DISCOVER YOUR ROOTS GENEALOGY CONFERENCE

Council President Pro Tempore
Ninth Council District
City of Los Angeles

Whether implementing cutting edge improvements or ensuring delivery of fundamental services, Councilwoman Jan Perry is making a positive change in the lives of her constituents. Now in her third term in office as Councilwoman of the Ninth District, Perry represents some of the most diverse and vibrant communities in LA including Bunker Hill, Little Tokyo, and South Los Angeles. She has responded to the district's needs by ensuring access to basic city services, making major improvements in the district’s infrastructure, driving efforts for quality job development and job training, and supporting the development of housing at all income levels.

Over the past decade, Perry has supported the development of major redevelopment projects in Downtown Los Angeles that represents over $15 billion in investment, over $40 million in City tax revenue, and the creation of over 90,000 full-time jobs. From catalytic developments like LA Live to iconic developments like Our Lady of Angeles Cathedral to major public buildings like the new Police Administrative Building—Perry has been at the forefront of ensuring that downtown moves forward to meet its potential as the economic engine for the entire region.

Perry also serves on the Joint Powers Authority for the Grand Avenue Committee which oversees the Grand Avenue Project. As part of this project, a 10-acre civic park is currently under construction and will open in the later part of 2012. The Broad, a contemporary art museum being developed by the Broad Foundation, is also underway; this $200 plus investment on Grand Avenue is scheduled for completion in 2013, bringing with it the promise of approximately 1,300 construction and 100 full time jobs.

Determined to ensure that downtown Los Angeles will continue to provide job and career opportunities for the residents of South Los Angeles and the entire region, Perry developed and received unanimous support for the Department of Public Works Project Labor Agreement and Public Infrastructure Stabilization Ordinance guarantees local hire opportunities at more than 98 public works projects in the City of Los Angeles. The goal is to hire a workforce comprised of local, City of Los Angeles residents. Specifically, the agreement requires that thirty percent of work hours are performed by local residents and, within that, that ten percent of the hours are dedicated to disadvantaged workers. Additionally, the agreement provides that 20% of the total work hours are performed by apprentices, offering unemployed and underemployed workers the opportunity to re-enter the workforce with a promising career ladder and steady employment.

Perry also understands that tackling the challenges of homelessness is an essential part of creating a healthy city for everyone. A champion for the homeless, she has successfully kept the city’s emergency shelter program open on a year-round basis and has been a strong advocate for the development of affordable housing with supportive services to house chronically homeless individuals, many that have been homeless for decades. The unwavering political will that she exhibits on the issue of housing the homeless has resulted in the development of over 1,000 units of housing with support services on-site, with more in the pipeline. Additionally, she has fought to ensure that the Central City Community, known by many as Skid Row, is treated as a true neighborhood, defending the rights and safety of the homeless, formerly homeless, and those in recovery. In 2008, Perry authored city legislation to end the practice of dumping homeless individuals in Skid Row by hospitals and other institutions.

Investing in the redevelopment of South Los Angeles has been a top priority for Perry. Historic Central Avenue has been revitalized in large part because of the completion of projects that are an integral part of this vision. In the past year, four major projects have opened along Central Avenue, including a mixed-use senior housing development; two new, full-service grocery stores; quality family housing; and a Silver LEED certified neighborhood city hall. More projects are underway, including the redevelopment of the historic Dunbar Hotel and Sommerville I and II apartments; inter-generational housing on South Vermont designed for seniors raising young family members; and Phase I of The Crossings which will include new affordable, family housing, restoring the residential integrity of the community by removing industrial uses within yards of single-family homes and an elementary school.

Looking to the future, Perry has engaged the South Los Angeles community in the process of proactive community planning. As part of this effort, she has pushed to update community plans for South Los Angeles, engaging members of the community to work with the city define future land uses in the district. Perry also spearheaded the development and passage of the Fast Food General Plan Amendment that prohibits the development of new free-standing fast food franchises in South Los Angeles without extensive public hearings and adherence to strict to design guidelines. In addition, Perry has worked with the Community Redevelopment Agency to develop incentives like the undergrounding of utility poles, assistance in land assemblage, and help with project design in an effort to attract more sit-down restaurants, grocery stores, and neighborhood-serving retail to the community.

