A litmus test on racism in America

I was raised in a home where I was taught to love everyone. If I saw contradictions to my beliefs, I would categorize what I saw as less than admirable examples for me to follow. I was very fortunate because my parents never tried to influence me against people who were different, and I saw early on that people who had integrity were trusted, well liked, and successful.  

My experience early on 

I was fascinated with history, and from the time I was in the fourth grade, I went to the local library to find non-fictional books on American History. I learned about the history of the mistreatment of people of color during these study sessions. What alarms me the most now is that if I were the same fourth grader today reading from the works of Frederick Douglass and Booker T. Washington, I would still be able to cite current events comparable to some of the racist experiences tucked away in those literary works where I received my first insights. 

I had my own experiences as a child in parochial school. I was taught by my mom to turn the other cheek. She never knew this but, I literally did that. In the grade school, a girl who was much taller than me passed by me with her friend after school. She slapped me as hard as she could. I remembered that I was to turn the other cheek. I literally turned my cheek and offered up the other side of my face to her unafraid but in a lot of pain from the first blow.  I thought of the Savior's admonition to do this. They were surprised, and they moved on. I was not alone that day. I felt strength from above for deciding not to fight. I felt very powerful, and I vowed that I would seek this strength in any situation that I would face like this.  

The same year, I was paired up with this tall girl in a gym class on wrestling. She felt very sure of herself in front of the class. She probably remembered how I had turned my cheek to her. I remembered too, and I felt a voice inside of me say, "You can show her now." I supposed I had been given some permission to exhibit a strength that I did not then know that I had. I pinned her down, and held her there for the required time. As I did so, I stared intently into her eyes the whole time thinking to myself loudly, "I could have taken you if I wanted that day." I knew she could feel my inner strength. I felt how that strength enabled me to overpower her. I never told anyone at the time about this. She never bothered me again. 

That experience led me to learn as much about myself as a person of color in America and how to overcome hatred. I knew that my inner strength could be transferred into something physical either to study a little longer or push my body past normal limitations. I use this force today as I "burn the midnight oil," as my father used to call it. 

Recent experiences 

I could share more examples of racism from earlier times, but I am more concerned about the present. I vowed that each day of my life I would use my influence to soften hearts of people through service and the giving of myself with the hope that change would come. I have never deviated one iota from my goal of loving all people and treating them well. I never will. 

I sure wish I could say that I do not personally witness or experience racism today. You cannot be healed from cancer unless it is diagnosed first. Cancer kills if it goes untreated. Some people are afraid to seek help. They do not catch the disease in time. The nature of racism is that people do not want to acknowledge it. They do not want to discuss it, but it is time for Americans to take a litmus test on racism and honestly try to further rid our society of this disease.  

Every time an African American has to silently walk away from these experiences and push it to the back of their minds, it kills a piece of the hope we have in ever being one. We have carried these experiences since enslavement. A wounded soldier comes home to treatment for psychological stresses. The majority of African Americans have silently bound the wounds, and they fester with each new generation. See How Slavery's Legacy Affects the Mental Health of Black Americans 

Some might say, well Robin, "Is it really that bad?" I am no sociologist. I can only bear witness of my recent experiences.   

Personal relationships 

A friend (at least so I thought) asked for my number so that she could contact me for help with her family history. I gave my business card to her. I was surprised when she said, "This is a terrible picture of you." This has happened to me on more than one occasion. No African American has made this remark to me. 

Church 

I walked down the hall right behind two young men. One told a joke about Black people to the other. I stopped and gave "the look." They were not phased. 

Profession 

In a family history class, one of the participants would not say hello after I greeted him. It happened more than once. He would not speak to me or look at me when I was talking. This happened a few times until I decided to let it go. Finally on another occasion, he started a conversation with me once he realized I had knowledge to share. Fortunately, having expertise in an area of great interest helps me to overcome barriers. We all know it should not be that way. 

