Lemon Project Genealogy Research Initiative
Monthly Meetings
Fall 2024-Spring 2025 Lemon Project Genealogical Research Roundtable – Monthly Meetings
The 2024 – 2025 Lemon Project Genealogical Research Roundtable draws from the 2024 Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society conference theme to persist in spotlighting African American history and genealogy in the broader narrative of American history. The Lemon Project Genealogy Initiative, led by Dr. Jajuan Johnson, offers four sessions for the fall of 2024.
The September 19th session's theme will be: "A Genealogy Research Refresher - Getting Started and Staying on Track."
- Join this session if you’re getting started with genealogical research or need group inspiration on staying on track with your research.
October's theme will be: "What’s on the horizon with African American genealogy and Ancestry.com?" with Nicka Sewell Smith, Genealogist and Ancestry.com Consultant.
- Come learn about what’s new on the horizon with Ancestry.com, especially on records related to African American genealogical research.
The theme of our November 14th session is: WikiTree Black Heritage Project with Dr. Shelley Murphy, UVA Descendant Project.
- Join us to learn how to optimize your family history research with the Wiki Tree Black Heritage Project.
On December 14, the Lemon Project Genealogical Research Roundtable will hold our first hybrid meeting! We will be meeting in person at Swem Library and virtually via Zoom on Saturday, December 14, from 11 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Light hors d'oeuvres will be available.
- Join us in person to meet other area genealogists! This will also be an opportunity to both share about what we’ve discovered and to learn about resources at W&M Libraries that will enhance your research.
Summer Sankofa Series Genealogy Workshops- Summer 2024
Join the Lemon Project Genealogy Research Initiative for the fourth year of the Summer Sankofa Series Workshops. We're excited to announce that Nicka Sewell-Smith will join us virtually for "We Weren't Taught How to Smile" on June 11 at 6 pm.
We Weren’t Taught How to Smile
King Atlas, Sr., a formerly enslaved man, faced certain death on March 16, 1889. The cause of his scuffle with two white men was moot as Jim Crow’s tight grip on northeast Louisiana was a nightmare compared to the dream of progress seen just a decade earlier during Reconstruction. Yet, King’s two aggressors faced consequences, he survived, was not charged or fined, and the incident further ignited a fire within that continues to burn in his descendants to this day.
Learn the prolific story of a Black from the Mississippi Delta who went from enslavement by the family of President Andrew Jackson to the front lines of the Civil Rights Movement, birthing everything from voting rights leaders, Freedom Riders, city, state, and federal officials, and scores of community activists who carry the indomitable spirit of their ancestor into their passions, pursuits, and work in the 21st century.
Biography
Nicka Smith is a host, consultant, and documentarian with more than 20 years of experience as a genealogist. She has extensive experience in researching the enslaved and their communities and is a valued expert in genealogy research along the Mississippi Delta.Nicka has diverse and varied experience in media with a background in audio, video, and written communications. She's appeared on TODAY Show, CNN, MSNBC, was featured on an Emmy winning episode of the series Who Do You Think You Are, and has been interviewed by Oakland Tribune, The Undefeated, National Geographic, and TIME. She is the host of BlackProGen LIVE, an innovative web show with more than 130 episodes focused on people of color genealogy and family history.
She is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, a member of two lineage societies (Sons and Daughters of the Middle Passage (SDUSMP) and the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)), and a past board member of the California Genealogical Society (CGS) and the African American Genealogical Society of Northern California (AAGSNC). Nicka served as the chair of the Outreach and Education Committee for AAGSNC, and she is the former project manager for the Alameda County, CA Youth Ancestral Project where more than 325 youth were taught the value of family history.
Additionally, Nicka is the family historian and lead researcher for the Atlas family of Lake Providence, East Carroll, Louisiana, and guides and coaches an active group of family historians at the Who is Nicka Smith Patreon community.
Summer Sankofa Series with Renate Yarborough Sanders
Join the Lemon Project Genealogy Research Initiative for a Summer Sankofa Series Workshop, "Finding Joseph’s Family: A Model Case of Using Reverse Genealogy to Piece Together a Family Puzzle," with Renate Yarborough Sanders on July 16 at 6 pm.
