Good morning, Northville District Library (NDL) invites you to join us this coming Monday, February 20 at 7 PM, online using Zoom, for a genealogy presentation by Dr. Deborah A. Abbott, titled "Breaking the Brick Wall: Researching in Black and White." Dr. Abbott will discuss the difficulties in African American genealogical research, focus specifically on how to find and identify enslaved ancestors and owners, and share methodologies, tips, and case studies. The importance of using census records, cluster/collateral research, and understanding social history in genealogy research will also be explored. Registration is required on NDL's event calendar using this link: [ https://nvillelib.org/DrAbbott | https://nvillelib.org/DrAbbott ] About Dr. Abbott: Deborah A. Abbott, PhD, is a professional genealogist specializing in genealogical methodology, manuscript collections, and African American family research. She is a member of the Cuyahoga County (OH) Archives Commission, the Lakeview Cemetery Community Outreach Committee (Cleveland, OH), past president of the African American Genealogical Society, Cleveland, Ohio, and a retired professor of Counseling from Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland. She holds both the BS and MEd degrees from Tuskegee University and the PhD degree from Kent State University. Dr. Abbott is coordinator of both the African American Track at the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR) in Athens, Georgia, and the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP). She teaches at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) and the Texas Institute of Genealogical Research (TIGR). Dr. Abbott has articles published in the Ohio Genealogy News and FamilyTree magazines. She can be found teaching African American genealogy in a segment entitled “Needles & Threads” on Ancestry Academy, an educational video course for Ancestry.com. She also teaches monthly classes entitled “Using Ancestry.com in Genealogy Research” at the Lakewood (Ohio) Public Library and coordinates the “Genealogy and Family History Clinic” for the Cleveland Public Library. She is a member of the National Genealogical Society (NGS), the Association of Professional Genealogist (APG) and the Genealogical Speakers Guild (GSG). A Cleveland, Ohio native, Dr. Abbott is a life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the Tuskegee University National Alumni Association, and Antioch Baptist Church in Cleveland. Image of Dr. Deborah A. Abbott, courtesy of Dr. Abbott We hope to see you Monday! Kind regards, Katie Rothley, MLIS Marketing & Public Relations Librarian Northville District Library 212 West Cady Street Northville, MI 48167 (248) 349-3020 ext. 221 [ https://northvillelibrary.org/ | https://northvillelibrary.org/ ]