Community 

I tried to start a genealogical society in my current area because people in the area do not get information about the state genealogical society or online resources shared readily on social media. That is a huge deal for those of us who know the wealth of information we have learned in this way. I began to offer a free monthly class. Several people in the community spoke out against it and said it would never work. They wanted to separate African American genealogy. No one supported the idea outside of my closest friends who are different colors.  

A certain cemetery here was documented, but the African Americans who were enslaved or who were descendants of formerly enslaved people were not recorded until I added them alongside the others on Find A Grave.  

My intent here is not to point fingers in any direction particularly, but I do hope my true friends who feel so moved will generate a polite conversation openly and in private about what we can do to identify and discourage forms of racism that exist America today. 

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Marriage records for DeSoto County, Mississippi African Americans 1866-1933

My African American ancestors would have married in DeSoto County, Mississippi before 1900. Marriage records would not be found online for them yet, so I need to order the record on microfilm. Perhaps I will trace all my family from that time period in DeSoto while I am at it.

Do you have marriages of African American ancestors from DeSoto to document? If you do not find the marriage in the Mississippi Marriages, 1800-1911 online collection at FamilySearch or if the marriage you are looking for occurred after 1911,I have included a list of microfilm for marriages in DeSoto County between 1866-1933 on the table below.

Find the microfilm that corresponds to the date of the marriage, and locate the film number on this page in the Family History Library Catalog.  The microfilm will appear on the section half of the page.  It will be hyperlinked.  Click on the link to order the film, and have it sent to your nearest FamilySearch Center.

Are you looking for a marriage that took place in a different county in Mississippi?  Let me know in the comments section below.

Film	Film Number
Marriages, colored, v. A-B, 1866-1871	895696
Marriages, colored, v. C-D, 1871-1883	895697
Marriages, colored, v. E-F, 1883-1893	895698
Marriages, colored, v. G-H, 1892-1898	895699
Marriages, colored, v. G-H, 1892-1898	895699
Marriages, colored, v. 1-2, 1898-1903	895700
Marriages, colored, v. 3-4, 1903-1908	895701
Marriages, colored, v. 5-6, 1908-1912	895702
Marriages, colored, v. 7-8, 1912-1916	895703
Marriages, colored, v. 9 (p. 1-125, cont.), July-Nov. 1916	2413625 Item 5
Marriages, colored, v. 9 (cont., p. 126-end)-v. 11 (p. 1-547, cont.), 1916-1922	2412427
Marriages, colored, v. 11 (cont., p. 546-end)-v. 14 (p. 1-33, cont.), 1922-1928	2412428
Marriages, colored, v. 14 (cont., p. 32-end)-v. 16 (p. 1-277, cont.), 1926-1931	2412429
Marriages, colored, v. 16 (cont., p. 276-end)-v. 17, 1931-1933	2412495 Items 1 - 2

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Do Not Deny DNA, Genealogy, or Moral Obligation

When I first began researching, I felt completely in the dark about my ancestors.  Neither did I have a clear knowledge of the type of people they were.  I felt a total disconnect because my grandparents on both sides had passed away.


I was concerned that my posterity would not have the knowledge of who these people were either so I took it upon myself to discover as much as I could in order to leave a record for generations to come.  At the time I began, there was not much hope offered to African Americans doing research. The scarcity of records I believe led people to erroneously think and teach that the documentation was non-existent.


I had this dark cloud over me that I constantly fought off. I did not want to buy into that way of thinking. All I had to go on was faith and hope that my journey would provide the clues I was seeking.  At the same time, I knew I could not ignore stories that I grew up hearing.


On my father's side of the family were stories of great persecution being from Mississippi and migrating away to Arkansas, Tennessee, and eventually North to escape the persecutions of Jim Crow. On my mother's side were different types of stories.  They were descendants of the slave holding family on three different lines that I know of so far.  I feel charged to get the stories on both sides as accurate as possible and to be as fair as I can.


