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Thursday, March 5th, 2026 at 10:00 PM (GMT+0)
Finding Binkey: When Research Questions Become a Road Map to the Enslaved
Have you been searching for enslaved people in pre-Civil War records for years? Are you having trouble finding them online, in courthouses, libraries and historical archives? If so, do you have clearly defined RESEARCH QUESTIONS that guide you on your journey?
In this webinar, attendees will learn how clearly defined research questions can help them maintain focus, increase efficiency, provide direction, influence their methodology choices, and address gaps in their current knowledge. Award-winning Author and Professional Genealogist, Michael A. Willis, shares the methodology and research questions he applied to find SEVEN generations of his maternal ancestors as told to him by his maternal grandmother when he was eight years old (including his 5x great-grandmother, an enslaved woman named "Binkey").
If you are facing obstacles that you don't know how to overcome, attending this webinar just might be the best part of your day.
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Researching Enslaved Ancestors
Breaking through the 1870 brick wall to discover more about ancestors prior to the end of slavery can prove challenging. Changing surnames, families ripped apart, and identifying the former enslaver are just a few roadblocks when researching enslaved families. This session will dive deep into creating a research strategy and organizing the records uncovered. Genealogist Meaghan E. H. Siekman will also provide tips for making sense of all the information unearthed in the search and constructing a proof argument when records are limited. Best suited for those with intermediate-advanced genealogical skills.
