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The African American Family History Association (AAFHA) was
founded in Atlanta, Georgia in May 1977. This was a period
of exuberance about family history, following the 1976 publication
of Alex Haley’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel, Roots,
and the phenomenal television mini-series of the book that
was broadcasted in 1977. AAFHA was established to promote
interest in African American family history and genealogy
through programs of study, collection and preservation of
historical materials, publications and education. This non-profit
educational organization thrived under the leadership of
Joyce Jelks, Casper Jordan, Lavonia McIntyre, Joann Martin,
Joyce Mills, Herman Mason, Carole Merritt, Rodney Poitier
and broad membership of budding genealogists.
AAFHA was an outgrowth of a three-part workshop, “Pride
in Our Past,” sponsored by the Georgia Department of
Archives and History. Many of the attendees to the workshops
recognized a need for an organization that would foster and
support researchers of black family history. During the twenty
years of its existence, AAFHA provided the Atlanta area community
with a wide range of educational lectures, book signings
and instructional workshops about Black genealogy, culture,
and history, that featured local and national speakers and
authors. In addition, AAFHA organized tours to historical
sites in Atlanta, Augusta, and Columbus, Georgia; Charleston
and Savannah South Carolina; Tuskegee, Alabama; Memphis and
Henning, Tennessee – the home of Alex Haley. AAFHA’s
quarterly newsletter chronicled their activities and events.
Most notable of AAFHA’s accomplishments were the preparation
of several publications, displays, and major exhibitions
on the Black family history in Georgia.
One of the first projects the AAFHA implemented was researching
slave bills of sale in archival repositories in Georgia.
The scope of the project was expanded to add manumission
records, travel passes, correspondence, church and business
records. These documents include a wealth of information
about slaves such as name, age, sex, physical descriptions,
kinship, and special skills, as well as the business transactions
of the sales such as place, slave ownership, conditions of
enslavement, terms of sales and price. Over 2,500 slaves
and nearly 1,400 sellers and buyers were identified. The
research was compiled into a two-volume index, Slave Bill
of Sale Project (published March 1986, Joann Martin, editor
and principal researcher) and is a rich resource of information
on slave ancestry.
The AAFHA published two other works in conjunction with
three major exhibitions. Funded largely through support from
the National Endowment for the Humanities, these exhibits
increased public awareness and appreciation for the rich
and long history of Black families in Georgia dating back
to 1750 in the early colonization period.
The first exhibit, “Homecoming: African American Family
Life and History in Georgia,” was displayed March 26-
September 30, 1982 at the Atlanta Public Library. This award-winning
exhibition had an accompanying publication of the same title
authored by Carole Merritt. Virginia Shadron was curator
for the exhibit, “On Record: Documenting African American
Family History in Georgia” that was on display June-February
1982 at the Georgia Department of Archives and History. Largely
comprised of government documents, these official records
reveal useful genealogical information about families. The
third exhibit, “Finding a Way, The Black Family’s
Struggle for an Education at the Atlanta University Center” was
displayed in the Robert W. Woodruff Library of the Atlanta
University Center from February 6, 1983-February 1, 1984.
Its popularity to visitors and alumni resulted in the exhibit
remaining on display for over 20 years; and it has become
an important tool for AUC faculty in teaching the history
and legacy of the Atlanta University Center. Selections from
the exhibit and the accompanying catalog authored by Beverly
Guy-Sheftall have been reformatted to a virtual
exhibit displayed
on the Woodruff Library’s
webpage.
The last major exhibit sponsored by the AAFHA was displayed
at the Apex Museum in Atlanta, Georgia, January – April
1991. Herman Mason was curator of this exhibit entitled, “Hidden
Treasures: African American Photographers in Atlanta, 1870-1970.” The
exhibit and accompanying catalog documented 47 African American
photographers and studios in Atlanta and included biographical
sketches, photographs of the photographers and selections
of their work.
The AAFHA held its last meetings in 1997. However, the contributions
and legacy of the African American Family History Association
lives on through its publications. More information about
the AAFHA is available for research in the Archives & Special
Collections Department, Robert W. Woodruff Library of the
Atlanta University Center.
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