1. Surnames adorning the branches of his family tree include Binford, Brooks, Carter, Cephas, Cooke, Fears, Foster, Gomes, Graca, Gross, Hobson, Jeffries, Pereira, Pina, Smith, and Taylor, so if you have any in common, you could be related.

2. You might think the odds of a connection are slim, but Congressman Jeffries has a multitude of cousins. One of his great-great-grandmothers made it to the century mark and her obituary noted that she left 77 great-grandchildren and 31 great-great-grandchildren. This was half a century ago, so the number of descendants from this ancestor alone would be in the hundreds by now. And in case you’re wondering, Hakeem Jeffries’ life overlapped hers, so he was one of those 31 great-greats.

3. While he was born in Brooklyn, his roots are planted elsewhere. Using the generation of his great-grandparents as a reference point, Virginia claims 3/8ths of his heritage, Georgia 1/4, Cape Verde 1/4 (more on this later), and Maryland 1/8. A combination of the Great Migration and immigration added California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Ohio into the mix.

4. A sad affair that emerges with distressing frequency in his family is parents dying young, particularly mothers. For instance, his mother’s mother, Nellie, died when she was only 23 years old and her daughter all of two. For Nellie’s husband, this would have been history repeating itself in the worst possible way, as his own mother had died at 23 when he was only two.

On his father’s side of the family, his grandfather — the youngest of 13 — was orphaned at 10. Due to these tragic losses, older sisters and aunts have played an outsized role in the family, stepping in to raise the children who have lost parents. When Jeffries’ parents married, for example, it was his mother’s aunt who announced their engagement.

5. A more welcome pattern that surfaces when researching Rep. Jeffries’ family tree is one of service to others — a blend of community, military, and union-related. His paternal grandmother was recognized by Essex County, New Jersey for her volunteer efforts helping elderly people who lived alone, while one of his maternal great-grandfathers helped the Mine, Mill & Smelter union he belonged to (which presumably assisted him when he later broke his leg at work).

His maternal grandfather was career military, enlisting in the Army during WWII in 1942 and serving until 1963, and his service may well be what inspired his daughter — Jeffries’ mother — to become chairman of the Junior Girls of both local and state American Legion Auxiliary posts. A newspaper article notes that she was the “first Negro girl ever” to serve in this capacity, a phrase that simultaneously makes one wince and appreciate that even to volunteer, she had to break new ground while still a teenager. Around the same time, she was also an officer with her school’s Future Teachers of America and Choir organizations, the latter especially fitting since she’s a gifted vocalist.

6. The Jeffries branch of the family hails from Jasper County, Georgia, and the earliest ancestor I’ve been able to find there so far is a 3rd great-grandfather named William Fears who was enslaved for the first forty or so years of his life. For this reason, July 6, 1867 would have been a special day for him. This was the date he registered to vote.

(both found on Ancestry)

A census record reveals that he had been born to a local woman and a father from Africa, so it must have seemed improbable to him that this moment would ever come.

Even so, Jasper County would not have been a haven for Fears and his family as a gently disguised form of slavery persisted there well into the 20th century. A Kirkus Review of Gregory A. Freeman’s eye-opening book, Lay This Body Down: The 1921 Murders of Eleven Plantation Slaves, summarizes this peonage system as follows: “A young black man would find himself arrested for some minor offense and issued a fine that he would be unable to pay; a local farmer would pay his fine and put him to work under slavery-like conditions, ostensibly to pay off this unasked-for loan.”

Lynchings and other forms of violence were also a constant threat. Jeffries’ ancestors — William Fears’ descendants — would finally leave in the early 1920s. In the half-decade leading up to their departure, at least 15 Black people had been lynched or otherwise murdered in the county.

Jasper County history excerpt

None of this is included in this Jasper County history I came across in the course of my research — not surprising since it was written in 1969 and reflects perspectives and attitudes shared by many at the time. But it’s disconcerting that this is the history presented on the county’s official website today.

7. Finally, though most of Congressman Jeffries’ family tree meanders back for generations in the U.S., one portion came here just slightly over a century ago when a pair of his great-grandparents immigrated from Cape Verde (then a Portuguese colony), off the coast of West Africa.