On one hand, I need to help my family to know of the hard struggles that they overcame, while at the same time I must tell the truth about the small acts of kindness shown them on the other side of the family because they were not pure African descent.  I cannot tell you how controversial it is with living family members who are descendants of both races especially since some of them still face issues in their lives today.

My great grandfather, George, is the grandson of a slaveholder.

You face not being accepted by African Americans because you obviously are mixed with white and vice versa.  So sometimes you feel more comfortable alone or living your life in between both cultures.  I feel for them because I know of the pain they face inside. There is the pain of not knowing who you are, then the pain of finding out you are not exactly what you thought you were.  


When I had my DNA tested last year, I was happy that I had kept the perspective that I have had all along.  I want to see genealogy eventually unite all races of people.  We who work day in and day out to document the lives of our ancestors and help others are the closest group of people with the capacity to help pull this off. I discovered that I am:

64.49% Sub-Sarahan African
31% European
3.1% East Asian & Native American
1.1 % Unasigned

I always said to my family while growing up, "Why hate? If I hate people of a different race, I am only hating myself."  How those words rang true when I received my DNA results.


I have not spoken much about this dual journey to identify my ancestors and to fulfill my moral obligation to bring unity where I can.  It is becoming a journey of great healing for me.  Until recently, it was only a dream that I would have opportunities.  I feel very blessed to be in South Carolina and to be able to journey to the places my ancestors trod especially in Union County. 


I was fortunate to give three different presentations in the town of Union this year. Two of the presentations were on African American research.  At the first presentation I expressed my desire to help bring all people together.  I saw smiles come from people present from both races. After the first presentation, a gentleman shared with me that I am his cousin through the grandson of the slave owning family.  He told me how I could find documentation on the fact that my ancestor was the first person to own a car in Union.


No sooner had he shared this information, when my African American cousin walked up, and expressed his desire to find the very document. I was astounded.  I located the car registration this week at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History.  I cannot wait to present it to my cousin.  


The experiences that I am having in Union are like no other I have had presenting.  Because it is my ancestral homeland, people of both races introduce themselves afterwards as my cousins, and people are anxious to share their knowledge about connections to my same name ancestors.  I am glad that I have not allowed myself to ever prejudge.  I am so fortunate and thankful that the people of Union have opened their hearts to me and that I can work out the obligations I have on their fertile ground.  

Related articles

• Did You Know? Genetic Research Lags for African Americans (spittoon.23andme.com)
• Thesis Chapter 4 - African Migration To The United States (thinkingbookworm.typepad.com)
• Stories on Every Branch of the Family Tree (spittoon.23andme.com)
• Some blacks now say, 'I'm not African American' (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

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30. My take on uncovering Reconstruction Era resources

African American History Monument at The State House, Columbia
by Robin Foster

I was so happy to be able to attend Tony Burrough's seminar his past Sunday at the Robert Mills Courthouse in Camden.  I have his book, Black Roots,  and I have used it faithfully for almost a decade.  It will never become obsolete.


I have been researching for over 20 years, and I still learned so much.  The greatest thing that I remember he said was, "If you want to locate information about a slave ancestor, research Reconstruction records."








Well, I have only skimmed the surface when it comes to Reconstruction Era records.  A light bulb somehow went on, and now I am on a mission to find all I can.  I am having a great deal of success. It is as if the resources have just been waiting for me.  I am learning so much about this period in our history that I did not know.


A study of Reconstruction can be quite challenging because there are so MANY contradictions and opposing viewpoints.  Freedmen who struggled to exercise and keep their new found freedoms were seen as shiftless, criminals, and less than equal.  You must be able to keep the proper perspective as you trudge through these records.  They are useful to those who have slave owner as well as slave ancestry.


I can certainly see why anyone would want to avoid having to use them in genealogical research, but doing so may result in never finding that link back to slavery (see Reconstruction Era records are neglected genealogical resources).  I have been very successful in locating a few of my ancestors so far.


Even though I have struggled a little this week and had to do some major soul searching, I feel a significant change as come over me.  I understand so much more about the complexities of being African American.  I understand so much more the purpose for me being taught to have integrity and to "NEVER use the word, can't." when I was growing up.