Tasked with finding descendants of sixteen enslaved persons sold by the Trustees of Wake Forest Institute (now University), the researcher shares steps taken and the variety of resources used to uncover the afterlife of one family line, bringing its legacy forward from slavery into the mid-twentieth century, one record at a time.
Biography
Renate Yarborough Sanders is the descendant of formerly enslaved ancestors, enslavers, and free people of color. She authors two blogs: “Into the LIGHT” and “Genea-Related;” and produces a “(Mostly) African American Funeral Programs” online database. Renate is a member of the National Genealogical Society, the North Carolina Genealogical Society (Publicity Director), the Afro-American Genealogical and Historical Society (member of National Editorial Board and Vice-President and Newsletter Editor for the Hampton Roads Chapter), the Wake County Genealogical Society, and the Tyrrell County Genealogical and Historical Society. She is also a member of the lineage society, “Sons and Daughters of the United States Middle Passage.” Renate cohosts “Let’s Talk North Carolina Genealogy,” an online platform and YouTube show, presenting genealogy programing and virtual events for North Carolina researchers; and she has served as panelist and guest on numerous web shows and podcasts. Renate has provided genealogy education for several institutions of higher learning, businesses, and descendant groups, and is an instructor for the Midwest African American Genealogy Institute (MAAGI). Her research has been featured on PBS Radio and in a National Geographic cover story and podcast. Currently, Renate is engaged in researching descendants of enslaved persons owned by Wake Forest University (then College).
Renate lectures on a variety of genealogy topics but specializes in teaching beginning to intermediate research methodology and sharing specific techniques for researching ancestors of color – both pre- and post-Emancipation. She is a retired elementary school educator, mother of two daughters, and grandmother of three beautiful granddaughters (and a granddog).
Summer Sankofa Series Workshop with Orice Jenkins
Join the Lemon Project Genealogy Research Initiative for a workshop, "Transforming Oral History Into Documentation: The Early County Massacre" with genealogist Orice Jenkins on August 8 at 6 pm.
Most Black families have lore and almost mythological tales that seem too unbelievable to be true. Many of these stories involve racial violence and are passed down like a badge of honor, or hidden away in secrecy. How can genealogists research what is true and what isn't? After a conversation at a family reunion, Orice Jenkins began collecting nearly 600 pieces of evidence about a 1915 mass-lynching in Early County, Georgia. Six years later, his research has turned into a book, documenting the full picture of his relatives' experiences for the first time ever. Orice will provide insight on his journey discovering this information and evaluating the validity of the sources to create an accurate narrative for future generations.
Biography
Orice Jenkins is a recording artist, genealogist, educator, and author from Hartford, Connecticut. He began researching his family history upon discovering that Whitney Houston’s grandparents were from his grandmother’s hometown of Blakely, Georgia. Since then, he has traced his ancestry back to 1756 in Central Virginia, uncovering the stories of several formerly enslaved Americans. Orice is a member of the Sons and Daughters of the U.S. Middle Passage and the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society. He has appeared on podcasts and radio shows such as “Research at the National Archives & Beyond” and his research has been featured in The Washington Post and television shows such as Finding Your Roots. Orice has also worked as a consultant for Dr. Matt Baker, the creator of UsefulCharts.com, collaborating on genealogy videos that have garnered millions of views on YouTube. Orice’s newest project is a book chronicling the family of Grandison Goolsby, a prominent farmer who was extrajudicially lynched in Early County, Georgia in 1915. The book will be released in July 2024 through The History Press, an imprint of Arcadia Publishing. Orice also publishes a blog called Chesta’s Children, and he serves as the Executive Director of a youth music program in Greenfield, Massachusetts.
Fall 2023-Spring 2024 Lemon Project Genealogical Research Roundtable – Monthly Meetings
The Lemon Project Genealogical Research Roundtable is an extension of the Genealogy Show & Tell sessions started as part of our first Sankofa Summer Workshop Series. The roundtable is a collaboration of genealogists and family historians at all levels of expertise. The session will focus on slavery and post-emancipation eras. Of course, genealogical research leads us down many paths and places, but ties to Virginia are the focus of this group.
