Thursday, August 25, 2011

African-American Genealogy Summit in Fort Wayne

The National Black Genealogy Summit will be held October 20-22, 2011 at the Allen County Public Library and the Grand Wayne Convention Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The theme is "African Diaspora: Awakening Our Legacy." Speakers include Tony Burroughs, Damani Davis of the National Archives; DNA expert Roberta Estes; Jim Ison; Shamele Jordan; Lisa Lee; Timothy Pinnick, and Angela Walton-Raji. Summit attendees can also take advantage of special extended hours at The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library on October 20-23.

The two-day Summit on Friday, October 21 and Saturday, October 22 offers the best in African American genealogical lectures and presentations. A multi-track pre-summit program on October 20 is free and open to all, and focuses on family health history, foundations of genealogical research, a librarians' track, and information sharing. A booksigning and gospel concert are planned on the evening of the pre-summit from 6-9 pm.

Award winning author and historian Carla Peterson will present the plenary session on Friday, October 21. Her presentation is titled, "What's Under the Dust? Recovering Family History from the Archives." Her most recent publication is an amazing work titled, "Black Gotham: A Family History of African Americans in Nineteenth-Century New York City." She is a must hear!

Visual artist and illustrator Michele Wood will give the plenary session on Saturday, October 22. Her presentation is titled, "Not to Be Forgotten: One Artist’s Journey of Going Back Home." Her award-winning and nationally acclaimed art is vibrant and engaging, as is the story of how her family's history has guided her hand.

The 2011 National Black Genealogy Summit is hosted by the Allen County Public Library Foundation and the African American Genealogy Society of Fort Wayne (IN). Planning partners are: African/African American Historical Museum; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Fort Wayne Alumnae Chapter; It Is Well With My Soul; and The Links, Incorporated Fort Wayne Chapter.

For more information about the National Black Genealogy Summit, including how to register, please visit http://www.blackgenealogyconference.info/.

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