free presentation by the National Archives on May 31, 2023, will highlight a little known program that involved 3 million Native American men who were hired by the United States government to preserve the nation’s natural resources. Known first as the Indian Emergency Conservation Work (IECW) program, and later named the Civilian Conservation Corps Indian Division (CCC-ID), it was part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s massive jobs creation initiative. For genealogists researching their Native American heritage, the records kept by the CCC-ID are tough to assemble because the tribes/nations of Native American were responsible for the record-keeping. The […]
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Consumers interest in genealogy/ancestry research reaches epic proportion
The global direct-to-consumer laboratory testing market projected annual growth is double-digit through 2030 If there is any doubt that genealogy/ancestry research is capturing the world’s attention, especially, take a look at the latest data collection regarding consumer-requested testing for DNA. The global, direct-to-consumer (DTC) lab testing market is projected to reach $7.92 billion by 2030, growing at an annual rate of 10.9 percent, according to ResearchandMarketing.com. In 2023, the ancestry/genealogy segment is expected to account for the largest share of the global direct-to-consumer genetic testing market. Factors such as increased consumer interest & curiosity regarding ancestry, technological advancements to make […]
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Freebie Friday for Genealogy Hunters
Back by popular requests, we’re offering genealogy and ancestry seekers will find the following freebies to delve into:
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In honor of our ancestral Mother’s Days
In the words of our family’s maternal matriarch, the late Lou Edna Wilks Robinson, “every day is Mother’s Day.” Born in 1892 as the oldest daughter born in Springfield, Greene County, Missouri, to Melissa Catherine Gray and Robert Wilkes, our “Grandma Robinson” was the glue that kept our family together. We’ve often wondered how our ancestral mothers were able to accomplish so much in their lives. Except for Grandma Robinson’s birth to two children, including our maternal grandmother, Mary Helen Wilks Owen Douthy, most mothers ‘in her day’ bore several children. Midwives brought babies, especially those of African American heritage, […]
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A bit of ancestry humor … and truth!
It’s global DNA Day! April 25, 2023
Free workshops, webinars and other sources of information are offered. We’ve listed several activities. It’s official name is Deoxyribonucleic acid and that is why it is shortened to DNA to describe “a self-replicating material that is present in nearly all living organisms as the main constituent of chromosomes. It is the carrier of genetic information.” Genealogists often refer to DNA as putting the “gene” back in genealogy. The Good Genes Genealogy team (Maternal first cousins Mark Owen and Ann Wead Kimbrough) is DNA tested. We are not scientists who can provide you with the details on how the genetic makeup is […]
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The U.S. slave population in 1860
This is an official United States government record.
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Our ancestors words of wisdom remain relevant today …
From our companion blog: How DNA helped me to hit “jackpot” in genealogy research
Changing the world through the unsung missions of Black midwives
About 80 miles southeast of Atlanta, Georgia, lies Greene County. In Greene County, Georgia as it was in Greene County, Missouri, and across the nation, Black women midwives were and still are highly regarded. It was widely proved that midwives saved lives — babies and their mothers. They birthed presidents, preachers, teachers and several family members who will attest to their value in caring for mothers in many communities where healthcare facilities were miles away or nonexistent. The worth of midwives is especially highlighted in recent data that was shored up with the release of 2021 data by the Centers […]
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Genealogy Find: Original Beat Box(es)
Check out the oriiginal human beat box group. Their vocal moves are amazing. One of the benefits of researching our ancestors is the “find.” In this case, find is pure gold through the super talented siblings who set the human “beat box” standards. They are the Mills Brothers. While combing through the online ancestry files of the Good Genes Genealogy Services’ grandfather, Eugene Owen, Jr., this remembrance was round. Our grandfather left Omaha, Nebraska for Los Angeles, Calif. to pursue his dream of becoming a Mills Brother-like entertainer. It was the 1940s and he left a family behind in Omaha, […]