Perry co-authored and is widely credited with passage of Proposition O to clean Los Angeles water. The measure benefits every neighborhood in Los Angeles, as it works to upgrade storm-drain systems, eliminate flooding at key intersections, create new community parks and improve water quality. Since her first term of office, she has also greened her district by reducing blighted property and cleaning brownfields. Over the past 10 years, Perry has invested over $73 million in improving, expanding, and developing new recreation and park space throughout the Ninth District, from downtown to South Los Angeles.

The Augustus Hawkins Wetland is one of Perry’s most inspiring initiatives. The nation’s first man-made wetland in a highly urban area is part of Augustus Hawkins Park. Perry initiated the project, and it is due in large measure to her unwavering tenacity that it came to fruition. The project is an ecological wonder in its own right, and it also serves as a demonstration project for a second, ten-acre South Los Angeles Wetlands Park that will simultaneously improve water quality and provide much-needed park and recreation space to the South Los Angeles community. The Wetland Park is currently under construction and phase I will open this year.

Perry currently chairs the Energy and the Environment Committee; vice-chairs the Information Technology & Government Affairs Committee; Ad Hoc on Economic Recovery & Reinvestment; and Ad Hoc Committee on Recovering Energy, Natural Resources, and Economic Benefit from Waste for LA (RENEW LA) Committee. She is a member of the Housing, Community and Economic Development Committee and Public Safety Committee. She was appointed by the mayor to represent LA as governing board member of the South Coast Air Quality Management District, and was recently reappointed to serve a third, four-year term. Perry also serves on the Exposition Light Rail Authority and is Council President Pro Tempore (Vice-President) for the Los Angeles City Council.

Perry earned her bachelor’s degree from the USC School of Journalism, cum laude, and her master’s degree from USC in public administration.

Plan Your Family Reunion: You Can Do It!

Dr. EL Amin was first introduced to family history research by his father, now deceased, who developed the first family tree for his maternal (Suttles) lineage, and who encouraged participation at annual reunions. He is a member of the California African American Genealogical Society (CAAGS) in Los Angeles. Dr. EL Amin has been actively involved in the Suttles Family Annual Reunion since 2006.

Dr. EL Amin is the Medical Director of the Immunization Program for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. He is also a Board Certified Pediatrician.

Phyllis Daniel graduated from Brigham Young University with a major in Sociology. In July 2010 she retired as the Linguistics and English Language Secretary at Brigham Young University. She and her husband have been on a full-time mission at the Los Angeles Family History Library since October 2010. Phyllis has been using Ancestry.com since she arrived and has found it invaluable in finding ancesters. She has been teaching the Ancestry.com course at the library since March 2011.

Beginning Genealogical DNA | Intermediate Genealogical and Health DNA

Alice M. Fairhurst is a charter member of the International Society of Genetic Genealogy (http://www.isogg.org) and coordinates the efforts of amateur and professional geneticists to keep the YSNP tree up-to-date.  She is the administrator or co-administrator of 14 genealogical DNA projects: 1 geographical project (South Africa Cape Coloured), and the multiple surname project of the Southern California Genealogical Society.  A past member of the SCGS board (http:// www.scgsgenealogy.com) and chair of the DNA Interest Group, she has been active in the genealogical world for more than 40 years and specializes in Scottish genealogy.

Ms. Fairhurst obtained a Masters degree in Counseling and retired from JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) as the career development coordinator.  She also taught at Cal Poly Pomona and Glendale Community College.

Obituaries and Newspapers | Avoiding and Overcoming Brick Walls: Part 1 | Avoiding and Overcoming Brick Walls: Part 2

Luana began working on her family history in college and is still at it. She earned her B.A. in English from UCLA and remained there to earn her Masters in Library Science. She has worked as a genealogical librarian in two different libraries. Over the years she has taught family history courses at colleges, been a presenter at numerous genealogy seminars, and currently is one of the instructors in the training program at the Los Angeles Regional Family History Library. Her travels have taken her into courthouses, libraries, and archives across the United States.

I was born in Frankston, Texas in 1939, and have not returned to Frankston since that time. Tucson, Arizona was where I spent my growing up years. My all black school was named Paul Lawrence Dunbar Jr. High School which was desegregated in 1950. After my Tucson High School graduation, I got a summer job with my father, driving Dump and Redi-mix cement Trucks. Being somewhat of a hand’s on person and I was able to learn many skills that I applied to many situations. My Dad had me to understand at an early age that if I wanted spending change I had to get a job and work for it. That may sound cruel but that forced me to become a very independent person. At twenty years of age and with the help of my uncle, I landed a job at Hughes Aircraft. It was a janitor’s position but I was earning over $5,000 a year. This was a lot of money in 1959.

