Explore the Early Historical Legacy of Black Families in San Joaquin County

Beginning during the planning for Stockton Juneteenth 2013 it was clear that broad based education, utilizing primary source documents was essential to quantify the early contribution by people of African ancestry in San Joaquin County, the heart of the California Central Valley Gold Rush. A Stockton Juneteenth History Project builds upon the work established in the tradition of Sankofa.

Are you interested in the history of the early Black Families in San Joaquin County?
Together, we will begin compiling, documenting and preserving the history of these families? Or maybe your own?

On Thursday, February 27, at 5:30-7:30 p.m. the Margaret K. Troke Branch Library presents Historical Legacy of Black Families in San Joaquin County. Our Stockton Juneteenth History Project seeks to engage the broader community to identify and preserve an amazing part of the legacy of our region.

Our 2014 Stockton Black History Month Program entitled, exploring the Historical Legacy of Black Families in San Joaquin County will be coordinated by Michael Harris, Chair of the California Black Agriculture Working Group. The workshop will feature education, history and genealogy supporters from the broader community.

Together, we will explore the historical legacy of Black Families in San Joaquin County, highlighting the California Gold Rush era and U.S. Civil War era. It is important to understand that people enslaved were considered property, prohibited from reading, writing, attending school, legally marrying, owning land, owning a business, voting, and participating in many other activities that generate the type of records on which much genealogical research is based.

The workshop will also include genealogical research methods from other ethnic backgrounds in a broad based effort to share our common history in the California Central Valley, 1846 - 1865.

Everyone is welcome to attend our free community workshop.

This free program is provided through generosity of the California Black Agriculture Working Group and the Stockton Friends of the Library.

The Margaret K. Troke Branch Library is a part of the Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library and is located at 502 W. Benjamin Holt in Stockton.