Summary: Join Art Thomas as he describes why and how he started on his family history and genealogical journey and the advances and changes he has noticed in the past 20-25 years. Art Thomas has been involved in genealogy for 25 years. Art is a member of several Local, County and State genealogical societies. He is a founding member of the African American Genealogy Group of the Miami Valley (AAGGMV), located in the Miami River Valley of Ohio. Art is also a member of the Ohio Genealogy Society “First Families” and the “Ohio Civil War Family” lineage societies having proven and documented his descent from Free Persons of Color residing in Ohio prior to Statehood in 1803 and to men who fought and served as USCT’s in the Civil War. Art’s main focus in genealogy and family history has been the activities in religion, the underground railroad, education, occupations and politics of his ancestors and the communities in which they resided from their first days of freedom in the early 19 century. Art’s earliest documented American ancestor of African origin was born in the Henrico/Goochland Co. area of Virginia circa 1730-35. Art manages three websites …. The Tribal Pages website “Art’s Families & Other Folk, a personal database with genealogical information, photos, documents and stories on over 23,000 individuals and his Adams family site “Descendant Families of Lewis & Susan Adams” along with the AAGGMV member website on MyFamily.com. Theme music - Sweet Mello Spice by composer / producer Alvin K. Alexander. (Pianist Ayako Higuchi).
