BREAKOUT SESSION A: 10:30AM-11:30AM
Our Gullah Heritage: Struggling to Survive in the Sea Islands
The Gullah people and their impact on the prosperity of South Carolina are often disregarded. Their expertise in the rice-growing industry allowed South Carolina to flourish while the Gullah people were being exploited. This session will focus on the Gullah people and their culture, as well as the significance of their exploitation in South Carolina. Beginner experience is necessary.
Pre-recorded with live Q&A
Illuminating Hidden Lives: African American Stories from the Chew Family Papers
The stories and experiences of many enslaved people have been buried, but with the Chew Family Papers, this has begun to change. In this session, attendees will hear the stories of the enslaved people under the Chew Family by looking through the archives of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Intermediate experience is necessary.
Live (in-person)
Black Families of Edgefield Plantation: The Growth of Human Capital, Labor & Wealth In Woodville, Mississippi 1776-1865
In 1860, one of the largest plantations in Wilkinson county was the Edgefield plantation with over 260 people on the grounds. In this presentation, the stories of the Black families and communities built on the Edgefield Plantation in Woodville, Mississippi will be told using records and familial narration. Intermediate experience is necessary.
Pre-recorded with live Q&A
Uncertain Life: Leveraging the Enslaved in the Estate of Elisha Farnell
The death of a slave owner often resulted in the enslaved being resold or kept within the slave owner’s family. This session will focus on the men and women enslaved to Elisha Farnell after his death. Their stories will be told through court reports and newspaper ads. Beginner experience is necessary.
Pre-recorded with live Q&A
BREAKOUT SESSION B: 1:30PM-2:30PM
There is More to the Story
Slavery wasn’t abolished until 1865, but one woman set the precedent for abolition in Massachusetts in 1781. This session will introduce the story of Elizabeth “Mum Bett” Freeman and her journey towards freedom during the Revolutionary War. No experience is necessary.
Live (virtual)
African American Slavery in the American West
Slavery in the American West is often not discussed at the scale that slavery in the South is. The expansion into the American West was an effort made by slave owners in the South to create a slave empire. This presentation will bring to light slavery that occurred in the American West and the varied results that occurred by following the story of a young girl named Tennessee and a woman named Violet. No experience is necessary.
Pre-recorded with live Q&A
Finding Freedom: Five Virginia Stories from the American Revolution
Countless stories have been told about the experiences of people during the American Revolution, but the narratives of enslaved men and women during this time have not been heard. This session will focus on the stories of five people of African descent living in Virginia before the Battle of Yorktown. Their stories will be told through an interactive resource created by the Museum of American Revolution and presented by Adrienne Whaley. No experience is necessary.
Live (in-person)
GENETIC GENEALOGY: USING DNA TO CONNECT OUR PRESENT WITH THE PAST
These are exciting times for genealogy. With commercial DNA testing and the emergence of what is now known as “genetic genealogy” the landscape of genealogy has changed and continues to evolve. Genealogists, family historians, and families everywhere can now combine DNA testing and traditional genealogy research to explore and discover more about the past than ever before. They can now get a better understanding of the often-complex dynamics of African American family history, family structure, and the connections to hundreds if not thousands of others who share DNA. Family history, family structure, and DNA connections are valued pieces that can help write the story.
This presentation focuses on how using genetic genealogy and DNA in your research can be a game-changer. As an attendee, you will hear how DNA has led to amazing discoveries and connections that solved life-long mysteries. You will learn about foundational concepts, various methods, practical tips, and interesting personal stories. Our goal is to inspire your own research in using DNA to connect your present with the past. No experience is required.
Pre-recorded with live Q&A
BREAKOUT SESSION C: 2:45PM-3:45PM
Exploring the Records of a Slave Owning Community
Many of the records that detailed the enslavement of men and women were burned, but the documents of Edgefield, South Carolina were not. This session will focus on the thousands of slave transactions occurring in this community that reveal the value placed on the enslaved dating from as early as 1792. No experience is necessary.
Live (virtual)
Joseph McBryde: Our First Prince Hall Freemason
The Prince Hall Freemasons is an organization that was founded in the late 1700s and is one of the oldest African American organizations. This presentation will recount the story of ancestor discovery and the role of their ancestor plays in the Prince Hall Freemasons. Intermediate experience is necessary.
Pre-recorded with live Q&A
Young Harris College: The Legacy of Enslavement and the Funding of Centers of Higher Learning. The Burch Family, the Beverly Plantation, and the Building of Young Harris College
This session will focus on the 17 enslaved men and women of Young L.G. Harris and how the revenue gained from the Beverly Plantation allowed him to start an insurance company, which led him to become the primary benefactor of the McTyeire Institute, later remanded the Young Harris College. No experience is necessary.