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Enslaved Africans warded off evil spirits with “Haint Blue” house color
The tradition continued with Gullah Geechees Look up the next time you walk up to Southern homes, especially those along the Atlantic Coast in South Carolina and Georgia. On the exterior undersides and interiors, you will likely find the unique color of “Haint Blue” on those structures. The long-forgotten history of haint — another word for evil spirits — began 300+ years ago. That is when Atlantic coastline Gullah Geechees who represented free or runaway African American slaves, painted their porch ceilings with the faint blue-green dye. It was intended to stave off evil spirits, ghosts and any potential hauntings. […]
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Finding genealogy linkages through Depression-era photographs
Wading through the thousands of files in the Library of Congress, this one stood out because it is the housing projects where my father, Dr. Rodney S. Wead, lived while boy growing up in Omaha, Nebraska. We don’t know the man and young people in the picture. It was taken three years after Wead was born; his family had not moved into the housing development. In fact, Wead said that they were delighted when they moved into the Logan Fontanelle Housing facility because it was a “big step up” from their impoverished housing a few blocks away in a crowded […]
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“Colored” farmer finds gold worth $604,000+ today
Colored farmer find $16,000 buried in land in 1897 Today, its valued at $604,429.88. Always keep searching for your ancestors and their stories. Here’s one about someone’s “colored” ancestor, D.H. Johnson, who was farming in February 1897. He hit hard ground while plowing a field near Hogansville, GA. He kept removing the layers of stone until he located what was estimated to be $16,000 in coins, including some from foreign soil. Today, that would amount to approximately $600,000 according to government calculations. (See above for new estimate). According to this newspaper clipping, Johnson placed the money in the bank. “…the […]
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Reactions to discovering our roots
Celebrity Activist shocked with her “Mayflower” ancestors while Canadian celebrates his Black ancestors We are all connected. Ongoing findings among the skilled genealogy and DNA researchers and amateurs, confirm such. The following two examples offer great hope to those who are steadfast in searching for the accurate stories of our ancestors. Finding her Mayflower roots Our favorite PBS show, “Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.” regularly features many genealogical surprises among its celebrity guests. A recent episode features well-known human rights activist, professor and author, Angela Davis. Among the startling findings for Davis is that her ancestral roots […]
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Honoring Lesser Known Women Ancestors
In every family, there are countless examples of women who courageously and quietly endured emotional, physical, societal, financial and other pressures. Yet, their lives crafted our family legacies. We are grateful. To honor them during Women’s History Month, dig a little deeper in your family archives and in the public domain to share their stories of inspiration, even if it seems that they led so-called ordinary lives. To help you get started in honoring our female ancestors, here are a few extraordinary Black women’s stories. Hanging in Chicago’s DuSable Museum is this quilt handcrafted by a former slave, Melvina Young. […]
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Lest we forget …
$$$$s for your Genealogy Research
Scholarships are regularly awarded to beginning to experienced genealogists. Here are a couple of great opportunities: Frazine K. Taylor African American Research Scholarship The Frazine K. Taylor African American Research Scholarship (application due by 1 March each year) is open to anyone committed to expanding their knowledge of African American genealogical research. See attachment for more information.BCG Paul Edward Sluby Sr. Scholarship for African American Studentsapplication deadline 15 March 2023. This new scholarship, provided by the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG), will be awarded to up to three African Americans “to participate in national genealogical institutes.” The award will […]
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The DNA and Mental Health Benefits in Genealogy and Ancestry research
Join us for the free, final weekend workshop The Good Genes Genealogy Services duo and Atlanta’s Hillside International Truth Center team up for the last weekend of the free genealogy workshops. The hour-long session is designed to inspire the beginners to seasoned genealogy researchers, and provide everyone with the tools to dig deeper into their families’ colorful histories. Join us, Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023!
