Follow Friday - The USCT Chronicle - Angela Walton-Raji

April 12, 2011 marked the 150th Anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War. I've never been particularly interested in the Civil War, its battles or its participants but that attitude has been slowly changing over the past couple of years.

Sure, I was interested in the Civil War momentarily when the movie Glory came out in 1989 documenting the Massachusetts 54th Volunteer Infantry, but as the years rolled by that interest waned mightily. So, to what or shall I say whom do I owe this growing interest in the Civil War? Angela Walton Raji and her blog The USCT Chronicle. Through Angela, I've learned a great deal about the United States Colored Troops (USCT) and other aspects of the civil war such as contraband camps. I've also been so inspired by her work in this area that I'm even pursuing my own USCT solider, Simon Everett, who quite possibly could be an ancestor.

While at this time, I don't know if Simon is an ancestor on my Grandmomma Jones' paternal line, I definitely wouldn't have thought of trying to locate a possible ancestor amongst The USCT if it hadn't been for Angela's work in this realm.

While at the 2010 Atlanta Family History Expo, I actually got a chance to meet Angela as well as attend her lecture on Discovering an African American Community's History Through Civil War Research.

So, be sure to check out Angela's blog as well as some of her other work which is listed below

My Ancestor's Name

The African-Native American Genealogy Blog

African Roots Podcast

Beginning Genealogist - Her YouTube Channel

Follow Friday

Viewing and Reading Inspired by the Ancestors

Several months ago, Dionne Ford, Finding Josephine, mentioned how her journey to trace her family history had broadened her reading tastes.

I agree with her. (Friends and coworkers are always picking at me about the books I read.) For me, in addition to broadening the scope of my reading, it’s also broadening the scope of my viewing pleasure.

The documentary Family Name has been out for a while, but I only recently come across it and decided to purchase it.

Similar to Slaves in the Family by Edward Ball, Family Name documents the journey of a young man, Macky Alston, in exploring his family’s slave owning past. The documentary was the winner of the 1997 Sundance Film Festival and was broadcast on PBS September 15, 1998. I acquired a copy of the film through Half.com. It can also be purchased via Amazon.

One of the things that drew me to this documentary film was is its ties to North Carolina. Whether book or film, if it documents slave ancestry in North Carolina, I gravitate toward it. I think it is how I make up for the lack of stories on the paternal side of my family.

In the documentary, this seemed to be a spiritual journey as well as a genealogical journey for Macky Alston. Ironically, in the credits at the end of the documentary, it is revealed that Macky really isn’t an Alston at all, since his 3rd great grandfather was illegitimate.