Breaking a Brick Wall: From Freedom to Slavery

Dr. Deborah Abbott is bringing to us yet another of her amazing methodologies!  NO ONE does methodology better!

The most difficult part of genealogical research for African Americans is finding and identifying enslaved ancestors and their enslavers. For many people whose families were held in bondage, the task can become overwhelming, but as difficult as this might seem, it is not impossible. This lecture will focus on the clues, resources, and methods needed to reconstruct an African American ancestor’s journey from freedom to slavery, including the importance of using U.S. Federal Census records, the FAN club, vital records, and records of the potential enslaver.

Deborah A. Abbott, PhD, is a professional genealogist specializing in genealogical methodology, manuscript collections, and African American family research. She is a member of the Cuyahoga County (OH) Archives Commission, the Lakeview Cemetery Community Outreach Committee (Cleveland, OH), a past president of the African American Genealogical Society (Cleveland, OH), and a retired professor of Counseling from Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland. She holds both a BS and an MEd from Tuskegee University and a PhD from Kent State University.

Dr. Abbott is the coordinator of the African American Track at both the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR) in Athens, Georgia, and the GRIP Genealogy Institute of the National Genealogical Society. She teaches at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) and the Texas Institute of Genealogical Research (TIGR).

Dr. Abbott has articles published in the Ohio Genealogy News and Family Tree magazines. She can be found teaching African American genealogy in the “Needles & Threads” segment on Ancestry Academy, an educational video course on Ancestry.com. Dr. Abbott also coordinates the “Genealogy and Family History Clinic” for the Cleveland Public Library.

She is a member of the National Genealogical Society (NGS), the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG), and the Genealogical Speakers Guild (GSG). A Cleveland, Ohio native, Dr. Abbott is a life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the Tuskegee University National Alumni Association, and Antioch Baptist Church in Cleveland. 

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