| Frazine K. Taylor just released her new book, | | | | Frazine K. Taylor is a former Peace Corps |
| Researching African-American Genealogy in | | | | volunteer and administrator who served in the |
| Alabama: A Resource Guide thru New South, | | | | Fiji Islands and traveled extensively in the |
| Inc. This is an exciting new resource | | | | South Pacific before she obtained her Master |
| material for those researching African | | | | in Information Studies degree from Atlanta |
| Americans in the Alabama area. New South, | | | | University. She has over twenty years |
| Inc. relates this regarding her book: | | | | experience as a librarian, archivist, |
| | | | lecturer and writer and has received numerous |
| "Over the past two decades, in workshops and | | | | awards during her career including Employee |
| personal consultations, thousands of persons | | | | of the Year from the Alabama State Employee |
| have received the expertise and knowledge of | | | | Association. She is the Head of Reference for |
| author Frazine Taylor about Alabama | | | | the Alabama Department of Archives and |
| genealogical research. In addition, she has | | | | History (ADAH) and is an expert on Alabama |
| taught the art to hundreds of students. As | | | | records at ADAH. Ms. Taylor is a member of |
| Dr. James Rose notes, all genealogists | | | | the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical |
| looking for the family tree in Alabama sooner | | | | Society and serves on the Editorial Board of |
| or later come across Frazine. | | | | the Journal of the Afro-American Historical |
| | | | and Genealogical Society. She is the |
| And now they have her book, Researching | | | | President of the Elmore County Association of |
| African American Genealogy in Alabama: A | | | | Black Heritage, Chair of the Black Heritage |
| Resource Guide. In the book, she provides the | | | | Council of the Alabama Historical Commission, |
| information and guidance to help locate the | | | | a member of BBAAGHS and of the Society of |
| resources available for researching African | | | | Alabama Archivists, and serves on the Board |
| American records in archives, libraries, and | | | | of Directors of the Alabama Historical |
| county courthouses throughout the state. The | | | | Association. She researched Tom Joyner's and |
| idea for this guidebook rose out of her | | | | Linda Johnson Rice's family roots and ties to |
| lecturing throughout the country and having | | | | Alabama for the PBS series, African American |
| noticed that reference guides on African | | | | Lives 2. She is also the coordinator for |
| American family history resources seemed to | | | | African American studies at Samford's |
| exist for every state except Alabama. This | | | | Institute of Genealogy and Historical |
| was regrettable not merely for researchers on | | | | Research in Birmingham, Alabama. |
| African American history in Alabama. In fact, | | | | |
| Alabama's records play an especially | | | | Personally, I have researched for a dear |
| important role in U.S. family history | | | | friend of mine in Alabama a few years ago, |
| research because of the migration patterns of | | | | and there was a limited amount of resources I |
| Alabama's freedmen, first to urban areas of | | | | knew about. I am looking forward to |
| Alabama and then to northern cities, a trend | | | | re-opening this family file to see if I can |
| that continued throughout the first part of | | | | find further ancestors using Frazine Taylor's |
| the twentieth century." | | | | new book. |
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