In conjunction with the Chatham 250 celebration, Chatham Community Library  will host a virtual lecture focusing on the genealogical and heritage resources available through the County's public libraries and other related sources.  This event is part of the Chatham 250 lecture series chronicling the histories of communities of color in Chatham County, and will be held on Friday, June 11, 2021 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

The event will feature experts in history and genealogy who will touch on the various groups that settled in Chatham County and the places from which they came.  The audience will learn about specific genealogical resources – what they are, where they are stored, how to access them, and who can help individuals who are researching their heritage. The information will contain helpful tips to aid those who are building family histories or researching and tracking records of community interest. Following the lecture, presenters will take questions from the audience.

In a recent Manual RedEye opinion piece, Jessica Carney-Perks maintains that, “Recurring systems of oppression such as slavery, indentured servitude, concentration camps and reservations have made this sacred connection to family history and legacy difficult to obtain for many.”  The author contends that,  “People of color were groomed to lose ties to their original culture…”  Native Americans were taught to “reject …their culture, their identity and their ancestry.” Additionally, the renaming of slaves “… created a severed line of families and lost countless generations of stories and knowledge.”  Destruction of documents and forced renaming by slave owners and government officials caused generations of people, especially those of color, to lose touch with their culture and ancestry.

This event is free and open to the public and made possible through the support of volunteer experts and organizations.

Registration for this event is required and is available by clicking here: https://tinyurl.com/ChathamHeritage