The roundtable will meet monthly with the goals to:
- Discuss genealogical research challenges and find solutions
- Assist new family historians on how to get started
- Share resources and research findings
The Lemon Project Genealogy Initiative focuses on finding descendants of people enslaved by William & Mary. During these sessions, we hope to connect with people who have ties to W&M pre- and post-Emancipation.
The meetings will be informal, and everyone will be able to contribute. The meetings will be held virtually via Zoom. Register here to participate.
Meetings will be held on the third Thursdays from 6 – 7 pm on the following dates:
- September 14, 2023
- October 12, 2023
- November 16, 2023
- December 14, 2023
- January 18, 2024
- February 15, 2024
- March 14, 2024
- April 18, 2024
- May 16, 2024
Lemon Project Genealogy Initiative Presents the Summer Sankofa Series
If you’ve participated in our genealogy workshops, you will be ready to join a community of genealogists dedicated to documenting and sharing their stories in an open forum. Together, in the spirit of Sankofa, we are connecting the past and present as we seek to know more about the lives of our ancestors.
The Lemon Project Genealogy Research Initiative provides family history research workshops and consultations to our descendant community in Williamsburg and the Greater Tidewater area. The continuing education workshops are free to the public and held virtually.
The Lemon Project fellow is conducting specific research on enslaved people with ties to William and Mary. Many known and unknown African Americans helped build, maintain, and move the university forward – we want to ensure their stories and lives are never forgotten.
Through This Soil: Finding & Tracing the Family Land, Summer Sankofa Series Workshop with Nicka Sewell-Smith. Register here.
June 8, 2023 at 6:30 pm ET
The Summer Sankofa Series, presented by the Lemon Project Genealogy Initiative, kicks off our third year with a virtual genealogy workshop, "Through This Soil: Finding and Tracing the Family Land" by Nicka Sewell-Smith on June 8 at 6:30 p.m.
Black Americans who emerged from enslavement were eager to take advantage of all the rights and privileges of their newfound citizenship. One of the rights they often pursued was owning their own land. In this session, learn how to identify if an ancestor owned land, how to trace the chain of ownership of land that's been in a family, and how to break down details mentioned within land records to glean more information on those mentioned.
Nicka Smith is a host, consultant, and documentarian with more than 20 years of experience as a genealogist. She has extensive experience in researching the enslaved and their communities and is a valued expert in genealogy research along the Mississippi Delta.
Nicka has diverse and varied experience in media with a background in audio, video, and written communications. She's appeared on TODAY Show, CNN, MSNBC, was featured on an Emmy winning episode of the series Who Do You Think You Are, and has been interviewed by Oakland Tribune, The Undefeated, National Geographic, and TIME. She is the host of BlackProGen LIVE, an innovative web show with more than 130 episodes focused on people of color genealogy and family history.
She is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, a member of two lineage societies (Sons and Daughters of the Middle Passage (SDUSMP) and the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)), and a past board member of the California Genealogical Society (CGS) and the African American Genealogical Society of Northern California (AAGSNC). Nicka served as the chair of the Outreach and Education Committee for AAGSNC, and is the former project manager for the Alameda County, CA Youth Ancestral Project where more than 325 youth were taught the value of family history.
Additionally, Nicka is the family historian and lead researcher for the Atlas family of Lake Providence, East Carroll, Louisiana, and guides and coaches an active group of family historians at the Who is Nicka Smith Patreon community.
Researching Free People of Color in NC and VA: 1800 – 1865, Summer Sankofa Series with Renate Sanders. Register here.
July 13, 2023 at 6:30 pm ET
Summer Sankofa Series 2023, hosted by the Lemon Project Genealogy Initiative, continues with "Researching Free People of Color in NC and VA: 1800 – 1865," a workshop by Renate Yarborough Sanders, on July 13 at 6:30 p.m. over Zoom. This presentation focuses on the lives and circumstances of Free People of Color in Virginia and North Carolina, laws enacted to control them, and record types for researching this population.
