A banner reads, The Black Family: United by History, Restored by Storytelling. Featuring old black-and-white photos and logos for ASALH and New York Life, it invites viewers to explore Black family history and heritage through storytelling.

The Association for the Study of African American Life and History in collaboration with Archival Alchemy® presents, The Black Family: United by History, Restored by Storytelling. This national program centers the legacy of Black family reunions while encouraging families of all backgrounds to build and renew their own traditions and stories. This free self-guided certificate program includes pre-recorded workshops and resources that aim to demonstrate how oral storytelling, genealogy, and familial archiving can serve as a return and a way forward.

This national program has been generously sponsored by New York Life. To follow this project use the hashtag #BlackFamilyASALH

CERTIFICATE

Individuals who participate in the program are encouraged to submit this form and receive a certificate to acknowledge your dedication and growth as family historians, oral storytellers, genealogists, and familial archivists!

TOOLKIT

This toolkit is meant to supplement the information provided in the pre-recorded workshop series and includes resources on oral storytelling, genealogy, and familial archiving contributed by the workshop facilitators.

WORKSHOPS

“Unidentified African American family”. Rondo Neighborhood Photograph Collection.
“Unidentified African American family”. Rondo Neighborhood Photograph Collection. Courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society.

OVERVIEW

An introduction to The Black Family project
led by Joyce LeeAnn of Archival Alchemy®

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To access the YouTube description and presenter bios click the YouTube logo on the bottom of the video.

“A Negro family just arrived in Chicago from the rural South”. 1922. Courtesy of Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Jean Blackwell Hutson Research and Reference Division, The New York Public Library.

WORKSHOP 1

Writing Our Family Histories
led by Frazine K. Taylor

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“A family portrait at a reunion and party to celebrate Edward's 86th birthday, in El Sereno, Los Angeles”. Shades of L.A. Collection. Courtesy of Los Angeles Public Library.

WORKSHOP 2

Planning Black Family Reunions
led by Tracey Artis

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“Pike Family Reunion”, Katherine G. Lederer Ozarks African American History Collection. Courtesy of Department of Special Collections and Archives, Missouri State University.

WORKSHOP 3

Preserving Black Family Recipes
led by Thérèse Nelson

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“Jones family portrait in Tampa”. 1986. Courtesy of State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory.

WORKSHOP 4

Recording Oral Stories (Basics)
led by Ryan J. Heathcock

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“Jay Street, No. 115, Brooklyn”. 1936. Courtesy of The New York Public Library.

WORKSHOP 5

Preserving Family History
led by Skyla S. Hearn

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“Backyard barbecue”. Shades of L.A. Collection. Courtesy of Los Angeles Public Library.

WORKSHOP 6

African American Genealogy (Basics)
led by Timothy Prolific Edwaujonte

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"Snapshot at an unknown resort". Maggie L. Walker Image Collection. Courtesy of the Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site, National Park Service.

WORKSHOP 7

Recording Oral Stories (Advanced)
led by Ryan J. Heathcock

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“Grandparents and their grandson - Tallahassee, Florida”. 1920 (circa). Courtesy of State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory.

WORKSHOP 8

Finding Your Family in Governmental Records
led by Denyce Peyton

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“Negro family rehabilitation clients on porch of new home they are building near Raleigh, North Carolina”.1938. Courtesy of the Library of Congress.

WORKSHOP 9

Using DNA Tests to Explore Ancestry
led by Dr. Gina Paige

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A multigenerational Black family of six stands outside, smiling and laughing together in the sunlight, sharing stories and celebrating their history amid lush trees and greenery in the background.

PANEL 1

The Black Family Workshop Facilitators FAQ
A panel discussion with the project’s workshop facilitators who respond to frequently asked questions regarding Black family history and discuss issues that arise in practice.

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PANEL 2

You Gathered Your Family History, Now What to Do With It?!
A panel discussion with Arianne Edmonds, Jermaine Dennis, Kalia Bain, and Tamara Lanier

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