His great-grandfather, Manuel Gomes, arrived in 1915 following the 4,000 mile path between Fogo and New Bedford, Massachusetts crossed by countless others since New England whalers had forged the connection back in the late 18th century. He married, had a son, applied for citizenship, and lost his wife — all by 1923.

Still, he carried on, working in brass mills and for a railroad, raising his son, securing his American citizenship, remarrying, and having more children. At some point, he returned home for good and died in São Filipe in 1974, where his grave can be seen today.

(FindaGrave, photo by Alan and Linda Martineau)

In his waning days, I can’t help but wonder if Manuel could have possibly imagined that Cape Verde would gain its independence just seven months later, much less that his then-four-year-old great-grandson, Hakeem Jeffries, would rise to where he is in the U.S. Congress today.

Top Photo: Hakeem Jeffries (official portrait, 2022)

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How will you be remembered? Here’s how to adopt a ‘legacy’ mind-set.

BIG win on USCIS fees – Wow, they listened!

23andMe’s Fall From $6 Billion to Nearly $0 – Well, I can’t get beyond the paywall, but this is certainly newsworthy for the genealogy community.

‘I didn’t realise I was so loved’: the people hosting their own ‘living funerals’

Bruce Springsteen accepts Ellis Island award with his mother & aunts – Ah, I see Bruce Springsteen’s mother passed. If you’d like to see a sweet memory of this lovely, mighty woman, you might want to watch Bruce with his mother and her sisters when he was honored at Ellis Island. They join him about 3 minutes in.

Thomas Pursell’s Escape Burial Hatch – Can never be too safe when it comes to burial, eh?

More African Americans work to recover names of ancestors from before 1870 – Renate Yarborough-Sanders!!

At 116, She Has Outlived Generations of Loved Ones. But Her Entire Town Has Become Family. – Happy 116th, Edie!

World War II soldier from Metropolis, Illinois accounted for by Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency – Welcome home, Tech Sgt. William Luster Leukering. Honored to have researched your family.

Photo Credit: exakta under Creative Commons license

The post Genealogy Roundup, February 9 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.

Vibrant Mixed-Media Collages Give a Fresh Perspective on African American Ancestry – Always enjoy seeing examples of genealogy and art colliding, and this is no exception. You can check out more of Stan Squirewell’s work on his Instagram account (link in the article).

6 Things You Didn’t Know about Hannah Waddingham’s Roots – Seems a good time to share this again.

Photo Credit: Nuno Cardoso under Creative Commons license

The post Genealogy Roundup, December 6 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.

Video: Exclusive: How a Rare Portrait of an Enslaved Child Arrived at the Met – Unfortunately, I don’t seem to be able to get a free link for non-subscribers, but this video is so worth watching that I’m sharing it anyway. If you’re able to access it, please take a few minutes to watch this fascinating tale.

UPDATE: I’m learning on other platforms that most people *are* able to view this video, so I hope that applies to you!

Someone uploaded this fellow into one of the online trees I’m working on and I can’t stop seeing Josh Groban.

Northumberland coastal village creates one of the world’s largest family trees – Love this kind of local initiative. Reminds me of what a handful of us did with Osturňa, Slovakia some years back.

30 Million People Today Are Descendants of Passengers on the Mayflower – I don’t think this will be a surprise to most genealogists, but props to the writer for including pedigree collapse!

Top Photo Credit: NoName_13 under Creative Commons license

The post Genealogy Roundup, August 16 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.

Army base in Louisiana sheds Confederate name for a Black war hero – Pleased to have had a chance to speak about WWI hero, Henry Johnson.

Was just asked to share this in one of the genealogy groups I participate in and thought it was worth re-sharing here because somehow this frustrating myth never seems to go away!

Camryn and Milo Manheim to lead off premiere of new Jewish-themed genealogy TV series – Another genealogy TV series headed our way!

How to plan a genealogy trip to connect with your roots – Whoa, is this right? Ancestry’s (ProGenealogists) roots travel services start at $3,000/day?! Time for some of us to increase our rates, eh?

Top Photo Credit: Verne Becker under Creative Commons license

The post Genealogy Roundup, June 21 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.

