Clayton Library Friends November General Meeting

This general meeting will be a hybrid meeting – held both online via Zoom and in-person at Clayton’s Garwood Meeting Room – and requires registration. Registration is required for in-person attendance due to limited seating capacity. Registration for online attendance is also required to obtain Zoom login instructions. See below for registration options.

The meeting will consist of a brief business meeting followed by our guest speaker.

Program Title:  The 1870 Community-Cluster: Gateway to Your Ancestor's Enslavement

Researching enslaved African American ancestry can be extremely challenging and daunting. Clues from the 1870 US Census community hold the keys to unlocking their pre-Civil War history. Author and genealogist Franklin Carter Smith will suggest tips and strategies on how to use these clues to open a gateway that leads to their enslavement history.

Franklin Carter Smith has been engaged in family history research for 45 years. In 2020, he retired from the Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research In Houston, Texas. Where his specialty area was African American research, with a specific interest in enslavement research. Franklin co-authored "A Genealogists Guide to Discovering your African American Ancestors" with Emily Anne Croom. He has also written multiple articles for Family Tree Magazine and given presentations on African American genealogy and DNA to various local and national groups and organizations. Franklin's earliest documented enslaved ancestor is a 5th great-grandmother born in 1760 in North Carolina.

Registration is required for either Zoom or in-person attendance. You do not need to be a member to attend the meeting.

To Register:
Click to register for Online Attendance, or

Click to register for In-Person Attendance

Handout:  The 1870 Community-Cluster Handout