Finding out what it means to be Boricua through a genetic & genealogical journey through my family history
While reading the book The Common Wind: Afro-American Currents in the Age of the Haitian Revolution, I began thinking a lot about the role both enslaved and free people of color who spent their time working on boats played by passing along through word of mouth important information to their communities and others. The book focuses […]
Ahoy! Exploring Gustave Jean Charles’ Life on the Sea Read More »
In late spring/early summer, I got two emails regarding the same thing – a updated new resource that could prove fruitful for my research! Both David Quénéhervé and Mickaël Mange, who have helped in different ways throughout my Afro-French Caribbean research, reached out to me to mention this website. Mickaël mentioned the website was fairly
Archives Départementales de la Guadeloupe – An Updated Resource! Read More »
When searching for family, one of the most important things I have come to realize is that sometimes we can find related family members not directly listed as “mother” or “father” in the records, but sometimes we can find them listed as the declarant, a witness, and/or listed as godparents to family members in church
Chaleau Jean Charles – An Uncle on Paper Read More »
Broken Chains – Free at last! [Google Images] The 26th of August marked 174 years of freedom for my 5th great grandfather, Chaleau Jean Charles. He was lucky to receive emancipation 6 years prior to all French slaves being freed on the islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe. There is still much to learn about this family,
174 Years After Emancipation Read More »
[Google] A few months back while I was still in Madrid studying abroad, I received a message from another 23andme member wondering if I needed any help searching for my ancestors in Martinique. As you might already know, offering your help to others is known as a RAOK or Random Act Of Kindness, and in
How a RAOK Broke my Guadeloupean Brick-Wall Read More »