Genealogy groups kick off Black History Month with events

As Black History Month kicks off, two organizations are sponsoring African American Genealogy Day on February 6.

The virtual event will take place from 10 a.m. until noon, hosted by the Georgia Archives and the Metro Atlanta chapter of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society. Speakers include D. L. Henderson on “Researching and Documenting the Black Residents of Oakland Cemetery” and reference archivist Tamika Strong on “A Look at African American Resources at the Georgia Archives.”

The link to this free event is https://tinyurl.com/yxa5yko8. Try the link ahead of time to be sure you have it correct. You need to download the Microsoft Teams app. You have the option to watch on the web. Later it will be on the Archives/YouTube channel. This is a good event to attend with some highly qualified speakers.

The DeKalb History Center is hosting its 13th Annual Black History Month Celebration on February 11 from 11 a.m. until 12:30 p. m. live via Zoom. “Growing in Power and Promise: African American Genealogy in DeKalb and Atlanta” will include four speakers: Tamika Strong, Georgia Archives reference archivist; Winifred Hemphill, president of South-View Cemetery Association; Johnny Watts, director and curator of the Flat Rock Archives; and Laurel Wilson, historian of Decatur’s African American Heritage. Tickets are $10 for members, $15 for nonmembers.

To register, go to dekalbhistory.org. You must make an appointment if you want to view the society’s archives. For more information, call 404-373-1088.

Explore7 places around Atlanta to learn, celebrate and reflect on Black History

Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society

If you need help working on your African American genealogy, you should plug into the Metro Atlanta Chapter of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society. The group’s website — aahgsatl.org — was recently revised. Its sharp new look will guide you to many areas, including lectures, sources and information from previous meetings. The national society hosts an annual conference that’s worth noting for links to prior lectures and handouts.