Renate Yarborough Sanders is the descendant of formerly enslaved ancestors, enslavers, and free people of color. She authors two blogs: “Into the LIGHT” and “Genea-Related;” and produces a “(Mostly) African American Funeral Programs” online database.
Renate is a member of the National Genealogical Society, the North Carolina Genealogical Society (Publicity Director), the Afro-American Genealogical and Historical Society (member of National Editorial Board and Vice-President and Newsletter Editor for the Hampton Roads Chapter), the Wake County Genealogical Society, and the Tyrrell County Genealogical and Historical Society. She is also a member of the lineage society, “Sons and Daughters of the United States Middle Passage.” Renate cohosts “Let’s Talk North Carolina Genealogy,” an online platform and YouTube show, presenting genealogy programing and virtual events for North Carolina researchers; and she has served as panelist and guest on numerous web shows and podcasts. Renate has provided genealogy education for several institutions of higher learning, businesses, and descendant groups, and is an instructor for the Midwest African American Genealogy Institute (MAAGI). Her research has been featured on PBS Radio and in a National Geographic cover story and podcast. Currently, Renate is engaged in researching descendants of enslaved persons owned by Wake Forest University (then College).
Renate lectures on a variety of genealogy topics but specializes in teaching beginning to intermediate research methodology and sharing specific techniques for researching ancestors of color – both pre- and post-Emancipation. She is a retired elementary school educator, mother of two daughters, and grandmother of three beautiful granddaughters (and a granddog).
African American Newspapers in Genealogical Research, Summer Sankofa Series Workshop with Tim Pinnick. Register here.
August 8, 2023 at 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm ET
Summer Sankofa Series 2023, hosted by the Lemon Project Geneaology Initiative, concludes with "African American Newspapers in Genealogical Research," a workshop presented by Tim Pinnick, on August 8 at 6:30 p.m.
African American newspapers quickly became the voice of the community after emancipation. They were used in a variety of ways to inform, uplift, and unite the race north and south of the Mason-Dixon Line. Locating available resources is vital to the African American research process.
Tim Pinnick is an article writer, national speaker, and author of the book, “Finding and Using African American Newspapers”. From 2006-2020 he taught as an associate instructor in the biennial “Researching African American Ancestors” course at the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research. In 2019 and again this year, Tim was the coordinator and facilitator of a landmark workshop course at the Institute entitled “Building an African American Research Toolbox”. He has also accepted instructor assignments as part of the inaugural Midwestern African American Genealogy Institute in 2013, and more recently has been part of the faculty for the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh, Texas Institute of Genealogical Research, and Genealogical Institute on Federal Records.
A lover of history, he has presented papers at four large history conferences, and over the years has served on the board of three genealogical organizations. Tim is the Co-Chair and Lead Researcher for New Hanover County Community Remembrance Project, which partnered with the Equal Justice Institute to conduct a Soil Collection Ceremony in November of 2021 to honor the victims of the 1898 Wilmington Massacre & Coup.
Spring 2023 Lemon Project Genealogical Research Roundtable – Monthly Meetings
The Lemon Project Genealogical Research Roundtable is an extension of the Genealogy Show & Tell sessions started as part of our first Sankofa Summer Workshop Series. The roundtable is a collaboration of genealogists and family historians at all levels of expertise. The session will focus on slavery and post-emancipation eras. Of course, genealogical research leads us down many paths and places, but ties to Virginia are the focus of this group.
The roundtable will meet monthly with the goals to:
- Discuss genealogical research challenges and find solutions
- Assist new family historians on how to get started
- Share resources and research findings
The Lemon Project Genealogy Initiative focuses on finding descendants of people enslaved by William & Mary. During these sessions, we hope to connect with people who have ties to W&M pre- and post-Emancipation.
The meetings will be informal, and everyone will be able to contribute. The meetings will be held virtually via Zoom, with potential in-person research sessions in the future. Register here to participate.
Meetings will be held on the third Thursdays from 6 – 7 pm on the following dates:
- January 19th
- February 16th
- March 16th
- April 20th
- May 18th
