Tracing Ancestors: STEM / STEAM Education

Top 5 Myths There are a lot of pouty faces when it comes to pre 1865-1867 enumeration records. But why? Pre- 1870 is NOT a brickwall for African American genealogy research. It's even less than a stumbling block; it's merely a challenge. There are records of your African American ancestors.    Let's take a look at the most common myths I hear: 1) But, they were enslaved and didn't have names on the census before 1870.   Well, actually even that is not true. The last thing neighbors wanted, was unaccounted free black persons. Your ancestors are listed in Agricultural Census, within freedmen record work contracts and in land contracts, both mortgaged and share cropper contracts.  Why rely on census records? Much of the information is not accurate anyway, and you have NO idea who proffered information to the census taker anyway. Check out this Hale County, Alabama Agriculture Census ("Colored") Mortgaged land, Agriculture Census 2) But, enslaved people couldn'

Hittin' The Bricks with Kathleen: a Genealogy Podcast  In 2018, Kathleen Brandt was a founding member of the  Jewish Genealogy Society of Greater Kansas City (JGS-GKC). Then, the pandemic hit, and the organization did not withhold its membership. What a lost to the community.  However this tragedy did not stop our yearn for uncovering our Jewish Ancestors. So, when Roni Kaufman called in to share her family I was excited to stumble upon the fact that they were Russian Jewish. I dusted off the archival papers and refreshed using earlier blog posts, and updated links.  Here, I'm sharing the full show notes of Hittin' the Bricks with Kathleen, S:2; Ep201, entitled Russian Assumptions, Jewish Solutions.    Be sure to listen, and share your thoughts and feedback. E201 On this first episode of Season 2, Roni Kaufman joins Kathleen for a session that sorts out four Samuels, the Salvation Army, and why assumptions are the arch enemies of genealogy heros. Research Sites/ Repositori