Growing Your Roots 2020: The Inaugural African American Genealogy Conference of Austin, Texas

Growing Your Roots 2020: The Inaugural African American Genealogy Conference of Austin, Texas

“The Roots are as Important as the Leaves”

FREE Registration is Now Open!

January 30, 2020 – February 2, 2020

Free Registration is open for Growing Your Roots 2020: The Inaugural African American Genealogy Conference of Austin, Texas. The genealogy conference will debut the first weekend going into Black History Month (January 30, 2020 – February 2, 2020). The free four-day conference is hosted by the Austin History Center, Austin Public Library’s African American Community Archives Program. The genealogy conference will feature a variety of speakers, panel sessions, workshops, exhibitions, tours, and networking opportunities for genealogy professionals, scholars, and novice enthusiasts.

Dr. Edmund Gordon, Vice-Provost of Diversity, Professor of African & African American Studies in Anthropology, at the University of Texas at Austin is The Jacob Fontaine Distinguished Keynote Speaker. The professor’s Racial Geography Tour takes an in-depth look at the University of Texas at Austin’s racial history. Internationally acclaimed photographer, Kris Graves is the Algerene M. Akins Craig Distinguished Closing Keynote. ​Kris Graves: Testament Project will debut in the Austin Central Public Library Gallery beginning January 14, 2020 -February 29, 2020.

Genealogy panel sessions will be led by local, regional, and national speakers and facilitators such as Rachel E. Winston, Stephanie L. Lang, Danielle McGhee, Stuart King, Greg Farrar, Olivia Dorsey Peacock, Emma Robinson, delmetria millener. The inaugural African American genealogy conference of Austin, Texas (January 30, 2020 – February 2, 2020) will be an experience not to miss and best of all it is FREE and welcoming of attendees of all levels, novice to expert!

Growing Your Roots 2020 is presented in partnership with the Austin Public Library, Huston-Tillotson University | Downs-Jones Library, Austin History Center, PBS | POV, The City of Austin, City of Austin’s Equity Office, and The University of Texas John L. Warfield Center for African and African American Studies.

The African American genealogy conference has reserved a block of rooms at both the ​Hyatt Place Austin Downtown​, and the ​JW Marriott Austin for January 29th, 2020 through February 3rd, 2020 at a special conference rate.

To register for the conference, visit: ​library.austintexas.gov/ahc/growingyourroots or contact the Austin History Center, African American Studies Community Archivist at 512-974-7390. Participants can also stay up to date on the latest news by following @ ​Facebook​, and ​Instagram​, using #GrowingYourRoots2020 for social media posts.

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

Pre-Conference Highlights

• The Austin History Center, African American Community Archives Presents: The Villager Community Service Weekly Photography: Exhibition & Reception
• The Austin Central Public Library, Gallery Presents, Self-Guided Tour: Kris Graves’ Testament Project, Black History Month Photography Exhibition

Thursday, January 30, 2020

Preview Conference Night

The Austin History Center, African American Community Archives Presents: The Villager Community Service Weekly Photography: Exhibition & Reception The Austin Central Public Library, Gallery Presents, Self-Guided Tour:
Kris Graves’ Testament Project, Black History Month Photography Exhibition

Friday, January 31, 2020

Opening Conference Night at the Central Library Jacob Fontaine Distinguished Keynote:

Dr. Edmund Gordon, Vice-Provost of Diversity, Professor of African/African-American Studies, University of Texas at Austin

Genealogy Networking Social & PBS | POV Film Mini Film-Reel-

Saturday, February 1, 2020

Conference Panel Sessions:

African American Cultural Preservation & Storytelling
Presenters: Rachel Winston, University of Texas at Austin, Stephanie L. Lang, University of Texas at Austin

Connecting Roots: Huston-Tillotson University, African American Cemeteries and Burial Sites in Austin, Texas
Presenters: Danielle McGhee, Huston-Tillotson University; Greg Farrar, Oakwood Chapel; Stuart King, King Tears Funeral Home; Moderated by Jennifer Chenoweth, Oakwood Cemetery Chapel and Melissa Rogers, Save Austin’s Cemeteries

Black Roots in Austin, Texas:, A Discussion with African American Legacy Families
Moderators, Roxanne Evans & Jacobi Smith

Conference Workshops:

Digging Up Roots in Your Own Backyard: African American Genealogy for Novice Users
Facilitator, kYmberly Keeton, The Austin History Center, African American Community Archives

Blog About It! Making WordPress Work For Your African American Family History
Facilitator, Olivia Dorsey Peacock, Digital Black History

GenKnowledge: African American Genealogy for Intermediate and Advanced Users
Facilitator, kYmberly Keeton, The Austin History Center, African American Community Archives

NAMING THE LINEAGE: We Will Walk Through *Who Awakened Your Senses? *Who Politicized Your Experiences of Body, Identity? *Who Taught You The Value of Feeling Good?
Facilitator, Emma Robinson, Womanist Library

#BrownTeensRead Presents: Oral Fixations: Family Histories Retold
Facilitator, delmetria millener, #BrownTeensRead

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Sunday, February 2, 2020

Celebrating Black History Month & Genealogy All Month Long

Closing Conference Keynote & Reception at the Austin Central Public Library:

Photographer, Kris Graves | During the closing lecture, Kris Graves will discuss the process of making portraits and ideas about representation and inequality.

On View: Austin Central Public Library Gallery Opening Reception ft. Kris Graves’ Testament Project, Black History Month Photography Exhibition

Conference Genealogy Research Hub

● Access to historical organizations, libraries, archives, museums, and community cultural centers
● Visit the Womanist Library & Record Your Oral History Booth