I am understanding more about the responsibility I have to share these perspectives and the resources that can help others find documentation.  Yes, we are working to find evidence to document our ancestry, but in the process we are really discovering ourselves.  Reconstruction was in many respects harsher than slavery.


Freedmen had no monetary value to former slave owners and were even more expendable.  How did they do it?  What were they made of?  I hope I will understand better as I go along.  I will continue to share my feelings here, but I will share resources and how you can access them in a more formal way here:  Columbia Ethnic Community Examiner.  I have written 3 articles this week so far.    Click the "subscribe" button at the top of any of the articles so you do not miss any resources.

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29. Tuesday Tip: Search Reconstruction records to learn more about an emancipated ancestor

African American History Monument on The State House grounds
Columbia, South Carolina

Many Reconstruction Era resources can help you identify the following important information about your ancestor:  former slave owner’s identity, land ownership, military experience, occupation, family life, and more.  

Search the local library for books about Reconstruction.  Search the local university libraries and the local archives.  Search "Reconstruction" at Google Books as well as the name of your ancestor along with the county
and state where he lived.


During Reconstruction, most newly emancipated African Americans became Republicans and the white farmers (Red Shirts) who were mostly Democrats sorely persecuted the former slaves.  This is an excerpt of one of Beverly's testimony which I found:

THE MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS OK THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE SECOND SESSION OF THE FORTY-FOURTH CONGRESS IN SIX VOLUMES:

BEVERLY VANCE—ABBEVILLE COUNTY. (page 417)

Columbia, S. C, December 22,1876. Beverly Vance (colored) sworn and examined.

By Mr. Cameron : Question. Where do you live ?—Answer. I live in Abbeville when I am at home. Q. What township or precinct -?—A. I live in Cokesbury township. Q. What is your age?—A. I am forty-four. Q. Are you republican ?—A. Yes, sir.

Q. How long have you belonged to the republican party ?—A. Ever since the emancipation.


Q. Where were you on the day of election ?—A. I was at the ballotbox at Cokesbury precinct.
Q. Yon may state whether or not there were any armed democrats at that polling-place on the day of the election.—A. Well, there were men armed there with pistols.


Q. You may state whether or not they had guns when there.—A. Yes, sir; they bad guns. Some had double-barreled shotguns in their wagons, I suppose, I will say, in from thirty five to one hundred yards of the polling place; they had some of these old muskels, old Army guns, about three hundred yards from there, in Mr. Conner's store.


Q. What else did the democrats have there that day ?—A. Well, sir, they had a good deal of whisky, and one thing and another around there. They had a barrel of whisky in about fifty yards, in Mr. Conner's store, and then they had some jugs in their wagons where they camped tbe night before. There was a good, large crowd of them camped there, and they had a barrel of whisky and a big supper, and was eating and drinking the night before the election.

Q. You may state whether or not the whites threatened the republicans before the election in any way.—A. O, yes, sir; they did that a great deal in every direction, 1 suppose, three months before the elec tion. Myself was threatened the night before the election. I had to have a body-guard around me the whole night. We laid out the whole night. We were expecting them. They had sworn they would kill me.

I also found Beverly in  a 1869 Militia Enrollment for South Carolina and on a 1868 SC Voter's Registration in Abbeville County.  See US Reconstruction Era records help to document ancestor's and link to slavery.

Each type of record will vary according to geographical location.  Here are the results I received from searching Google for South Carolina Reconstruction records:  Click here.  This search led to several great resources that I did not know existed.

If we are to have any hope of finding out more about an ancestor who lived during slavery, we must uncover all we can to document them between 1865 and 1877.

Sources:  THE MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS OF THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE SECOND SESSION OF THE FORTY-FOURTH CONGRESS IN SIX VOLUMES; SC Department of Archives and History; Hurrah for Hampton!: Black Red Shirts in South Carolina during Reconstruction,  By Edmund L. Drago

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