Art of Fact Genealogy and Family History

10/16/2025

An ordinary portrait becomes a doorway to a real life. Real-world evidence beats theory, and when art meets primary sources, long-held misperceptions fade. This is Frederick Baker’s story—made visible by careful archival work that names a person and centers Black and Brown voices in family history.

Want more? Read the full story here: https://hyperallergic.com/1047549/portrait-of-enslaved-man-dispels-years-of-falsehoods/

Then join our Tea Talk on Tuesday, October 21 at 4 PM for a 30ish‑minute Facebook Live on the Institute of Public Scholarship page: https://www.facebook.com/theipsnow/. Denise Miller and Shannon Sykes-Nehring will share tips to dive into your own family history—with warmth, laughter, and love. The only tea we’ll serve is the stories we tell.

The truth of Frederick Baker’s life was long obscured by a whitewashed history perpetuated by the Longwood mansion in Mississippi, new research says.

02/17/2025

THE BOOK NOOK:

DONNA ODOM, OUR FAMILY HISTORY LEAD HAS SOME BOOK AND NOVEL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOU BASED ON AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILY HISTORY OR GENEALOGY

The Twelve Tribes of Hattie by Ayana Mathis
Follows Hattie Shepherd, as she leaves Georgia for Philadelphia during the Great Migration of 1923 in search of a new life and traces Hattie’s legacy through her children and grandchildren. Oprah’s Book Club pick.

All That She Carried, : The Journey of Ashley's Sack, a Black Family Keepsake by Tiya Miles

The story of an artifact, a family, and a nation. A bag, embroidered with a wish, becomes a doorway to the past, transporting readers into a deeply stirring history that begins with a rupture — a young girl’s separation from her enslaved mother — and ends in reclamation. National Book Award winner, 2021

Slaves in the Family by Edward Ball
Between 1698 and 1865, close to four thousand black people were born into slavery under the Balls or were bought by them. In Slaves in the Family, Edward Ball recounts his efforts to track down and meet the descendants of his family's slaves. National Book Award winner.

AND FOR YOUNG ADULTS:

Mildred Taylor's ten young adult novels that chronicle the lives of several generations of the Logan family, from times of slavery to the Jim Crow era. Taylor's works are based on oral history told to her by her father, uncles, and aunt. Books include, in order:

Song of the Trees (1975)

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (1975)

Let the Circle Be Unbroken (1981)

The Friendship (1987)

The Gold Cadillac (1987)

Mississippi Bridge (1990)

The Road to Memphis (1992)

The Well (1995)

The Land (2001)

All the Days Past, All the Days to Come (2020)

Taylor has won the Newberry Medal (1977), the Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement (2020), and the Children's Literature Legacy Award (2021).

02/17/2025

https://mailchi.mp/a2b9deb5e4d1/shsgkzg3pa?fbclid=IwY2xjawIgdS1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHUi-rZHPLq1uexpU7--l-Be1F0hEAuhfXvGcWIfq_pISQ9vvdOLIOscaMA_aem_68cXBzBAaV0xQ_fuN9-ekw

WHAT IS THE FAMILY HISTORY & GENEALOGY WORKSHOP ABOUT? Are you JUST embarking on the adventure of uncovering your family’s tale, or have you HIT a roadblock on your quest? Fear not, for this workshop awaits you! Immerse yourself in the thrilling realm of ancestry exploration alongside our vibrant ...

11/26/2024

It’s the holidays and the holidays mean family! So jump in headfirst into the thrilling adventure of uncovering your family tree with our fantastic crew of artists, historians, and history nerds! Whether you’re a newbie or a pro sleuth, everyone’s welcome, and guess what? It won’t cost you a dime! Plus, there'll be free snacks to fuel your exploration!

The first 10 people to sign up at the link below or by email at denisetheinstitute@gmail.com get:

a free Ancestry DNA test and
a family history kit to keep their family pictures and other important data!

10/25/2024

https://bit.ly/m/michellesjohnson

09/17/2024

CHECK OUT OUR WEBPAGE at the Institute of Public Scholarship

Potluck & Workshop - Sunday, September 29 at The Institute of Public Scholarship