SALT LAKE CITY—This month, millions of individuals of African descent are celebrating Black History Month by exploring their family history roots. In the U.S., FamilySearch volunteers have been busy helping digitize historic documents and create free, searchable indexes to them online. Throughout Africa, from Accra to Zimbabwe, where irreplaceable family information and traditions are at risk of being lost due to neglect, war, and deterioration, FamilySearch volunteers are also helping preserve this valuable history so Africans can connect with their roots. Researchers can search the millions of African-related records as they are published online at FamilySearch.org.

For the full article, see:

http://ldsmag.com/index.php?option=com_zine&view=article&Itemid=147&ac=1&id=7566

Click here for story and videos from LDS website about the Alex Haley Museum

Click here for a short story about the opening in USA Today

Click here for the museum site

http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-413565

Atlanta’s LDS public affairs presents Martin Luther King III this year’s Community Service Award

http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/58827/Atlantas-LDS-public-affairs-presents-Martin-Luther-King-III-this-years-Community-Service-Award.html

See also Eternal Families Worldwide  exhibit at DC Temple including artwork from Uganda

http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/58824/Washington-DC-Visitors-Center-hosts-international-families-exhibit.html

http://www.sacbee.com/topstories/story/1700526.html

Conference Helps African Americans Connect to Ancestors

When Lynn Stowell, a volunteer guide at Saturday’s opening of the new Northwest African American Museum, helped a man find information about his grandfather, the man wept. Such was the very personal response among some of the guests…

…The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints donated computers, a digital imaging system and other equipment and software to the center. Local Latter-day Saint family history experts provided training to center personnel…

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Sponsored by the African American Genealogy Group, Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, The African American Museum in Philadelphia, Chick-fil-A, National Archives and Records Administration Mid-Atlantic Region, Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation and The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Mid-Atlantic African American Genealogy Conference (MAAAGC) will be held April 19, 2008, Cherry Hill Family History Center, located at 252 Evesham Ave., Cherry Hill, NJ 08003.

Conference presenters include:

Dr. Rick Kittles, Scientific Director of African Ancestry Inc, and featured geneticist in the popular PBS specials “African American Lives” and “Finding Oprah’s Roots.” Dr. Kittles specializes in tracing ancestry using DNA testing and will be the keynote speaker.

Reginald Washington, African American Genealogy Specialist at the National Archives

Khadijah Matin, National President of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society

Attendees will be able to attend more than 20 hour-long training sessions for beginning and intermediate researchers, including topics, such as: Military and Slavery Records, Native American Ancestry, Internet and Technology Tools, Repositories, Research Tips and Techniques, Family Involvement, and more. Those who register in advance may also discuss questions or problems specific to their research and receive individual help during a special “brick wall” session (geared specifically for researchers who have hit a “brick wall” in their endeavors to research ancestors).

Community members and organizations from throughout the Mid-Atlantic region are invited to the conference, and to access the expertise of some of the best and most experienced African American genealogical researchers to delve deeper into their own family legacies.

For more information on the conference or to pre-register yourself or your group/organization, please visit the conference web site at: www.maaagc.com.