“Roots tracing for African Americans”

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Did you miss the show “Roots tracing for African Americans” with Nichelle M. Hayes?
Click here to listen to the podcast https://t.e2ma.net/click/1kxrehb/pbywvjc/h9azxxk

February 9, 2019 Roots tracing for African Americans

Even with renewed, widespread interest in family history research – and the explosion of genealogical tools in recent years – challenges remain for those researching African American ancestry. Many of the challenges involve ancestors who were enslaved during the 19th century and earlier.

Nichelle M. Hayes

As Hoosier History Live salutes Black History Month, Nelson’s studio guest will be one of Indiana’s top experts on African American roots-tracing. Indianapolis-based genealogist and librarian Nichelle M. Hayes is a past president of the Indiana African American Genealogy Group. Currently, she is the leader of the Center for Black Literature and Culture of the Indianapolis Public Library. Nelson will be asking Nichelle to share advice and tips for tracing African American family histories. As a genealogist for more than 25 years, Nichelle conducts workshops about African American family history research and blogs about it and related topics.In a recent blog post, Nichelle described her research into the death in 1933 of a great-aunt who lived in the Brightwood neighborhood of Indianapolis and died of tuberculosis. Information on the death certificate opened doors for Nichelle to learn about her ancestor’s civic life.

Book cover: Discovering your African American Ancestors.

“Genealogy is more than just birth and death dates,” Nichelle writes. “It’s fleshing the person out, so to speak.”To people beginning family history research, she recommends: “Start with yourself and work backwards.”In addition to examining U.S. Census data, records related to property ownership, probate and pensions also can be extremely helpful in illuminating the lives of ancestors, Nichelle says.Among the resource books she recommends to African Americans are Black Roots: A Beginner’s Guide to Tracing the African American Family Tree (Simon & Schuster, 2001) and A Genealogist’s Guide to Discovering your African-American Ancestors (Genealogical Publishing Co., 2003).Ancestory.com, another resource popular with genealogists for its extensive database of family tree information, has published Finding Your African American Ancestors: A Beginner’s Guide (2001).With Nichelle on hand to respond to questions from listeners embarking on roots-tracing adventures, we will open our phone lines earlier than usual during this show. The call-in number to the WICR-FM studio is 317-788-3314.

Women’s Improvement Club Indianapolis, Indiana

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1225_wic

 

I was doing some research on one of my maternal lines. I came across a death certificate for my Great Aunt Frankie, who died June 30, 1933 of tuberculosis. Tuberculosis (TB) or consumption is a bacterial condition that usually affects the lungs.   I reviewed the document and the names of the parents lined up, as well as the location of the birth.  As I was reviewing the location of death I saw, “Women’s Improvement Club” 535 Agnes Street. I found that curious. I had never heard of that club before.

After an internet search I came across a wonderful YouTube video of an interview conducted with Wilma Gibbs Moore, Archivist, Historian & Librarian (Indiana Historical Society) concerning the Women’s Improvement Club of Indianapolis and it’s importance to the African American Community.  To watch that interview click on the following link.  Women’s Improvement Club

Frankie lived in Brightwood at the time so this would have been close to her home. According to my research individuals who suffered from TB were removed from their homes so that others would not become ill. The treatment for TB in the 1930’s was fresh air and protein to build up their immune system. If that was not successful sometimes portions of the lung were removed.

The Woman’s Improvement Club (WIC) was established in Indianapolis in 1903. According to its constitution, the purpose of the organization was “mutual improvement of its members, the care of tubercular persons, and all other uplift work.” The organization was especially active in the care of local black tuberculosis patients, establishing an outdoor camp at Oak Hill in the Brightwood area in 1905. Founded by Indianapolis journalist and elocutionist, Lillian Thomas Fox, the club’s early roster boasted the names of community activists, Ida Webb Bryant, Ada Harris, Rose D.
Hummons, and Beulah Wright Porter. The WIC was a life member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored
People.
Sources: Materials in the collection.
Ferguson, Earline R., “The Woman’s Improvement Club of Indianapolis: Black Women Pioneers in Tuberculosis Work, 1903-1938,” Indiana Magazine of History, September, 1988.

