Philadelphia and Hempstead Make a Genealogical Connection
(PRWEB) October 27 2003--
L-R: Dr. Diane Turner, Curator of Collections and Exhibitions at the African American Museum in Philadelphia, John T. Logan, President and Founder Of the African American Genealogy Group and Joysetta Pearse, Executive Director of the African Atlantic Genealogical Society.
Philadelphia and Hempstead Make a Genealogical Connection
A delegation from Philadelphia paid a visit to the African American Museum of Nassau County, in Hempstead, to observe the recently established Genealogy Room. Dr. Diane Turner, Curator and Shirley Brounling, Director of Membership Recruitment at the African American Museum in Philadelphia were accompanied by John T. Logan, President and Founder of the Philadelphia-based African American Genealogy Group; Vai Sikahema, sportscaster and anchor for NBC-TV Philadelphia. Don Fisher and Scott Trotter from the Public Affairs office of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in New York, joined the group at the museum.
One of the objectives of the site visit was to observe how genealogy (the study of successive generations of kin) meshed with the mission of the museum (to collect and display objects having scientific or artistic value). Willie Houston, Director of the African American Museum in Hempstead, Dolores Contreras, Staff Assistant and Joysetta Pearse, Executive Director of the African Atlantic Genealogical Society (AAGS), the organization that manages the Genealogy Room, discussed the highly successful integration of the museum and the genealogy society. Ms. Brounling was especially interested in the impact upon the community and its relationship with the museum. Mr. Houston, Ms. Contreras and Ms. Pearse spoke to the keen interest of local schools and the community at large and the resultant increase in visitors to the museum.
The décor in the Genealogy Room was also of interest to the delegation. The posters that depict the strength and beauty of African American family life were donated to AAGS by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as were the two microfilm readers that are used by researchers. The Long Island Power Authority, the Verizon Foundation and Assemblywoman Earlene Hooper provided funds for the office furniture, equipment, supplies, etc.
With the cooperation of the African American Genealogy Group, Philadelphia will be emulating Hempstead museum/genealogical society connection. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be duplicating the posters that add so much to the ambience in the Genealogy Room. The documented family histories of noted Long Islanders: Mayor James A. Garner, Pyrrhus Consor and Samuel Ballton were also of interest to the delegation. Ms. Brounling intends to establish her museum as a repository for the genealogies of noted African American Philadelphians. The delegation left greatly encouraged and highly motivated to move their project forward. For more information on African Atlantic Genealogical Society you may contact Joysetta Pearse at 516.867.7480 or log on to our web site at www.africantic.com or email Joysetta Pearse at jpearse1@optonline.net
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