In 1963, I integrated into the Marine Corps so that I would have a job when I left home. Twenty-one years later I retired as a Master Gunnery Sergeant with a usable civilian skill. While stationed at Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, California, I was trained in electronics and taught for a year and a half. After military retirement I taught electronics for ITT Technical Institute in San Diego for eighteen years until my final retirement.

After my military retirement and while working for ITT, I took advantage of my military benefits, (the G. I. Bill) and ITT’s educational benefits and enrolled at National University. In 1986 I completed my Bachelor of Technical Education Degree (BTE) and in 1988, completed my Masters in Computers and Education. Please allow me to clarify my most resent degree. 1988 was indeed the early stages of the desk top and I realized that in my teaching position, additional computer knowledge would be helpful. I am not a computer programmer and this was not computer science but I was learning how to manage a computer lab. I have one last statement. Remember that in1988, we didn’t have mice, we had Dos!

My interest in genealogy was peaked after I attended a family reunion in Tucson in 1989. A family history booklet was distributed but it left me with more questions than answers. I shortly subscribed to Anscestry.com and the search began. Ancestry was not indexed at that time and I was forced to search page by page. It was a long process but I was able to find my ancestors in Texas.

Presently, many of my relatives remain in Houston, Dallas and Grapeland, Texas. Fortunately, my parents and my uncles and aunts made homes in Tucson, Arizona. Many of my relatives reside in Los Angeles, California.

I will explain how I made this research journey and the difficulties I encountered along the way.

Born and raised with six siblings in Utah, Dixon Hyde is the son of a physician and a genealogist. Growing up he was well instructed in his family history and heritage. Often when he made new friends his mother explained how they were related. It seemed to him his family history had been mostly uncovered and it would be very difficult to go beyond what had been done.

Dixon attended Weber State College and worked in the construction industry, becoming a general contractor and owner of his own business. That business allowed him to work in Japan, Grand Cayman, and throughout the United States.

He and his wife, Julie, and been married for over thirty years and have five children. Julie’s lifelong interest in her roots motivated them to begin the great adventure of discovering her ancestry, aided by the expertise of his mother. They have since made many connections with previously unknown relatives.

His travels have enabled him to visit, explore, and enjoy many significant locations unearthed during family history research.

Dixon regularly serves as an instructor at the Los Angeles Regional Family History Center.

African American Resources on the Internet

Where do you go to access African American resources and information on the internet? This workshop explores both free and paid-subscription websites. It also focuses on websites that link to a host of resources. Handout provided.

A native of Utah, Jackie received her Ph.D. from UCLA in small group communication. She served as Vice President of Academic Affairs at Los Angeles City College and was Chair of the Council on Academic Affairs for the Los Angeles Community College District. Following her retirement in 2008, Dr. Ireland served a family history area support mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Southeast Asia (Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia and Laos).

Currently, Dr. Ireland volunteers in the Los Angeles Family History Library and serves as the lead family history consultant in the Santa Monica II Ward where she also teaches a family history class in Sunday School.

Are You a Descendant of a Plascage? | Know the State You’re Researching

A proud native of Los Angeles, California, Surah concentrates her genealogical research in Louisiana and Mississippi the lands of her paternal ancestral roots. She has, however, erudition for researching the 48 contiguous United States. As a dedicated Genealogist, Surah has been researching her families for many years and has a data base of over 3,000 verified family and allied and collateral families names dating back to 1755.

As Director of the African-American Genealogy for Youth Center in Los Angeles, Surah doubles her duties by instructing teens in World, US and African American History as well as Genealogy and Family Research. Additionally she works as a Professional Genealogist, Family Research and Genealogical Consultant with Americas Best Genealogy Researchers here in LA and continues to lecture and present through out the US. She is a member of several Genealogy Societies and Research Groups and has been tapped as “Key Note Speaker for several Genealogical Symposiums

Surah holds a BA in Radio-TV-Broadcasting and an MA in Journalism and History, all from California State University, Northridge (CSUN). She continues, at every opportunity afforded her, to educate herself in US History, African American History and World History, facilitating her ability to share with all who wishes to learn this wonderful art, Genealogy, which teaches us what has gone on before us and acknowledges who and what our progenitors were which allows us to be who and what we are today

I'm researching my progenitors, acknowledging who and what they were in the past, which allows me to be who and what I am today. My families are LeNoir/Lenoir, Darensbourg/D'Arensbourg, Rutledge, Freeman, Warren, Thompson, DeLisle/Delille, Ratcliff/Ratliff, Dannenberg, Bracey, Haynes, Covington Saunders. I'm also researching allied families of Conerly, May, Morris, Craft, Galloway, Bell, Bryant.

