Preserving and Valuing Family Records

One 4-hour session: Saturday 2/8 (1-5pm Eastern / 10am-2pm Pacific) “Historical Genealogy is a wonderful journey that connects us to our past, helping us understand the roots of our family and the stories that have shaped our lives. For Quakers, this journey can be particularly meaningful as it not only honors individual histories but also…

Workshop Description

One 4-hour session: Saturday 2/8 (1-5pm Eastern / 10am-2pm Pacific)

“Historical Genealogy is a wonderful journey that connects us to our past, helping us understand the roots of our family and the stories that have shaped our lives. For Quakers, this journey can be particularly meaningful as it not only honors individual histories but also the shared values and spiritual heritage of the Quaker community.
Organizing your genealogical research is the first step to uncovering these rich narratives, and it can be incredibly rewarding!
By getting organized, you will be able to keep track of your findings, deepen your understanding of your ancestors, and share your discoveries with family members, or even the wider Quaker community. The basic guides, forms and tools provided in this workshop is designed to make this process easier and more efficient, allowing you to focus on the excitement of exploration rather than the stress of scattered information
The goal is to have Quakers, embrace this endeavor with an open heart and inquisitive mind! Each piece of information you gather brings you closer to the stories of the past, and who knows what beautiful connections and inspirations await you on this path. Start today and let the journey of discovery unfold!

There are four components to the workshop, each lasting about an hour:

1. How to Properly Care for and Handle Archival Documents and Materials
2. A 6-step method to help the Quaker community organize their data.
3. How to create a collaborative network for active Quaker participants using social media and other platforms.
4. How to publish your findings and share them with the broader Quaker community.

There will be a pre-meeting with the people who sign up to talk about what materials the participants have that they could share and how to prepare for the workshop itself. Some short readings will be suggested as well.”

Leader Experience

First time leader at the Gathering. I have conducted many workshops and developed four complete presentations:

• Black Lives Matter: The Woolman Effect – By using a twist on a modern-day theme, Corbett explores the impact early abolitionist and Quaker, John Woolman had on abolishing slavery.
• Jack Sherrod LIVES! – An exploration of Corbett’s great-great-grandfather’s life from a slave, to a soldier in the 135th Regiment of in the United States Colored Troops, to ultimately a free landowner.
• The Education of Fannie – Corbett’s exploration of the education of African Americans in North Carolina.
• Logistics of the Underground Railroad – In the Logistics of the Underground Railroad, Corbett uncrates the complexities of the Underground Railroad as he incorporates modern technological concepts and social norms. Al has also worked an an interpreter at a number of African-American and underground railroad historical sites.