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How to interview your family members
It’s tough to ask tough questions Have you ever wanted to ask questions of your relatives and backed away because it was not “a good time?” We have. It’s time to get busy. Grab a notepad, make sure your audio and video recorders are sufficiently stocked with new batteries, put on your listening ears and initiate your family research. It may be uncomfortable for some relatives to open us. That’s natural. Learning what to ask and who to ask questions of, are key to your success. Before you get knee deep in researching family history, make a list of your […]
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Do not NAP on DNA results
Ann Wead Kimbrough just received her updated DNA results. She is prone to take daytime naps. Or is she? Here’s what Ancestry.com found: Taking naps Ann Lineve Wead Kimbrough’s results Ann Lineve Wead Kimbrough, your DNA suggests you’re equally likely to be a napper or non-napper. Based on your genetics, you’re right in the middle—neither more nor less likely than average to take naps. Nature and nurture Your DNA affects whether or not you take naps, but your environment makes a bigger impact. Making the most of your naps If you’re a napper, keep it short—10 to 20 minutes is likely all […]
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From the Philly Voice: “Contributions of Black, Indigenous soldiers detailed in new collection at Museum of the American Revolution”
(Thank you, maggie@phillyvoice.com for this great article) Nearly 200 historic documents are being digitally archived for public use. Several are on display as part of the Black founders exhibit, including a discharge paper signed by George Washington Excerpts The Patriots of Color archive will be fully digitized and made available online at no cost to the public thanks to a partnership with the genealogy website Ancestry, museum officials said Friday. The Old City museum acquired the documents in 2022 from a private collection, following contributions from several donors. “At least 5,000 men of color fought in the Continental Army, but their stories […]
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Key to breaking “brick walls”: Ancestry and genealogy information collectors
Get forms for family research Go to the Good Genes Genealogy Services website and utilize the forms that we made available especially for participants in our two-part Sankofa Genealogy workshop in partnership with Hillside International Truth Center. Since the first workshop on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023, several participants have telephoned, texted, emailed and visited their relatives to gather information needed for their individual family searches. It is healing and helpful for your family and friends to discover their histories. Way to get the book? Thank you! Please join our Hillside family in this month’s Sankofa activities and fellowship.
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Legacy partners present free, Third Annual Sankofa Genealogy workshops
Get your e-workbook Join us at 10 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023, for a valuable workshop via Zoom designed to prompt participants to find their “lost” loved ones and gain joy, satisfaction, identity and spiritual uplift on the journey. The workshop focuses on Black Genealogy and Ancestry family research and more. Sankofa Genealogy workshop attendees are asked to purchase the companion workbook. Go to our website and select “Genealogy Store.” You will be able to download your copy after selecting the book cover image (see below) to pay for your book. All proceeds offset our free and low-cost, year-round genealogy consulting services. Kimbrough and […]
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Looking for our ancestry love in all the right places
‘Back in the day,’ our ancestors’ version of social media was human contact. Stories were shared by village griots about our roots. Physical signs such as smoke were used to communicate. Entries were manually entered into family Bibles. Long visits with food-in-hands were made to families whose loved ones transitioned. Telephone calls were made on rotary dial devices. Telephone company operators connected calls between lines. Today, there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of daily opportunities for the novice to serious genealogy and ancestry “hunters” to find details about their loved ones. One of the obvious, natural sources of data gathering is […]
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What you see and what you get in finding and understanding your Black, African and Caribbean roots in the U.K.
In the worldwide Census data collection and distribution, there are straightforward and confusing results within the same reports. In the U.K. (England and Wales), the percentage of whites, for example, increased in the latest Census due to: The ethnic groups used in the 2021 Census were slightly different from the 2011 Census ethnic groups. There were 2 changes in 2021 – the ‘Roma’ group was added under the ‘white’ ethnic group, and people could write their own response under the ‘black African’ ethnic group. As a result, figures for the white other and black African and black other ethnic groups may […]
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It’s here! Your next e-workbook is ready in time for our exciting Sankofa Month Genealogy workshop
The Good Genes Genealogy Services Team is pleased to offer our third annual Black Genealogy workshops, 10 – 11 a.m., Saturdays, Feb. 11 and 18, 2023, in partnership with Hillside International Truth Center, Atlanta, GA. We remain in a virtual setting via Zoom. https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86148300328?pwd=R2djSXUrNXI1SFF1TTM1NlJ3S2lZdz09 Meeting ID: 861 4830 0328Passcode: 02112023Dial: 929 205 6099 US Hillside’s leadership generously is offering our workshops for free. Cousins Ann Wead Kimbrough and Mark S. Owen, genealogists, are the facilitators for their church’s genealogy workshops. The workshops are open to our worldwide audience. Kimbrough and Owen specialize in “breaking down brick walls” to find the […]
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In our stillness, celebrate our ancestors
Black History Month Genealogy Tour
Don’t you love Black History Month? Although February is the shortest month in days of our calendar year, it is nonetheless a time to pause, respect and relish the fantastic achievements of African American, Black and Caribbean ancestors whose works and lives were largely ignored or never revealed. That’s where your great genealogy research comes in. This month, hopefully the multitude of U.S. and global Black History Month recognitions, will prompt you to uncover new finds from your family. Tour museums. Visit special sites. Listen to great lectures. Watch broadcasts on public broadcasting and other media channels that provide insight […]
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Get this sweet treat for Black History Month: Recipes for Success e-book
Thank you for your support. It’s available on our Lulu Publishing site and on Feb. 1, 2023, on all other sites. Enjoy!
