Listening to Phyllis Yarber Hogan at yesterday’s teleconference was fascinating. She made genealogy feel exciting. Whenever a few people get together to actively share an interest the possibilities can be exciting. I can not trace my own ancestry back to or beyond slavery so I do not know if I am the descendant of free black or enslaved. that is why my IN THEIR PATH! project is devoted to the unknown slave families and unknown conductor families. I love imagining the stories of all those brave and creative children and parents whose stories were never recorded or never passed down orally.

However I so admire all those people I have met in connection to IN THEIR PATH! Who can and have traced their own history as Phyllis has as a member of Oberlin’s African American Genealogy and History Group. She has searched primary source documents to find that her slave ancestors were courageous enough to sue the slave owner for swindling them. She knows a former slave ancestor was brave enough to join and fight in the union army.

Have you searched any primary source documents for your own family story or for a school paper assignment? Searching ancient pages can make you feel like a smart detective.