African American Genealogical Society of Milwaukee
Our History
The first meeting of the society was on July 18, 1992 with four people attending.The next meeting was in September and have been monthly thereafter. In February 1993, the members put on a display of their genealogical findings for the community and in May, we began work on our constitution. June 19, 1993 was the election of our first officers. In September 1993, Mary Mason installed the following officers:
President - Carol Calvin
Vice President - Julia Saunders
Treasurer - Barbara Whitmore
Secretary - Anita Johnson
Newsletter Editor - Chuck Powell
New Assistant - Brenda Thompson
On October 16, 1993, we had our first membership drive which included a speaker, Dr. Anthony Mensah, and a panel discussion on tracing family history presented by three of our members.
On September 24, 1994, Tony Burroughs spoke to the group on Tracing Your Ancestors. Workshops followed on three of the following Wednesday evenings presented by members of the AAGSOM.
In 1995, we added a membership chairperson, Richard Cantu, with an assistant, Lenore Mathews. We also added a publicity chairperson, Cassandra Brooks.
We had a fourth presentation on September 16, 1995. It included speakers Doris Newby Armstrong and Dorothy French Greene. We also had presentations by members.
Among our many activities we have:
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Explored the resources in the Milwaukee Public Library
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Received an orientation at the L.D.S. library in Hales Corners, Wisconsin
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Attended conferences in Chicago sponsored by the African American Genealogical and Historical Society of Chicago and the Patricia Liddell Researchers
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Held our fifth workshop on October 26, 1996
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Visited The Milton House Museum in 2015, located in Milton, Wisconsin, a stop on the Underground Railroad
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Attended conferences at the Family History Center in Hales Corners
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Visited the Wisconsin Historical Society in Madison, Wisconsin
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Celebrated our 25th Anniversary and were featured on Black Nouveau in 2017
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May 2020 our meetings became virtual education sessions as a result of COVID.
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Effective April 15, 2023, resumed in-person sessions and continued virtually.
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October 21, 2023, held our first in-person Open House since 2019. Annual Open Houses had been interrupted by COVID in 2020.
Group picture for 25th Anniversary
Registration Table at Italian Community Center
C. Brooks discussing display
Group picture for 25th Anniversary
Click to see members through the Years
Carol Calvin Interview (6:49) on Black Noveau March 8, 2017 #2524