Upcoming Speaking Engagements: Fall 2018

It's been pretty quiet over here, but don't worry - things are absolutely happening behind the scenes in KINterested Land!

For one thing, I had the great fun of attending my biennial Cooper-Cummings Family Reunion last month, celebrating and reconnecting with my mom's maternal family. Expect a post on that soon.

I've also been continuing to research the Worthen family - the sister and children of my maternal 2x Great-Grandmother, Scoatney Scott. Specifically, I've been trying to learn more about Masonia Scott Worthen's sons, Thomas, Henry, and Grant, and their time first as loggers near Shelton, Washington and then as servicemen in World War I. To that end, I've got a new book on my shelf:

and have borrowed a few others from the shelves of the Free Library of Philadelphia:

with a list of other resources to check as well!

In my "spare time," I've also got a few exciting things to look forward to: opportunities to share my passion for black history and black genealogical research with other enthusiasts, beginners and experts.

First, in early October, I have the privilege of delivering the keynote address for the Pennsylvania Hallowed Grounds Project (PAHGP) Annual Meeting. PAHGP is an organization dedicated to preserving African American cemeteries across the commonwealth and honoring the local burial grounds where many United States Colored Troops soldiers were laid to rest.

The following weekend, I am one of three members of the African American Genealogy Group (AAGG; full disclosure: I'm the current President) who will be presenting as part of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society's Annual Conference, hosted just outside of Philadelphia. I'll be giving two presentations, one on AAGG's partnership with Philadelphia's historic African American burial ground, Eden Cemetery, and the other on researching African Americans in the era of the American Revolution.

Finally, in November, I get to travel down to Leesburg, Florida to offer an intro to black genealogical research for members of the community through their local library. This one's part "business" and part pleasure - I'm hoping to sneak in a mini vacation down there, reconnecting with a fellow genealogist I met at the National Genealogical Society conference a few years ago and maybe even popping into Disney!

It's shaping up to be a busy fall - I work a full-time job that I truly enjoy, after all  - but I'm jazzed that it'll be full of things I love. If you attend any of these meetings or presentations, be sure to say hello!