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A prayer for our ancestors
Whenever a prayer is publicly offered in honor of our ancestors, we are honored to publish it: MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2023I GIVE THANKS FOR MY ANCESTORS From Hillside Truth International Center, Atlanta, GA Individually and collectively, we are part of a never-ending story. The story has no beginning and no end. Our Ancestors are the keepers of the stories and the secrets. Our Ancestors are reminders of the sacredness of our individual and collective lives. Their truths were passed on to us and continue to live in and through us. We can always tap in and receive […]
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After 90 years: Amazing genealogy research techniques locates famous ancestor
Charles I. Brown gets proper burial A founder of the 109-year-old international Black male fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., was long “missing.” He is now found. For serious genealogy researchers, it is a joyful and encouraging example of how customized techniques resulted in a fraternity victory and for Black genealogy research. The absence of Charles I. Brown on earth was recorded beginning in 1924. In 1999, a small group of tenacious Sigmas, led by their “International Historian Mark “Mallet” Pacich, began a search on the whereabouts of their founder.” In 2015, the men of Phi Beta Sigma, found Brown’s […]
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Helping children plant and build their photo and other modern family trees
Ann of the Good Genes Genealogy Services team began her interest in family genealogy at the age of 10. After asking her mother and paternal grandfather separate questions about their childhoods, siblings, families and more, Ann did not receive the replies she expected. In both cases, I could hear crickets (old schoolers will get the reference). Yet, as a child, I could have been building the bits and pieces of information that I was able to glean from family gatherings. I was also nosey and wanted to hear the stories from the elders and cousins about what life was like […]
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How the passing of ancestors brings us life
Black Genealogy research requires attention to obits, homegoings and surviving family members Camden, Tenn. – About 340 miles northwest of Atlanta, lies a small community with a big heart that was originally named “Tranquility.” The community counted as one of its more than 3,000 residents a special lady, Delia Mae Tharpe, mother of Dr. Jack L. Bomar, Executive Bishop/Senior Pastor of Atlanta’s Hillside International Truth Center. Ms. Delia, as many called her, was funeralized on the third Saturday of January admist a mountainous cool afternoon. It would have been an ordinary “homegoing” service, except Ms. Delia was anything but ordinary. […]
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Free worksheet to uncover the hard-to-find, brick wall family information
One of the best, free worksheets to conquer brick walls in Black genealogy searches is found in the easy-to-access and free databases of the National Archives. This worksheet is different from the family tree form that was recommended on this site via our post on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023. Both forms — the family tree and individual family worksheets — provide a great start to the New Year. The worksheet is a big help.
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Family genealogy check up and checklist
The beginning of 2023 is a great time to utilize the free genealogy resources from the National Archives. It is the family group sheet and ancestral chart.
