NGS and the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society present the 4th Annual James Dent Walker Lecture Series. African American family history researchers encounter many brick walls, and the methodology used to solve these research quandaries benefits all genealogy researchers. The memorial lecture series honors James Dent Walker, the founder of AAHGS. Mr. Walker was elected to the National Genealogy Hall of Fame in 1999 and was a fellow and second vice president of NGS.
This year we present four sessions in this series (see program schedule for session times and locations):

America 250 Series: Historical and Genealogical Importance of America’s Forgotten Patriots
Instructor: Ric Murphy
Americans of African and Indigenous descent played vital but often forgotten roles in the Revolution. Learn how genealogical research can help recover their stories, restore family connections, and recognize their contributions to the nation’s founding history.

We’re All in This Together: Exploring the Interconnectivity of Black and White Ancestors in Pre-Gilded Age Records
Instructor: Renate Yarborough-Sanders
Records created by and for White ancestors often hold crucial clues about Black family members. Learn how to mine probate files, court records, and Reconstruction documents where overlapping paper trails reveal shared histories, break down brick walls, and illuminate ancestors’ intertwined lives.

The Reconstruction Generation: Tracking Americans Born 1850-1880
Instructor: Leslie Anderson, MSLS
Connect enslaved individuals to property-owning descendants. Learn techniques for navigating name changes, leveraging new records like pensions and voter rolls, tracking migration patterns, and building narratives that bridge slavery and freedom across America’s most transformative era.

Hidden Valor: Researching the Black Men and Women of the American Revolution
Instructor: Shelley Viola Murphy
Discover untold stories of African Americans in the American Revolution. Learn where to find their stories in military, pension, and local records—and how to document their contributions for lineage societies that honor their service.

Registration is open now.