African American Genealogy

Join us for a Workshop Featuring Elyse Hill

Learn about the complexities of African American genealogy research and how to get started during this presentation and workshop featuring genealogy expert Elyse Hill.

Join the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County for a presentation and workshop at Moorhead Public Library during Black History Month. The program will feature genealogy expert Elyse Hill and will begin with a presentation, "Beginning African American Genealogy Research: The First Steps," at 1 p.m., followed by a hands-on workshop scheduled at 2 p.m.

Workshop participants will learn how to use library resources to build their own family tree or will have the opportunity to "adopt" a family from Fargo-Moorhead's original African American community to research. A limited number of Chromebooks will be available; attendees are invited to bring their own laptops or other devices to participate in the hands-on portion of the workshop. Minnesota genealogist Rick Crume and other volunteers, in addition to library staff, will be on-hand to assist.

Hill has 20+ years of genealogy research experience, and is certified by the Board of Certified Genealogists with a specialization in African American Research. She has conducted research for various projects and case studies, including work for the National Park Service's Underground Railroad Network to Freedom program, in which she conducted research on enslaved individuals who escaped bondage and later settled in St. Paul and Minneapolis before the end of the Civil War. Her research resulted in Pilgrim Baptist Church and Pioneers & Soldiers Memorial Cemetery in Minneapolis becoming the only sites in Minnesota currently included in this program.

This presentation is made possible by donor and sponsor support of the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County.

Lake Agassiz Regional Library offers free access to an number of genealogy research tools. Learn about them here.

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