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The forgotten stories of “Black Magnolias” from Oakland Cemetery
First in a series Jihan Hurse, guide, Atlanta, GA.’s Oakland Cemetery’s “Black Magnolias” tour Atlanta, GA — On a chilly Saturday winter morning, Oakland Cemetery’s “Black Magnolias” Tour Guide and Author Jihan Hurse, excitedly gives highlights of the Black women who lie among its 70,000 “residents” in the city’s historic cemetery. The hour allotted for the tour was not enough time for all of the stories about accomplished Black women who are buried in Oakland Cemetery. Yet, the Black Magnolias tour was a refreshing collection of insight into the lives of Black women who were quiet and major influencers in […]
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Check out this wonderful Black genealogy program
Black Homesteaders of the South with Bernice A. Bennett On Saturday, February 4, 2023, 12 – 1:30 PM, the African American History and Culture Museum will host its African American History and Culture Event. It will be held on the Concourse, Oprah Winfrey Theater + streaming It’s free. It’s also recommended that you get tickets or register at www.etix.com. Join genealogist Bernice A. Bennett who will uncover the stories of African American families who became landowners through the Homestead Act of 1862 from her latest book Black Homesteaders of the South. Bennett’s work is a modern story of black genealogists who networked through a […]
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Celebrating January First … African American style
“What do the Africans do?” That is the question asked by a then-young girl, 11-year-old Terri Bandele, who was among the first families celebrating the first Kwanzaa celebration from Dec. 26, 1966 – Jan. 1, 1967. Her question and the organized determination of Dr. Maulana Karenga, Bandele’s parents and others, led to the creation of Kwanzaa, the pan-African and African American holiday that honors the “matunda ya kwanza” that means “first fruits” in Swahili. Kwanzaa arrives December 26th — the day after the traditional Christmas Day — and culminates January 1st. It does not compete or replace any holiday, according […]
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Grandmas’ hands creatively cooked cuisine in Nebraska kitchens
The Good Genes Genealogy team share maternal grandmothers. We benefited from tasty treats and meals from our Great-Grandmother Edna Wilkes Robinson, and equally great dinners and gatherings at the home of her daughter, our Grandmother Helen Wilkes Owen Douthy. In honor of the New Year, our thoughts and gratitude are in honor of both grandmothers’ traditional dishes of “hot water” corn bread, black-eyed peas, mixed greens, ham, goose or another poultry item, and the best desserts. In addition, our respective paternal grandmothers cooked up their best foods for us to celebrate January first as Jubilee Day. Jubilee Day or Emancipation […]
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Christmas is the reason for the season of escape for the enslaved
No matter how scarce the food, clothing and other resources, our enslaved Black ancestors found ways to celebrate Christmas. Reverend John Wright was a Presbyterian minister active in Cumberland County, Virginia, during the 1760s. On the Feast of the Epiphany, 1761, he wrote to several benefactors in England describing the following Christmas scene: “My landlord tells me, when he waited on the Colonel [Cary] at his country-seat two or three days [ago], they heard the Slaves at worship in their lodge, singing Psalms and Hymns in the evening, and again in the morning, long before break of day. They are excellent singers, […]
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Tune in … read on for Black Christmas holiday traditions
We are movie buffs. We love to watch holiday movies, especially the ones we used to watch with our families. We are also avid readers and there are historical holiday stories that we recall listening to and reading with our families. Listed below are a few hard-to-find or ‘never knew’ existed entries to your holiday media consumption about and for African Americans. While these entries focus on Christmas, upcoming blogs from Good Genes Genealogy Services. Please add your historical Christmas stories, books, audio recordings and videos and allow all of us to get into the holiday spirit.
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Book the best ancestry gift-giving
The best gifts we can give to our family members are the ones that record our histories. Recently, a church member told me that her father’s wife has placed all of his legacy possessions in storage. Since his death, this church member said she has not had access to her father’s belongings, especially the family Bible. “Did it have the births of your ancestors in it,” I asked her. She answered in the affirmative. I knew that she needed to gain possession of that family Bible to gain the answers she has long sought in her quest to uncover the […]
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Encouragement for family ancestry slueths: Finding a Christmas present in the past
This December 1963 photo unlocked a few mysteries about our maternal grandmother Often the Good Genes Genealogy Services team will encourage our fellow ancestry history seekers to review your family documents, spaces such as attics and garages, and other artifacts for clues to our family history. We used our advice. Searching through our grandmother’s boxes, we found cool materials that revealed brand new information about her job title at the United States’ only military air command headquarters. Give yourself a present from the past. Happy searching! Seated left, “Mama” Helen Wilks Owen Douthy — maternal grandmother of the Good Genes […]
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How our ancestors’ Christmas traditions brightened our lives
“When I was a child, I remember my grandmother giving each of her grandchildren a large candy cane and $5 in an envelope. It didn’t matter how young or old we were, we all waited for and loved getting this gift at Christmas,” said Veverly Byrd-Davis of her grandmother who is now one of our ancestors. Christmas traditions. The Good Genes Genealogy team recalls each Christmas receiving an orange or clementine, an apple, candy cane and bits of other candy in a small brown paper bag from our great-grandmother, Edna Robinson. Our dear ancestor made sure that each grandchild and […]
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Cyber Monday e-books on sale from Good Genes Genealogy
The Good Genes Genealogy team is honored to offer free or very low cost services to our clients. To keep our costs free for great consultations and other research, check out our Cyber Monday e-books. Check us out on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Lulu Publishing. Thank you. We are grateful for our blog readers, social media fam and all clients.
