The Albert Wisner Public Library will present “Digging Down and Owning Up: Black Family History” on Sat., Feb. 6 at 4 p.m., a Zoom presentation on researching local African American roots. Hear from researchers who are exploring the lives of African enslaved persons connected to their family tree.
Three short presentations will be followed by discussion: Leah Rogne, Professor Emerita of Sociology at Minnesota State University, “Walter seeks his freedom: Slavery in the Seward family”; Shari Blauner, “Where there is a will there is a way”, finding her Coe ancestors using wills to identify the enslaved or formerly enslaved; David P. Dolson, “Confronting slavery”, coming to terms with his slave-owning ancestors. The program is free and open to all but you must register by Fri., Feb. 5 to receive the Zoom program link. Register at https://www.albertwisnerlibrary.org/content/black-family-history-digging-down-and-owning-virtual-program or by calling the library’s Help Desk at 986-1047 option 3. For further information email sgardner@rcls.org.
The baptism of Serene, a former slave who married David Bays (Base). This record describes her as a ‘person of colour,’ suggesting that by 1816 she was free. Image from the record book of the Baptist Church at Warwick, Collection of the Warwick Historical Society archive.
