Join us for an online and in person genealogy program about researching African American genealogy. We will be hosting a live stream of the program in the Library's Maccario room and also providing participants with a Zoom link to join from home. Register to recieve your link and to obtain a recording of the event when it is over.

Researching African American ancestors can be challenging, especially when trying to break through the 1870 brick wall to discover more about ancestors prior to the end of slavery. In this presentation, Genealogist Melanie McComb will discuss go-to records and demonstrate creative search strategies for piecing together your family history.  

Melanie McComb, Senior Genealogist, assists library visitors, both on-site and online, with their family history research. She is an international lecturer who teaches on a variety of topics. Melanie holds a B.S. degree from the State University of New York at Oswego. She previously served as the social media coordinator for the NextGen Genealogy Network, a non-profit that creates a community for younger genealogists, where she managed the Facebook and Twitter accounts. She continues her interest in helping younger genealogists get involved at American Ancestors by assisting with educational programs from local schools, scout groups, and universities. Her areas of expertise include Irish genealogy, DNA, Atlantic Canada, Jewish genealogy, and military records.