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Genealogy Book Black Friday Sale!
We are thankful that you are a member of our genealogy family. To show our gratitude, the Good Genes Genealogy Services team is offering our November 2021 ebook, Family Ties That Bind, to you at a Black Friday 2022 rate. We are providing you with preview of the book. Please follow the link to our publisher’s store, or pick up your copy on Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Enjoy reading a portion of our Chapter 3. Family Ties That Bind Are you one-fourth or one-eighth African? The U.S. Census wanted to know Chapter 3 There’s a knock on the door.It’s […]
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From NPR’s It’s Been a Minute
WUAL APR Weekend Edition Saturday “No Stone Unturned: Preserving Slave Cemeteries in Alabama” An APR news documentary Alabama Public Radio | By Pat Duggins Published November 4, 2022 at 7:07 PM CDT Alabama voters head to the polls next week for the midterm elections. One ballot item would abolish slavery in the state. The vote takes place one hundred and fifty seven years after the thirteenth amendment ended the practice nationally. Historians say many of the estimated four hundred thousand enslaved people, who were freed in 1865, chose to live out their lives in Alabama. APR spoke to some of their descendants […]
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All set: Precious finds from our grandmother’s China set collection
There are many ways to learn of our ancestor’s good taste in fine things. The Good Genes Genealogy team — First Cousins Ann Wead Kimbrough and Mark Owen — are fortunate that our grandmother, “Mama” Helen Wilkes Owen Douthy, was a collector of fine items, including china settings. Mama Helen always found discreet ways to ‘break the mold.’ She was mother of six children and the twice-divorced mother made sure that her children were raised in a close-knit community as she worked as an administrative specialist — a “Hidden Figure” — employed at Offutt Air Force Base near Omaha, Nebraska. […]
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White Cane Day: Seeing ways to celebrate visually impaired ancestors
In our family, we are aware of at least two relatives — one is an ancestor — who were and are visually impaired. In our lineage, Great Aunt Ada Chitwood Wilkes, became blind during our Grandmother Helen Wilkes Owen Douthy’s youth. The other visually impaired — fully blind — relative is John Charles Kimbrough, 36, son of Ann Wead Kimbrough of Good Genes Genealogy. On Oct. 15, 2022, we honor White Cane Safety Day by sharing what we know of our Great Aunt Ada. She and Great Uncle Cecil Wilkes, were co-principal caregivers for Grandmother Helen along with her mother, […]
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Laboring Days for Black Americans: The story behind the September holiday
It’s’ Labor Day. The “celebration” is a U.S. holiday and has been dubbed the unofficial closing of summer. There are many layers to the meaning of Labor Day for Black folk. Here is an excerpt from the ebook, “Black Laboring Days,” Copyright © 2021 by Ann Wead Kimbrough, Mark Owen Chapter FourLabor Day and Black Codes, Black Laws Most of us regard the Labor Day weekend each Septemberas the official end of summer. Yet, Labor Day had differentmeanings for the once enslaved African Americans whoworked for no wages on lucrative agricultural plantations.Even after the Union defeated the Confederate states in […]
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MONDAY MAY 30, 2022I STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF MY ANCESTORSYour connection to your ancestors is the shortest path to God. Whatever your connection to your ancestors is- whether it is a heart connection or whether it is a distant memory- they are a part of you. And you are a part of them. Your connection with them transcends lost stories, names, and pictures. You are here because of them, and their soul lives in your heart, bones, and flesh. I stand on the shoulders of my ancestors. I know that whether I know their stories or not, I am connected to them. We are bound together by a divine web of life. I call on them every day. I call on my biological ancestors, as well as my spiritual ancestors. My connection with my ancestors gives me life. It is my foundation. Thank you, Power, in me, through me, as me, around me, through the Christ within. And so it is.Honor your father and your mother,that your days may be long upon the landwhich the Lord your God gives you.Exodus 20:12Daily Thoughts from the HillCopyright: Hillside International Truth Center, Inc.Bishop Dr. Jack L. Bomar – Executive BishopBishop Dr. Barbara L. King – Founder
How to stay out of “trouble” when posting ancestry, genealogy, historic finds
One of the best ways to attract the attention of the genealogy “police” is to utilize materials that are either copyright protected or belong to private collections. Instead, find the copyright owners and utilize government archives and subscription services — including those that require fees — to remain free and clear in your postings. For instance, my subscription with WordPress entitles me to pull photos from its files. Some tips: Remember to first check the copyright status of any document or visual element when preparing to post the material in the so-called public domain. Social media is considered public domain. […]
