MANY AFRICAN AMERICANS HAVE WHITE ANCESTRY
(Please be aware this post was written in 2004 and published at that time in the Houston Chronicle (Houston, Texas) newspaper. Some of the news in this post, therefore, may not be current. Current and future posts on this blog may revisit and update news on this and other posts on this blog. If you have questions and/or suggestions, please send Mic a note using the comment page -Don’t forget to use the orange “subscribe” button to receive new posts-Thanks, Mic)
Paul Heinegg has in recent years published two landmark books that refute the stereotypical myth of the white slave owner fathering mixed race children by a slave woman. His books delve into various court records and documents such as deed, tax and probate records to show most colonial mixed race children were the progeny of white women servants and free or slave African American men.
Heinegg’s books, Free African Americans of North Carolina, Virginia and South Carolina From the Colonial Period to About 1820 ($75) and Free African Americans of Maryland and Delaware From the Colonial Period to about 1810 ($45) may be purchased from the Genealogical Publishing Company through their website at http://www.genealogical.com/ .
Heinegg had a website at http://www.freeafricanamericans.com/ where his two books could be viewed online. At press time, however, the website was not functioning. Hopefully, the website was only temporarily down and will be available by the time this column is being read.
Another website at
http://www.genealogy.com/genealogy/12_heing.html?Welcome=1 075703492 contains the introduction to Heinegg’s North Carolina, Virginia and South Carolina book where readers interested in African American genealogy can read a summary of his interesting and intriguing research findings.
Heinegg’s research reveals a lot about the roots and historical evolution of racial discrimination in colonial America. He traces hundreds of mixed race families from their earliest colonial origins into the early 19th Century and discusses many of the early discriminatory laws enacted against them. According to Heinegg White and Black servants were the bottom of the socio-economic rung. They ate, slept, worked and socialized together. Due to their social class and physical proximity to one another it was natural for them to intermarry and reproduce.
It is likely many current White and African American families may trace their ancestry back to one or more of the families researched in Heinegg’s two books.
LEARN ABOUT TEXAS LAND RECORDS
Jerry Drake, Director of Archives of the Texas General Land office, will address the Clayton Library Friends general meeting on Saturday February 14 at 10 A.M. The meeting will be held at the Bayland Community Center, 6400 Bissonnet in Southwest Houston.
Drake will describe the historical and genealogical importance of the Republic of Texas Donation Vouchers and the Confederate Script Vouchers which are being microfilmed by the GLO with funds raised by CLF. He will also discuss other records maintained by the GLO such as the Republic of Texas military records, Spanish and Mexican Land Grants and the GLO Adopt-a-Map Program.
Admittance to the CLF meeting is free and everyone is invited at attend. To learn more about the meeting or the Clayton Library Friends contact Dick Warren at 281-461-1472 or by email at dick@merlins-web.com .
BEVERLY TALKS ABOUT THE BATHTUB CENSUS
Houston professional genealogist, lecturer and instructor Trevia Wooster Beverly will hold a one day class, The Bathtub Count: Special Censuses and Schedules. The class will be held at Leisure Learning’s 2990 Richmond Avenue campus from 9 A.M. to 1 P.M on Saturday, February 28 .
The class will discuss usual and unusual helpful personal and genealogical information commonly found on population and non-population special and supplemental censuses.
Tuition for the class is $40 and pre-registration is required. For more information and to register contact Leisure Learning at 713-529-4414.
LEARN HOW TO RESEARCH YOUR FAMILY
Nationally known genealogical author and lecturer Emily Croom of Bellaire will teach a one day course at Houston Community College’ 3100 Main Street campus.
The course, Unpuzzling Your Past: An Introduction To Genealogy, will be held on Saturday February 28 from 9 A.M. to 1 P.M.. The class will discuss both traditional and online sources for learning about one’s family history. Included will be techniques in using newspapers, census records and other genealogically fruitful resources.
Pre-registration is required. For more information and to register contact HCC at 713-718-5303.
