2018 - My Genealogical Year in Review

Sankofa Bird Gold Weight. The concept of Sankofa reminds us to "go back and get it," to remember our past as we move towards our future. Brooklyn Museum [CC BY 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)]

It's that time of year, when we take stock of what we've done over the last 12 months and think about what the new year might bring. In the spirit of reflection and accountability, in this post I'm looking back at what I did - or didn't - accomplish in 2018 in terms of my family history work. I'll post again after the new year with my hopes for 2019.

Honestly, 2018 was hard! My paying job, which I love, is at the intersection of history and education, which explains why I love it. Unfortunately, it requires so many of the same skills as my genealogical research - and can take up so much of my time - that I don't end up with much brainspace or free evenings (and sometimes weekends) to actually do my own historical research. What time is left gets set aside for relaxation, chores, or time with family and friends. Entrepreneurs and social media influencers love to tell us that we shouldn't spend all our time and energy building someone else's dreams, but 1) burning the candle at both ends is exhausting, a lesson I learned this fall after a string of speaking engagements, and 2) I actually care a lot about both ends of that candle - I not only love my job, I believe it matters. All of that to say, I didn't have a lot of time for genealogy this year, and it showed on this blog. My last post was from August, and I only posted 10 times over 4 months.

That doesn't mean, however, that I wasn't doing, or learning, anything. So, here's what I did in 2018, genealogically-speaking.

• Discovered a fascinating family migration: At least two of my 2x great-grandmother Scoatney Scott's siblings migrated to Oregon from Georgia in the early 19teens. This kind of a move would be a big deal today, so imagine undertaking this back then! I've written out some of my research and findings on the blog - search for posts labeled "Worthen." I should note, though, that I "discovered" this story the way that Columbus "discovered" America - asking around at the family reunion revealed that a few elders knew about the migration and are, or were, in touch with 2 cousins out there. One of my goals for 2019 is to make contact myself, with their help.

• Attended the biennial Cooper-Cummings Family Reunion: This was a great chance to catch up with my mom's maternal family from across the country, ask questions of some of my elders, and explore the AMAZING new National Museum of African American History and Culture. I'm way overdue to make a recap post, so stay tuned for that in the new year.

• Presented at the PA Hallowed Grounds Conference: The Hallowed Grounds Project connects people invested in supporting African American cemeteries and burial grounds across the commonwealth with each other and with resources to maintain these spaces and connect them with their larger communities. I had the privilege of giving their keynote address, but honestly, it was a pleasure for me to be able to be in the presence of people so dedicated to preserving this aspect of our history.

Mid-thought at the PA Hallowed Grounds Conference, 2018.

• Presented at the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society Conference: A great opportunity to spend time with people excited about, experiencing the same pleasure and confronting similar challenges in researching African American ancestry. Again, I was lucky enough to be able to present here - twice! - but getting to hang out with and hear from other attendees and presenters was equally rewarding.

AAHGS 2018 - Taken by S. Jordon

• Traveled to Florida and presented for the Leesburg Public Library: Yes, another speaking engagement! Shout-out to the Kinseekers genealogy group, with gratitude to the friend I made several years ago at the NGS conference in Fort Lauderdale who made this year's trip possible. My goal was to convince the audience that African American genealogical research is possible, and I think I was successful, since they've invited me back for next year!

• Continued my term as President of the African American Genealogy Group: I love this organization so much! I've been a member for about 10 years, and currently have the pleasure of working with a team of wonderful family historians to shape and fulfill a vision for serving our members, current and potential. After a year of goal-setting and transitions, we set a plan for 2018-19 and have brought in guest speakers from the Moravian Church Archives and the National Archives and Records Administration, prepped our members for the AAHGS conference, and brought in one of our favorite professionals to talk about getting organized for the new year. Onward!

• Contributed hundreds of photos and memorials to FindAGrave.com: For the past 3 years, I've spearheaded a partnership between my genealogy group and the historic African American burial ground, Eden Cemetery, where some of Philadelphia's most prominent 18th and 19th century people of color are laid to rest. In that time, dedicated and amazing volunteers have transcribed burial books, photographed headstones, completed spreadsheets and uploaded records to create over 6,000 memorials on FindAGrave. This year, I personally have processed several hundred photos and created another several hundred memorials, all while wearing pajamas and lounging on my sofa! It's easier than doing my own research, but still has a meaningful result, so I don't feel too bad when my own work doesn't get done.

So, I may not have posted a lot over the course of this year, but it's fair to say I wasn't exactly dormant. Still, I wish I could have done more of my own research and writing and I do hope to do more of this in 2019. Stay tuned for my next post, with some of my genealogical goals for the new year, and perhaps a few of the steps I'll be taking to facilitate reaching them.

What about you - how did you do in 2018, and what are your goals for 2019?