I must say that I ended 2013 off with a bang! I have had two amazing genealogy things happen just in one day. I have set some very lofty genealogy goals for myself in this upcoming year and I have also accomplished a few things this past year that I had not even set out to accomplish in the first part of the year.
One of my overall goals that I am continuing to work on is setting goals that I can accomplish even if that means setting them on a smaller scale first so that I can work towards the larger goal. I think sometimes we fail to realize that we can accomplish many things, if we put a plan in place and and execute the plan methodically and as organized as possible. I listened to a great audio book over the summer called “Chose yourself” by James Altucher and this year began my decision to “choose myself” on so many different levels. My passion for genealogy was something I decided that I wanted to revisit and immerse myself in this forever addicting past time. I always wanted to create a family website and I decided to take the plunge and just do it. I watched a lot of videos on WordPress and how to build websites and shabang! I did it! I also had the great encouragement and resources of the many online community Facebook groups such as African American Genealogy and Slave Ancestry Research (AAGSAR), Our Black Ancestry and Technology for Genealogy. I strongly recommend joining similar groups when you are on your quest for genealogy resources and support.
So although the website was a great success and accomplishment of 2013 I also had other genealogical successes. One of the most important messages for me to convey to other African American family historians is that genealogy research can be done. It may be more challenging, but it is possible. That is one of the great things about being part of this growing community is that you are able to see the success of others and learn great skills.
I decided over the weekend to go back to the “genealogy basics” so that I can truly be methodical and consistent in my approach and make sure I am not missing anything. I decided to go back through old records and notes that I did from over 10 years ago and see if there was anything I missed. Sure enough there were some gaps on data I had not completely gathered between the 1870 and 1940 censuses. There was also some contact notes that I had from connections I made from a distant great,great cousin. When I talked to my great,great cousin Geraldine Jackson (Hogan) over 10 years ago she was about 80 years old. I decided to google her to see if she was still alive and if there would possibly be any other cousins to connect with. Unfortunately, when I googled her I found out she had recently passed per her obituary, but her obituary gave me the names of her kin. Sure enough I searched via Facebook and already made a connection and many more to come. Although one door closed, many more were opened up to connect with this family.
The 2nd thing I decided to do in going back to the “genealogy basics” was to start interviewing my family, starting with all my fathers living brothers and sisters. The first on my list was my Uncle Buster who carries the namesake of the many Herbert Jackson’s that run through my family. I would have to say that was one of the best phone calls I had all year! My Uncle Buster is the oldest of all the kids on my fathers side. We talked for about and hour and it was the most insightful information that I had ever learned about my uncle. He told me about his service in the Korean War and how he was drafted and how he was one of the first integrated troops in 1952 as Harry Truman was the President who lead the integration of the military. Uncle Buster stated, “race didn’t matter when you were in combat, that all went out the window when you are trying to survive”. He was a radio guy and the mountain he was on during battle was referred to as K4FM. He also discussed with me that he had a hard time proving his age when he was drafted because he didn’t have a birth certificate. He was born at home and Dr. Dick (The physician that delivered him) never registered the birth so he had no birth certificate. This seemed to be an issue at the time with many men who were drafted and enlisting in the military at the time because during the time of his birth most people were born at home. The military ended up saying that he was born in 1934 but he said that was incorrect he was born in 1932.
See the following links about the Korean War integration:
http://www.trumanlibrary.org/anniversaries/desegblurb.htm
When I was talking to my Uncle Buster, I got a completely different perspective on life that I was not initially seeking, but I am so glad for it. He has opened the door for me to learn about about my fathers service as well as my other uncle’s service in the military. What a great gift Uncle Buster has given to me. I look forward to many more conversations with my Uncle and other family members.
This past year I also reconnected with an uncle on my mother’s side as well as made a connection with a cousin on my maternal side via Ancestry.com. More blog posts to come from this side as I reconnect with family I have never known.
So 2014 is looking to be an exciting year with my new discoveries. I hope you all follow and share with me your knowledge on my genealogy quest. Happy New Year!
IJK
Wounds of Family History
Enjoyed reading about your goals for 2014, and your Uncle’s experiences in Korea.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read!
Happy New Year to you as well!
Thank you Andrea! I have enjoyed reading your blog!
Happy New Year and great goals. #BLOGFEST2014
Thanks Stephani for stopping by!
Yes, you did it! Great story on your goals and family. I can’t wait to see what you do next! How wonderful that you have family members telling you about your oral history. Keep up the good work. Happy New Year to you to!
Thanks Bernita for your kind words! I think blogging is going to become addictive for me!
Blessed to have you in The Fold Iva & yes, you have started the year off with a bang! Make a plan & ALWAYS follow your Ancestors voice! From there everything will flow just as it should!:)
Thank you Luckie for your continued support and the creation of AAGSAR! It’s exactly what I needed!
I have thoroughly enjoyed my visit to your blog this evening . . . WOW! I am impressed with your blog and I look forward to traveling this genealogy journey with you too. KUDOS to you!
Happy New Year and Happy Ancestor Hunting too!
Thanks for stopping by Liv! Your blog is what lead me to AAGSAR, many thanks for your inspiration to get me here!
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Your passion for your subject matter shines through in every post. It’s clear that you genuinely care about sharing knowledge and making a positive impact on your readers. Kudos to you!
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