A New Front in Reparations: Seeking the Return of Lost Family Land

Records Reveal Mario Changed Name From “Jumpman” at Ellis Island – Even when it’s a joke, it irritates me. Consider this your periodic reminder that names were NOT changed at Ellis Island!

We’re Taking Our Children’s Names: Honouring legacy in broken families – Interesting read. My first thought was that this would confuse future genealogists, but unless this couple has additional children of their own, the exact opposite is true. Descendants of the now 4-year-olds will have an easier time picking up their trail

With no next of kin, the dead tax county resources. How they end up in coroner offices. – This is one of the best series of articles I’ve seen on Unclaimed Persons since I began researching them back in 2005. Still helping Lackawanna, PA – the first county I ever worked with – with their cases. 5 in just the last week.

A New Book About Madonna and Other Hollywood Stars of Abruzzo Origins – Italy following in Ireland’s footsteps ramping up its efforts to attract roots tourism.

Fort Polk is now Fort Johnson after US Army moves to honor World War I hero – Honored to have researched Sgt. Henry Johnson in preparation for his posthumous Medal of Honor Award and so very pleased that this base will be named after him.

Photo Credit: James McNellis under Creative Commons license

The post Genealogy Roundup, June 14 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.

Remains of Indiana soldier killed during World War II identified – This was a daunting case, sent to me as high priority last year, so I’m even more pleased than usual that this hero has been identified. Welcome home, Pfc. Leonard Elkins Adams. Honored to have researched your family.

Veterans Voices: PFC Mark Wilson to be buried in Arlington Cemetery 79 years after death in WWII – Welcome home, PFC Mark P. Wilson. Honored to have researched your family.

Reclaiming a North Carolina Plantation – Interesting article from an unexpected source.

Introducing Reimagine: Scan and Improve Photos – Has anyone checked out MyHeritage’s Reimagine app? Looks as if it will be $50/year for full functionality.

With Gloria and Emilio Estefan at the 2023 Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Awards!

Chrissy Teigen Started ‘Spiraling’ After Genealogy Test Mistakenly Said She Had an Identical Twin – For obvious reasons, celebs are always tested under fake names, but I never thought I’d see an outcome like this!

One English Family Took Photos of Shipwrecks for More Than a Century – Love these tales of unexpected mini-archives from unexpected sources (in this case, photographs by 5 generations of one family), but rescue those negatives!

I never thought I cared about my family history, and then I went to Ireland – “it was a pile of rocks on an oceanside cliff that gave me the genealogical awakening I needed”

Top Photo Credit: Johnny Silvercloud under Creative Commons license

The post Genealogy Roundup, June 7 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.

This nine-year-old was enslaved in the US. Her story could help stop a chemical plant

Photo Credit: Mary Woodard under Creative Commons license

The post Genealogy Roundup, September 21 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.

Democracy’s Data: The Hidden Stories in the U.S. Census and How to Read Them – New book alert! There’s a lot of familiar territory here for genealogists, and at the same time, you’ll be surprised by how much you *didn’t* know about the U.S. census. It’s like getting a backstage pass! You can also learn more by attending this online event with Dan Bouk. Another online event, hosted by the National Archives, is taking place next month.

This Prince George’s County Plantation Museum Is Bringing Stories Of Enslaved People Out Of The Shadows – Very pleased to see this happening in my old backyard of PG County.

WWII Detroit native’s remains to be interred at Arlington – Welcome home, Sgt. Adolph “Leonard” Olenik. Honored to have researched your family. (This was a challenging one, so am especially grateful).

Genealogy Research in the Year 2070 – How very strange to wake up and read this. Someone predicting what genealogy would be like in 2070 made a hypothetical granddaughter of mine the client – which I especially love since I have no children. Very grateful to this writer for giving me future descendants! , y’all!

Photo Credit: Alicia Soltani under Creative Commons license

The post Genealogy Roundup, August 24 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.

Getty Images Launches Initiative to Elevate Black History and Empower Storytellers

Sandra Boynton’s CHANSON PROFONDE with Yo-Yo Ma – Love this! Perfect for July 14th

Nick Offerman confronts bittersweet ancestral past

Photo Credit (The Café in the Crypt): Michael Brace under Creative Commons license

The post Genealogy Roundup, July 20 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.