Source : https://indianahistory.org/wp-content/uploads/womans-improvement-club-collection-1909-1965.pdf

Genealogy is more than just birth and death dates. It’s fleshing the person out, so to speak to really share what their lives were like and how they impacted them and their families.

Take Care,

Anna Mae’s Oldest Grandbaby

Nichelle~

How to build your Family Tree

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State Flag Louisiana

I was recently inspired during a trip to one of the states of my ancestors, The Great State of Louisiana. Louisiana is also know as “The Sportsman’s Paradise”.  Growing up my  grandfather, Thomas Cleveland (II),  was an avid hunter and fisherman. He kept hunting dogs and routinely went away to hunt with his friends. He would come back with venison and fish.  I grew up seeing deer heads on the wall of his home. (Any PETA members or animal rights activists  please hold your emails. This was my grandfather’s pastime, not mine. )

As with most things that occurred when I was young, I didn’t question much of it. It was just my normal.  Later on I learned that Southern Louisiana has very specific and varied terrain that lends it to hunting and fishing.   My grandfather was born in Louisiana and later move up North to Indiana.  He is pictured below, the photo was taken sometime during 1959.

Thomas

 

I was about 5 years old when I first visited Louisiana. Rapides Parish to be exact which is in the central portion of the state about 200 miles north of Orleans Parish where New Orleans is located. Louisiana was originally settled by the French and retains a lot of French influences.   Louisiana is dived into  parishes not counties. The parish seat of Rapides is Alexandria.

Rapides Parish spotlight

 

 

I have known the name of my 2x’s Great-Grandfather, Rev. Robert Cleveland and his first wife Serena Ellick Cleveland for a long time.  I had estimated his date of birth as circa 1856. Previously I had not been able to locate any records surrounding his death. While visiting Louisiana I felt compelled to go back over my research and hopefully find when and where he died.

 

Genealogy – New Orleans Public Library   From the main page I followed a link that I thought might be helpful.

Louisiana State Archives, Research Library
One of the finest genealogical resources in the state.  Then the next.

  • Louisiana Vital Records
    Search for New Orleans marriage certificates and Louisiana death certificates, through the Louisiana State Archives’ databases.

And finally

Louisiana Death Records

You can search the Louisiana Death Records Index Database and order certified copies of death certificates for deaths that occurred in Louisiana more than 50 years from the end of the current calendar year. Photocipies of death certificates are delivered by mail for $5 each, and certified copies are delivered by mail for $10 each.

LOUISIANA DEATH RECORDS
About this Service
This service only issues certified copies of microfilmed death certificates for deaths that occurred in Louisiana between 1911–1967. The database also contains older death records for some parishes, such as deaths that occurred in Jefferson parish before 1911, and deaths that occurred in Orleans parish as early as 1804. Microfilmed death certificates may not be available for many of these older records. For example, searching for a death that occurred in Orleans parish between 1804–1818 may produce results taken from the official Orleans parish death index, but individual death certificates for this period do not exist in the archives. We regret that we cannot issue certified copies of death certificates for deaths that occurred in Orleans parish during this period.

 

I was pretty confident that his death occurred during this time frame that the records recovered.

I used a basic search with his name, that garnered 5 results. See below.

Results Robert Cleveland

I felt confident about the 1st result since it was the correct parish.  I was excited but wouldn’t know if it was a match until I received a copy of  the certificate.  I then filled out the form and mailed in my $5 check to the State of Louisiana. In about a week the death certificate arrived in the mail.

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One week later it arrived!

Each clue gives us more questions. The death certificate gave m the names of his mother and Father. I’m very excited! I’ll be adding this to my family database and sharing my findings with the family. Always teaching always sharing.

 

Take Care,

Anna Mae’s Oldest Grandbaby

Nichelle ~