FREE Juneteenth African American Genealogy Online Classes!

RootsTech by FamilySearch is excited to celebrate Juneteenth with free online classes focused on African American genealogy and taught by nationally known research experts at RootsTech.org/events. Six new classes will be live and interactive online June 19, or Juneteenth, and hosted by Thom Reed of FamilySearch. Join us also throughout the month of June to discover more about your African American ancestry through dozens of webinars from past RootsTech events. Register for free at RootsTech.org to add classes to your personal playlist for future on-demand viewing.

Juneteenth is a significant celebration commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States. It symbolizes the strength, resilience, and triumphs of the African American community throughout history. Join us on June 19 as we embark on a transformative journey of discovery, connection, and celebration of African American family history. Individuals of all experience levels, from beginners to seasoned genealogists, are encouraged to participate.

Led by esteemed experts and genealogists well-versed in African American research, the RootsTech Juneteenth–related classes will address essential topics, such as how to get started, helpful resources, effective research strategies, overcoming genealogical hurdles, leveraging DNA testing for African American genealogy, and accessing lesser-known records and resources. Participants will gain valuable knowledge, tips, and techniques to advance their family history discoveries.

Most classes offer a free, downloadable syllabus.

Live Juneteenth Online Classes Available Monday, June 19, 2023

• 9:15–10:00 AM MT
  Juneteenth: Understanding This History and Why It Is Important
  by Janice Gilyard

• 10:15–11:15 AM MT
  How I Found an Enslaved Ancestor in My Family Tree: Aaron Anderson
  by Karen Strickland,

• 11:30–12:30 PM MT
  From Ali to Clay: Taking the Family Narrative to DNA
  by Cheri Daniels, Donald Shores, Sherman McRae, Keith Winstead, and Eric Brooks

• 1:00–1:45 PM MT
  Unveiling Partnerships: Accessing and Using Cohabitation Records at FamilySearch.org
  by Taneya Koonce

• 2:00–2:45 PM MT
  A Lineage Society for Descendants of Enslaved Africans: Sons & Daughters of the U.S. Middle Passage
  by Evelyn McDowell and Ruth Hunt

• 3:00–3:45 PM MT
  America’s True Forgotten Patriots
  by Ric Murphy