Americas Best Genealogy Researchers
323-778-7647

Wrong Name, Right Man; Wrong Man, Right Name | Slaves in Your Family

Margaret Lewis is the Vice President of the San Diego African American Genealogy Research Group in San Diego, California. Marti is a compelling and influential voice in the genealogy community and she advocates for the study of Family History.

Her genealogical specialty is in Military and Slave Research. She is known for her boundless enthusiasm, and has provided genealogical presentations and workshops statewide in California, including Arizona and Nevada.

Marti's love for genealogy is expressed through her many published articles: "A Soldier's Story", "My Family Link", "He Touched Me", and a family poem "Ancestral Roll Call".

Marti volunteers’ as a contributor to the “Find A Grave” web-site transcribing 100’s of obituaries’ and photos, she is also a consultant on African American Genealogy at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Family History Center in San Diego CA.

During the months of January & February, Marti will be teaching classes in “Researching Your Roots” with Particular Emphasis on the Challenges Unique to African Americans, on Thursdays, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the Family History Center.

One of Marti’s greatest accomplishments beside her own family research . . . was fulfilling a genealogical research request from an inmate at Norco State Prison. In a 12 hour period with only 3 names she was able to add 5 generations dating back to 1712 to his very prestigious family tree.

In July of 2010, Marti was contacted by the Institute of Texan Cultures in San Antonio, Texas, to see if she would be willing to share her personal story and documents on her great great grandfather Jacob Wilks, to be featured in an exhibit, which highlights the 9th U.S. Cavalry. The exhibit opened in July, 2010 thru January 3, 2011. Marti is also featured in the exhibit.

Two local newspapers from San Antonio, Texas, contacted Marti for telephone interviews about her contribution to the exhibit. See stories on links below.

Group Affiliation:
1. International Society of Sons and Daughters of Slaves Ancestry-Certified member
2. Ninth and Tenth Horse Calvary Association of the Buffalo Soldiers
3. Daughters of the Union Nancy Hanks Lincoln Tent #5 - Certified member
4. San Diego African American Genealogy Research Group- Vice President

Contact information: ibemarti@aol.com - (619) 262-5810 - cell# (619) 507-7676 - ibemarti@yahoo.com

Free Vital Records In Family Search | What’s New In The Family History Library

Dr. Richard D. McBride is the Director of the Los Angeles Regional Family History Center. He has been involved in family history research for about 40 years. He is a retired USC Professor of Management Science and Logistics. He has a PhD in Mathematics from UCLA.

Organizing Digital Documents (Note: also to present a case study in another session)

Jessie Louise McClennan is an Information Technology professional with over 30 years of experience in the field. After starting her family history research 3 years ago, she quickly developed an interest in the software and online applications available to support genealogical research.

Using her home computer and tools available at local libraries, she rapidly traced her own ancestry from Texas back to the Revolutionary War North Carolina and has met numerous relatives who she never knew existed.

Her motto has become “Your history is there for you to claim.”

"Africans and the Five Civilized Tribes" (Cherokees, Chickasaws, Choctaws, Creeks and Seminoles)

Born in Arkansas during World War II and growing up in South Central Los Angeles, Charles began researching his personal genealogy in December, 1990. Not having the extensive family oral history possessed by Alex Haley, Charles, nevertheless, became motivated to begin tracing his roots after reading a book written by a woman who had traced her roots back into the 1700s in North Carolina. Dorothy Spruill Redford was motivated by Alex Haley’s “Roots” and ultimately organized a one-day Reunion of the descendants of slaves of The Somerset Plantation and 3,000 people came. Her book, “The Somerset Homecoming” provided the motivation for Charles to believe that he could trace his ancestors back into the slavery era. The following December, he began his quest to walk on the land where each of his slave ancestors lived at the outbreak of the Civil War.

His efforts have led him to discover African American ancestors in the Cherokee Tribe, and African American slave ancestors in Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Georgia and South Carolina. As a result of his personal research and the knowledge he’s gained in the process, he has conducted monthly workshops on Cherokee genealogy and African American genealogy at the Family History Library in Los Angeles for more than fifteen years. In addition, he has been a featured speaker on various aspects of African American and Native American genealogical and historical research at several genealogical and historical societies in Southern California including the U.S. National Archives at Laguna-Niguel.

