Roots
I’ve been researching the fam via Ancestry.com. I’d tried to use them before, but got discouraged because I thought you couldn’t find too much about Black people as there are only census records of us after slavery was over for the most part. This time though, I did find information for at least 5 generations back. One real treat I found was the World War I registration card for my great grandfather on my Mom’s side from 1917! Check it out:
I was very excited when I found this, but when I saw that x on the signature part, it broke my heart. It really makes you respect all the things that have been done so future generations could have more opportunities. In my mom’s family, she was the first to go to college. Her child was the first to get a graduate degree in her generation (a MD in Pediatrics). I wonder what the next generation will do.
So far on my Dad’s side, I’ve gotten back 5 generations. I’m at a dead end though because the maternal side of that generation is 100% Chickasaw. It’s harder to find more information there because her real last name is an indigenous name, but she was reassigned as Smith. The Native American records I’ve found so far start later than what I’m looking for (She’s listed as born in 1827 according to census records). I’m at least going to try to research somewhere here though as at least the paternal family is supposedly from Virginia.