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Fun Family history via public photos
How I found myself in random research The next time you look at a public photo, take a second and third look. Look at little closer. I did just that and discovered a few gems that otherwise would remain barely etched into my childhood memories. At the picture in this blog feed, you will notice a Black man with a basketball. That’s my Dad, Dr. Rodney S. Wead. I am right next to his right, left from our view. I also noticed my maternal grandmother, Helen Douthy (the sunglasses and bonnet-like hat) holding the hand of my cousin, Lori. Lori’s […]
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Documenting the Boyhood Hometown of a Legendary Jazz Musician
A recent visit to East St. Louis, I’ll., yielded highs and lows. Jazz musician ancestor Miles Davis grew up in the deep South…that is, southern Illinois. Nearby Davis’ boyhood home are stark images of ravaged homes such as this one I captured while riding in the back seat of a SUV. What are you capturing? Anywhere you are, I’m sure famous folk have walked those same streets. Research. Record. Reward your genealogy work.
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“Negroes catching small catfish with their hands. Bait to be used in shoals of Little River near Eatonton, Georgia” — U.S. Library of Congress
It’s time for you to dig those old photos out of boxes, closets and other places to display for us to share in your family history. Check out Putnam County. Let’s guess the year!
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Black History Things to Do: Benjamin Banneker’s Home Story | Healthy Kyla
Check out this cool site. Time to get out and experience the USA history makers. https://stories.app.goo.gl/S4di
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Something different for Freebie Friday: Part-time Research Assistant Job in GA
GEORGIA ARCHIVES The Georgia Archives, a unit of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, invites applications for a part-time Administrative Research Assistant for an NEH grant. SUMMARY The Administrative Research Assistant will be a member of a team working on a National Endowment for the Humanities grant-funded project to identify Georgia records regarding the state’s response to desegregation. The end goal for this project is to present interactive in-house and virtual classes and tours for college and university professors, and students. Responsibilities of this position include finding documents to support the goals of the project. RESPONSIBILITIES […]
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FREEBIE FRIDAY!
Join this listing, especially if you know the names of your families’ enslavers. Even if you are like us and have not confirmed those names, join the ones who have located this part of their legacies. https://beyondkin.org/enslaved-populations-research-directory/?s=09
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Closing the Month of Sankofa with Ancestral Prayer and Healing
On a warm Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022, Hillside’s Presiding Bishop Dr. Jack L. Bomar, led the sacred, community “Ancestral Prayer” ceremony. It included drumming that girded the rhymical and ancestral honoring blessings with the pouring of libations by Hillside member Sharon A. Smith. Today, she said, “I am the High Priestess” while acknowledging the oldest person attending the ceremony to give her the permission to continue. The ceremony was the culmination of a monthlong series of genealogy workshops led by the Good Genes Genealogy Services team. GGGS donated its services to its host, Hillside International Truth Center, which is undergoing […]
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Watch “2002 SPECIAL REPORT: “BLACK SEMINOLES”” on YouTube
Watch “2002 SPECIAL REPORT: “BLACK SEMINOLES”” on YouTube
Black families, 20th century portrait projects
I love these great photos of our ancestors. https://pin.it/4c4zGdu
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The family history in Sankofa Genealogy
PRESENTED BY VALERIE TOLIVER IN THE FORM OF A COLLAGE During the month of February 2022, Good Genes Genealogy Services presented three Saturday virtual classes involving family ancestry and genealogy. Theme: “Walk With Our Ancestors Participants: Adults. Assignment: Express families’ histories in varied formats. Others showcased their various projects. All shared with classmates to spark deeper ancestral questions, comments. Here’s Valerie Toliver’s compelling story about her journey: Genealogy project February 19, 2022 My History, A journey Through Time This collage encompasses my journey from my homeland, Africa! In doing the African Ancestry DNA test, it was determined that my matriclan […]
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Just in time for our Sankofa Genealogy class
Third class in series: Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022 10 – 11 a.m. Read Rev. Sandy Rodgers‘ tribute in honor of our ancestor! Congrats to all class members who are willingly expressing their appreciation to our ancestors by producing creative works today.
