Saturday I met a wonderful group, the Delaware Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society (DEAAHGS). I was there for the Delaware Humanities forum to talk about “Exploring Family History through Genealogy,” and we had a great program. Long after the formal discussion wrapped up, we were still at it, exchanging ideas and talking about family history in a lively give and take as everyone jumped in.
What was most impressive for me, though, was to see the exceptional group that has come together to explore genealogy and local history, and although it is only two years old they have made great progress. In that span of time DEAAHGS has achieved a lot, serving as advocates for preserving the stories of family and community, gathering up historical and genealogical insights, all while helping members overcome roadblocks and get started. And they do it all in such an open and welcoming way.
We all learned a lot as we exchanged ideas about research strategies, talked about additional how-to techniques for finding elusive evidence, and suggested seldom used primary sources. Then when President Jim Jones took the floor, he became the perfect booster for the organization’s mission as he remarked in an especially effective, motivating way, “if we don’t do it, no one else will” and “get it done now before memories fade.”
This start-up Society has built up camaraderie by providing collegial support to members, guests, and public library patrons. Thank you President Jones, Vice-President of History Darleen Amobi, officers, and members for the invitation to speak, for the warm welcome, and for the chance to see your dedication. Also, thank you for sharing so much with your colleagues as they document family stories.
DEAAHGS has a large event scheduled in September and I will be keeping an eye on their monthly program schedule, as they are doing helpful work. You may want to do that too. You will find a friendly, open group just waiting to help the novice, as well as the experienced family history researcher.