I joined www.Afrigeneas.com sometime around 2000/2001. I was drawn by the wisdom and guidance of one VKN; Valencia King-Nelson.
I once asked Miss Valencia about researching my Jeters:
“There are just a few Jeters in NY & PA. And a zillion in VA & SC. How am I going to find my Peeps without a city or county name?”“You’re going to research ALL of them,” she said without batting a virtual eye.
I was so deep, at the time, into finding my direct genealogy bloodline lineage that I totally missed her governance teaching moment. All of them? Yes, All of them.
VKN has been a Ancestor since 2019. She is a busy Ancestor and just got around to see how I was doing; and to guide me in remembrance. I get it.
Afrigeneas was (and in many ways still is) a great place to learn how to do ‘family history’ by community. That community was legendary. If you were having challenges with your research, there were dozens of people to help you. The drums would sound and before you knew it, the path and solution to your challenge would be made clear.
Afrigeneas was community; it wasn’t social media! If someone were to troll or start some mess, they were met with a firm “Get Out Of Here!” The site is still accessible if not as active.
Tell Me Something Good!
Many World-Class Africana Grounded family historians and genealogists cut their research eye-teeth under the tutelage of Valencia King-Nelson. When you encounter one of us, call her name.
VKN nurtured us as her research children. She gave many of us forums to preside over. I was given the ‘AfriGeneas Books~Authors~Reviews’ forum. Others managed groups in their respective specialties; regions, military, DNA, cultures, and so much more!
We were Africana governance. We didn’t say; “Google it”. We didn’t drop a bunch of links. We connected with the people, we consulted, we discussed, we shared, we supported one another. Yes, we debated and fussed! We also left our homes to travel to find information and documents for each other.
We were a huge extended family. Miss Valencia kept us focused on community and the greater good. Who was your Valencia King-Nelson?
Asé
Peace & Blessings,
“Guided by the Ancestors”