Black Family Heritage Celebration 2025

October is Family History Month. Come celebrate with us! The Black Genealogy Research Group of Seattle and the Black Heritage Society of Washington State are excited to honor Family History Month and inspire families in our community to start their genealogy journeys. Genealogy Exhibits * Presentation by historian Esther Mumford * Sessions by Black Family Historians and local artists * Door Prizes * Light Lunch Provied

Pre-registraion required.

Info: Play a lively round of Family History BINGO. Explore exhibits and resources. Bring an item to add to our Community Altar celebrating ancestors and loved ones.

Info: Drawing on her life's work as a researcher, lecturer, consultant, author, curator and small press partner, Esther will share insights which began with her experience conducting oral history interviews of elderly Seattle African Americans in the mid-1970's.

Info: Memories are special moments that tell our story. Transforming your memories into art is a powerful way to preserve and share your personal experiences. Join Debra Harris-Branham and Brenetta Ward in an interactive workshop and create a Memory Tin to hold those special memories. Using a variety of materials, each participant will decorate a one-of-a-kind keepsake.
*Please bring a small photo, special items or written memories to place in your tin.

Info: The Donaldson Odyssey is a long-standing and evolving research project to document the presence of the Donaldsons, a biracial family with roots in Alabama and Tennessee in the 1800's. From the deep South, the Donaldsons moved to Roslyn, WA seeking a better life, as part of a larger labor recruitment initiative by the Northwest Improvement Company to bring African Americans in to break white union miners' strikes in the 1880's-1890's. -Part two of this presentation is: In the Shadow of Reconstruction: A Portrait of a Northwest Black Pioneer Family - After escaping from bondage, John N. Conna embarked on an epic adventure, traversing the nation and establishing a legacy of remarkable achievement. Maisha's talk will delve into her Barnett and Conna family history in Washington state, spanning from Reconstruction to present.

Info: Miz Floes is an ever-evolving artistic implant into Seattle. As an artist who employs a multidisciplinary approach to fuse poetic verse, theater, live music, and movement. Miz seeks to entertain, educate, advocate and inspire positive collective progression. She is a current member of the African American Writers Alliance and the Griot Party Experience. Miz Floes is the proud recipient of the 2021 Gap Award, and the 2022 Artist at the Center, 2023 4Culture Projects, and 2022 Uptown Storefront grants.

Host or Publisher Black Genealogy Research Group of Seattle