Fred Hart Williams Genealogical Society - Detroit, MI

09/18/2025

Mary Crosby is the newsletter editor for the award-winning AAHGS News, the quarterly publication of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society. She is also the founder and editor of DetroitGospel.com, a thriving hub for the gospel music community. Mary’s passion for genealogy has earned her the Michigan Genealogical Council Pioneer Certificate, and she is an active member of numerous genealogy societies across the U.S. and abroad.

A sought-after speaker, Mary is widely recognized for her innovative use of Airtable in genealogy cluster research. She has presented locally, nationally, and internationally, including at the 2023 virtual AAHGS National Conference and the 2024 Ontario Genealogical Society Conference. Beyond her genealogy work, Mary transitioned from a successful career in automotive supply chain management at Stellantis to her current role at the University of Michigan, where she continues to blend her professional expertise with her passion for history and research.

Catch her at the AAHGS 2025 National Conference:

Using Airtable for Cluster Research: Interactive Workshop and Case Study
October 10, 2:45–3:45 PM

Register today: https://aahgs.org/annualconference

08/23/2025

IN PERSON ONLY Meeting: Sept 20th, Delta Township District Library's Elmwood Room at 10 am

LAAAGS is thrilled to welcome honored guest speaker Deborah Jones. Debbie is the Granddaughter of Earl & Louise Little; daughter of Yvonne Little-Jones Woodward; niece of Malcolm X (Little), and his 7 siblings. She is one of the torchbearers of the history of The Little Family and the history of the African American Resort area of Woodland Park, MI. Debbie resides in Grand Rapids, MI. In observance of Malcolm X (Little's) 100th Birthday, Debbie's topic will be the remarkable Little Family.

07/23/2025

07/12/2025

06/24/2025

https://www.ngsgenealogy.org/james-worris-moore-leadership-academy/

06/17/2025

Join us in celebrating Juneteenth with a special virtual session hosted by the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society and RootsTech by FamilySearch.

Topic: Celebrating Juneteenth: How to Find African-American Ancestors
Date: Thursday, June 19, 2025, at 1:00 PM ET
Location: Online via RootsTech

Learn how to use FamilySearch tools and resources to uncover your African-American heritage and connect with your ancestral roots.

Watch the session here:
https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/session/find-and-connect-your-african-american-ancestors-with-familysearch?cid=EM-00049073&lid=hliy19wtndmv

This Juneteenth, take a step toward preserving your family’s legacy and history.

06/12/2025

Celebrate Juneteenth 2025 at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. 🔥✊🏾

Join us on Thursday, June 19th, for an unforgettable Juneteenth celebration at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History as we honor the historic day that marked the beginning of true emancipation for millions of African Americans. ⛓️‍💥

This year’s program will begin with a special welcome from Neil A. Barclay, President and CEO of the Wright Museum, followed by a stirring reflection on the meaning of Juneteenth delivered by Jamon Jordan, the City of Detroit’s official historian. His remarks will provide historical context from the City’s official history of Juneteenth and its enduring legacy in Detroit and beyond. 🎙

This event is a space for all to come together—across generations and backgrounds—to honor the resilience of our ancestors, uplift our stories, and carry forward the fight for equality and liberation.✊🏿

Come celebrate, reflect, and stand rooted in freedom. Click the link below to see the full schedule of events! ⬇️

https://www.thewright.org/events/juneteenth-jubilee-celebration-2025 (link in bio)🔗

05/30/2025

🎉 REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN for the 46th Annual AAHGS National Conference! 🎉

We’re heading to Charleston, SC this fall for the 46th Annual Conference of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society (AAHGS) and you don’t want to miss it! 🌍📚

Join us October 9–11, 2025, for the nation’s largest African American genealogy and history conference, where scholars, researchers, and family historians come together to celebrate our legacy and ensure our stories are never erased.

🗓️ Dates: October 9–11, 2025
📍 Location: Embassy Suites, Charleston, SC
🏨 Hotel Info: Discounted group rates available - booking details on the registration page.

✨ What to Expect:
✅ Powerful keynote sessions
✅ Pre-conference heritage tours
✅ Hands-on workshops and panels
✅ Networking with a vibrant community
✅ Exhibitor, sponsor, and ad opportunities

📲 Don’t miss out on Early Bird pricing — visit https://aahgs.org/annualconference to register now!

Let’s come together for a powerful weekend of remembrance, research, and reconnection. We can't wait to welcome you to Charleston for ! 💚❤️🖤

05/10/2025

We are thrilled to congratulate Dr. Edda L. Fields-Black, the 2025 Pulitzer Prize Winner in History and 2024 recipient of the AAHGS Marsha M. Greenlee History Award, for her extraordinary work:

Combee: Harriet Tubman, the Combahee River Raid, and Black Freedom During the Civil War.

Her scholarship brings to light the powerful story of Black resistance and Harriet Tubman's pivotal role in one of the most successful liberation missions of the Civil War. We are honored to celebrate her groundbreaking contributions to African American history and genealogy.

Please join us in recognizing this remarkable achievement!

04/24/2025

Did you know this Friday is DNA Day?

Whether you’re brand new to DNA testing or deep into discovering your ancestral roots, DNA Day 2025 is the perfect opportunity to learn something new!

Join FamilySearch this Friday, April 25th, for a FREE virtual event filled with expert-led sessions designed to help you uncover hidden chapters in your family’s story using DNA.

🖥️ Watch Live: https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/events/dna-day

🕛 Starts at 12 PM ET | 9 AM PT

📍 Virtual • Free • Open to All

What you’ll learn:

📍 DNA basics for beginners

📍 Color clustering with AncestryDNA

📍 Solving genealogical puzzles

📍 Tools to connect with unknown relatives

📍 Insights from MyHeritage and FamilySearch experts

From brick wall breakthroughs to new cousin connections, this event is your key to unlocking deeper stories in your family tree.

Full schedule & RSVP: facebook.com/events/996013919383002

04/23/2025

🚨 Scholarship Alert! 🚨
The Kenyatta D. Berry African American Research Scholarship is now open!

Created by APG, this award supports emerging genealogists dedicated to African American family history.

🎓 Covers virtual registration for the 2025 APG PMC (Sept 18–20)
🗓 Apply by April 30, 2025
✍🏾 Two short essays + contact info + relevant experience

Let’s reclaim our stories—and empower the next generation of researchers.

Learn more + apply now: https://www.apgen.org/berry_african_american_researc.php

03/27/2025

Sponsor spotlight! We want to take a brief moment to highlight our Lake Erie level sponsors for our upcoming Local History Conference.

Many thanks to the Algonquin Club of Detroit & Windsor, Bentley Historical Library, Clarke Historical Library, the Fred Hart Williams Genealogical Society, Grand Rapids Public Museum, the J. Ferrantino Charitable Foundation, Monroe County Museum System, Oakland County Historical Commission, Oakland University Library, Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm, Troy Historic Village, and the Walter P. Reuther Library for their support of our organization's many efforts to provide history programming, education, and more. They are a few of the many sponsors making this conference possible. Thank you!

The Michigan in Perspective: Local History Conference takes place at Oakland University THIS WEEKEND, March 28-29. There is still time to save your seat! Sign up today at https://hsmichigan.org/form/lhc2025