Cheri Hudson Passey

Most researchers stop at the population schedule, but census records also include valuable schedules that document farms, businesses, deaths, and community life. This session explores agricultural, mortality, and industry schedules, showing how they can be used to add depth to family history.

Census records often contradict one another. Ages change, names vary, and places of birth are inconsistent. This session demonstrates how to analyze and reconcile those conflicts through timelines, correlation with other records, and case studies that show how to draw conclusions from imperfect evidence.

The history of slavery in America left families divided but also deeply connected through records, land, and often bloodlines. Today, descendants of both the enslaved and the enslavers are uncovering those connections through genealogy and asking what they mean for the present. This panel brings together genealogists and descendants to share how these discoveries were made, what it looks like to begin a conversation across that divide, and how stories can be told with honesty, respect, and care. Attendees will learn how to: 1-Identify the record groups that connect enslaved and enslaver families, 2-Understand the challenges and opportunities of descendant dialogue, 3-Approach this history with sensitivity while documenting it accurately.