African American ancestry Tag

19 Oct

Posted at 13:17h in Newsletter

RUTHERFORD B. HAYES PURSUED HIS ANCESTRY Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822 – 1893) was the 19th president of the United States, serving from 1877 to 1881. An attorney in Ohio, Hayes was Cincinnati's city solicitor and a staunch abolitionist. During the Civil War, he joined the Union Army, earning a reputation for bravery and rising to brevet major general. Post-war, Hayes became a prominent Republican, serving in Congress and as governor of Ohio. Despite losing the popular vote, Hayes won the 1876 presidential election (see the last article) against Samuel J. Tilden through the Compromise of 1877. The deal ended federal support for...

06 Oct

Posted at 11:44h in Newsletter

ACCORDING TO THIS GENEALOGIST THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME A MAYOR OF NEW YORK HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH A FEDERAL CRIME WHILE STILL IN OFFICE There has been a lot of press lately about Eric Adams, the first Mayor of New York City ever to be indicted for a crime while in office. However, I doubt Adams will face execution. My wife’s sixth-time Great-Uncle, David Mathews, was appointed Mayor of New York City in February 1776 by the British Governor of the Province of New York. That same year, Mathews was implicated in a plan to kidnap George Washington, the Commander in...

21 Sep

Posted at 13:35h in Newsletter

THANKS FOR DOING MY GENEALOGY, NOW YOU MUST DIE! In Bergen, Norway, we took a walking tour of the city, and the guide took us to the statue of Snorri Sturluson (1179 –1241). He was an Icelandic historian, poet, and politician. He was elected twice as lawspeaker of the Icelandic parliament, the Althing. He is commonly thought to have authored or compiled portions of the Prose Edda, which is a major source for what is today known about Norse mythology and alliterative verse, and Heimskringla, a history of the Norse kings that begins with legendary material in Ynglinga saga and moves...

01 Jul

Posted at 10:54h in Newsletter, Genealogy

ALEXANDER HAMILTON'S FATHER-IN-LAW GOT TAKEN FOR A RIDE A statue of the Revolutionary War general, newly prominent thanks to the musical “Hamilton,” has been removed from its place outside Albany City Hall because he enslaved people. Lin-Manuel Miranda said that the portrayal of Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and other white historical figures by black, Latino and Asian actors should not require any substantial suspension of disbelief by audience members. "Our cast looks like America looks now, and that's certainly intentional", he said. "It's a way of pulling you into the story and allowing you to leave whatever cultural baggage you have...

24 Nov

Posted at 20:51h in Interviews, Ancestry Explained, Genealogy

Genealogist Dan Nelson and Dr. Terry Turner discuss where to start, African American genealogy, DNA research, and why those old family photographs matter. Family gatherings have a way of bringing old stories back to life. Around Thanksgiving, Christmas, reunions, and other celebrations, conversations often turn to parents, grandparents, old photographs, and relatives whose stories may never have been written down. On an episode of New Biz Buzz, host Leon Thomas sat down with professional genealogist Dan Nelson and family-history researcher Dr. Terry Turner to discuss genealogy, the importance of preserving family stories, and how anyone can begin discovering the people who came...

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