Growing Your Roots Austin 2020: The Inaugural African American Genealogy Conference

“The Roots are as Important as the Leaves”

Austin, Texas – Free registration is open for Growing Your Roots 2020: The Inaugural African American Genealogy Conference of Austin, Texas. The genealogy conference will debut the first weekend going into Black History Month (January 30, 2020 – February 2, 2020).

The free four-day conference is hosted by the Austin History Center, Austin Public Library’s African American Community Archives Program.

The genealogy conference will feature a variety of speakers, panel sessions, workshops, exhibitions, tours, and networking opportunities for genealogy professionals, scholars, and novice enthusiasts.

Dr. Edmund Gordon, Vice-Provost of Diversity, Professor of African & African American Studies in Anthropology, at the University of Texas at Austin is The Jacob Fontaine Distinguished Keynote Speaker.

The professor’s Racial Geography Tour takes an in-depth look at the University of Texas at Austin’s racial history. Internationally acclaimed photographer, Kris Graves is the Algerene M. Akins Craig Distinguished Closing Keynote. Kris Graves: Testament Project will debut in the Austin Public Library’s Central Gallery beginning January 14, 2020 – February 29, 2020.

Genealogy panel sessions will be led by local, regional, and national speakers and facilitators such as Rachel E. Winston, Stephanie L. Lang, Danielle McGhee, Stuart King, Greg Farrar, Olivia Dorsey Peacock, Emma Robinson, delmetria millener.

The inaugural African American Genealogy Conference of Austin, Texas (January 30, 2020 – February 2, 2020) will be an experience not to miss and best of all it is FREE and welcoming of attendees of all levels, novice to expert!

Growing Your Roots 2020 is presented in partnership with the Austin Public Library; Huston-Tillotson University; Downs-Jones Library; Austin History Center, PBS,  POV, The City of Austin, City of Austin’s Equity Office, and The University of Texas John L. Warfield Center for African and African American Studies.

The African American Genealogy Conference has reserved a block of rooms at both the Hyatt Place Austin Downtown, and the JW Marriott Hotels for January 29th, 2020 through February 3rd, 2020 at a special conference rate.

To register for the conference, visit: library.austintexas.gov/ahc/growingyourroots or contact the Austin History Center, African American Studies Community Archivist at 512-974-7390. Participants can also stay up to date on the latest news by following Facebook and Instagram using #GrowingYourRoots2020 for social media posts.

The Austin History Center’s African American Community Archivist actively seeks out archival materials from the African American community in Austin and Travis County through outreach efforts and programming. The Community Archivist also gives presentations, conducts oral history interviews, coordinates programs and events, provides reference service to the public and acts as a subject specialist in the history of Austin’s African American community.

The Austin Public Library provides knowledge, technology and inspiration to the Austin community. The Library is a hub of books and education, a meeting place of minds and an incubator of ideas.