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Freebie Friday!
I am taking a different narrative to receiving tips on where to find freebies to aid in genealogy research: Let’s freely give back a gratitude of thanks to a man who quietly helped a cherished civil rights favorite. Rosa Parks would have been a 109 years old this month. Mike Ilitch transitioned two years ago.
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Our Creative, Progressive Ancestor: Mama Helen
To summarize my maternal grandmother’s life: She did the most. In the winter months during 1963, my Maternal Grandmother, Helen Mary Wilkes (and also spelled Wilks), was donning a thinly clad garment and acting in the Greek tragedy, “Antigone.” That in of itself is nothing spectacular. That is, except that “Mama Helen” (as were told by her to call her), in 1963 was also a mother of adult children and a high school student while working as an unnamed “Hidden Figure” at the Strategic Air Command Headquarters, Offutt Air Force Base in nearby Bellevue, Nebraska. She was not supposed to […]
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Get Genealogy Organized
There are many electronic helpers to keep us organized and efficient in our generational family tree building. I utilize about 6 different electronic research sites to initiate and maintain records about loved ones who have transitioned a those of us still on earth. I also love the preservation of records and my handwriting in books creates a special record for future generations to hopefully cherish, evaluate and aid in the ease of family research. Keeping handwritten records is also a great defense against others invading your family trees with inaccurate information. The family tree invasion is more commonplace today and […]
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Teasing Thursday for Freebies Friday
This post about freebies usually appears on Fridays. In honor of a great week by all who have contacted Good Genes Genealogy Services, here’s your day-before treat: Good Genes Genealogy Services Reference Guide During January and February 2022, the Good Genes Genealogy Services team provided five (5) workshops. The free workshops for the DeKalb County Public Library, and the Saturdays-in-February workshops where the proceeds are fully donated to our host, Hillside International Truth Center, certain references were named. The following is a compilation of the referenced genealogy materials: Census Release of the 1950 U.S. Census records, April 1, 2022. 1950 […]
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Happy Sunday!
Tombstone tribute What is your special tribute? Write a poem or proclamation or any tribute to present in honor of ancestors. Next, post it!
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Black History is American History
Listing of great events around the USA Researching genealogy and family histories are exciting activities. Equally thrilling are the research results coming to life in the form of podcasts, blogs, puzzles, articles, affirmations, proclamations, presentations, stage plays, films, clothing and other expressions of our ancestors’ rich legacies. Here’s a partial listing of the Black History Month programs, activities and other recognitions throughout the United States: My home chapter of African American Genealogy has a free offering. In the Pacific Northwest, there are deep connections with historical events. Stay where you are and create, says Adobe. In Medina, Ohio, the events […]
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Start where you are: Share your family’s history
About 12 years ago, I received important advice from an Arkansas special collections librarian. She asked me to share my paternal family’s history as I discovered it — bit by bit. I recall telling her that I did not have much to report on my grandfather, Samuel Luster Weed (now Wead), and his family who lived in Helena, Arkansas during the bloody summer of 1919 in the Delta region. She said, “even if you have one page to share, share it.” This librarian was responsible for my brick wall breakthrough as she found Big PaPa Wead. I am forever grateful. […]
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