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Tangled Roots: Intersecting Black & White Family Threads

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Date and Time

Thursday, February 20, 2025, 7:30 PM until 9:00 PM

Link to event:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUqcuCrpzoqGt2UzYx6hh1cc7zrKOKfD1dD

Event Contact(s)

Nathan Shepherd
vpprograms@fxgs.org

Registration Info

Registration is required

About this event

This three part (three speakers) personal case study presentation involves the examination of three separate family lines with the surname Braxton.

The discussion focuses on the early research findings of a circle that includes a direct descendant of Carter Braxton, Sr., enslaver and Virginia Signer of the Declaration of Independence; a descendant of an enslaved man believed to have been owned by Carter Braxton, and a descendant of a free person of color, believed to have been a child conceived in rape of a woman by Carter Braxton. Panel members will trace their common surname line, discuss their documentation and evidence incorporating oral family history, census records, cohabitation schedules, poll books, slave schedules, property records as well as descendent DNA evidence. The aim of this presentation is to spark more interest in researching family history across ethnicities and digging deeper into family narratives.

Presenters: Viola O. Baskerville, Allison Thomas, and Gerry Gilstrop

Viola O. Baskerville

For over 35 years, Viola Baskerville has researched family history and is a charter member of AAHGS (Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society), Greater Richmond, Virginia. She is a member of two lineage societies: the National Society Descendants of American Farmers, and Sons and Daughters of the United States Middle Passage. Last year, Viola and her fellow researchers presented at William and Mary's Lemon Project Symposium and the National AAHGS Conference.

Allison Thomas

Allison Thomas is an established film and theatre producer. She is a lead producer of “Dave,” a Broadway musical based on the movie, with Warner Bros., and, with Universal Theatrical, a musical adaptation of the movie “The Tale of Despereaux,” which Allison developed and produced. She also produced the movies, “Pleasantville” and “Seabiscuit.”

Allison descends from enslavers in colonial Virginia, including a signer of the Declaration of Independence, Carter Braxton. She is currently writing about her journey to uncover the truth, connect with descendants of people enslaved by her family, and collaborate on reparative actions.

Allison served on the boards of Coming Together Virginia, the California Women’s Law Center, and volunteers extensively with Coming to the Table’s Linked Descendants group.

Gerry Gilstrop

Gerry Gilstrop is a healthcare consultant who descends from a Virginia colonial era manumitted man named Abram Braxton, Sr. who became the progenitor of almost one-thousand present day descendants.

Handout - Tangled Roots