He has a degree in Engineering from UCLA, and when not researching his family tree, he is an independent management consultant.

He has a daughter, three grandsons and has been married to his high school sweetheart, Barbara, for over forty-five years.

PAF Part 1: Installation and Set-Up | PAF Part 2: Data Entry and Reports

Dr. Ellis D. Miner received a BS in Physics at Utah State University in 1961 and a PhD in Astrophysics at Brigham Young University in 1965. He worked as a Space Scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena from 1965 until his retirement in 2005. Since that time he and his wife have been service missionaries at the Los Angeles Family History Library three days a week. Dr. Miner has served in a variety of leadership and teaching callings in the LDS Church. He is also the author or lead author of four books on the giant planets of the solar system and has edited numerous other professional and children's books on solar system astronomy.

Genealogy Basics for Beginners (in two sessions)

I was born in Texas and moved to California in 1969. I attended Los Angeles City College where I received a degree in Business Management.

I have worked in banking for the past forty years, but I continue to obtain a higher education. I received my part-time teaching credential from UCLA and I also went to California State University, Dominguez Hills and received a degree in Child Care Service.

I joined the church in 1996 and since that time I have been blessed to have several callings some of them twice. And at the present time I am serving as the Young Women’s First Counsel.

Presentation TBA

Bonnie Raymer Petrovich began doing Family History in the late 60's. Born in the Allegheny Mountains of Pennsylvania, her roots go back to Germany on her Father's side and Scotland on her Mother's. She has made a research trip to Germany where she visited the village that her Father's family immigrated from. While there she had the opportunity to see where they lived and farmed. She even met a "Cousin" who still lives there. Sitting inside the small Lutheran church where her family went to worship was a special experience.

For the past 8 and 1/2 years, she was the Director of the Valencia Family History Center for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, where she taught weekly classes. The last 11 years she has been a Family History Consultant for her Ward. In addition to teaching classes regularly at the Valencia FHC she also teaches at the Los Angeles Regional Family History Center. Currently residing in Fillmore, she teaches 2 classes a week in Ventura & Fillmore. Bonnie has made presentations for the Santa Clarita Genealogical Society, the San Fernando Genealogical Society, the West End Genealogical Society in Marina Del Rey, the Jewish Samuel Wiesenthal Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles and for the Annual Valencia Family History Fair. She also was a presenter at the Genealogy Jamboree for the Southern California Genealogical Society in Burbank. She was the Keynote address for the Whittier Family History Fair. She teaches an ongoing Genealogy Sunday School class and loves teaching and sharing her knowledge with others.

A member of several Societies both locally and in Pennsylvania, she likes to keep informed. Her most recent goal accomplished was a trip to the Highlands of Scotland, and the home of her Mother's ancestors. She was able to spend several days in the town of Dundee where her Grandfather and both sets of Great Grandparents on her Mothers side were born and lived. With her Mother, they attended the Highland Games and enjoyed the rich heritage of Scotland.

How to Write Your Family History in 9 Easy Steps

Richard’ s presentation is titled, How To Write Your Family History In 9 Easy Steps. He has been actively involved in genealogy since 1995 when he began to write his maternal family history. He was inspired by all the stories his mother shared with him and his sisters during dinner. She was also intensely involved with many of her 61 first cousins who later became his source for information.

He has written the following books:

1. Grandmother Dora Knoll May’ s Family, 1835-2000. The book traces his Black Native American heritage. Because of his research he and 28 members of his family are now citizens of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation
2. Discovering Our Past, The May Family History, 1705-2004. The book traces Richard’ s slave heritage. With the assistance of a dependence of the slave owner’ s family he was able to prove through DNA that the slave owner was his Great great-grandfather.
3. Aunt Ruth’ s Story, The May Family History, 2005. Richard’ s aunt had a successful business located on Central Avenue.
4. How To Write Your family History In 9 Easy Steps, 2007
5. Running For Success, An Anthology Of Fremont High School Track History, 1950s-1980s, 2011. Fremont High School located in south central Los Angeles won 10 Los Angeles City Track and Field Championships during that period and produced four Olympians.

The first two books are located in Los Angeles Central Library, Los Angeles County Library, AC Bilbrew, Black Resource Center and libraries located in Texas, Oklahoma and Alabama.

Richard has a versatile and eclectic background. He was born and raised in Los Angeles. After receiving his master’ s degree he began his professional career as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor in Watts. After transferring to the Employment Development Department (EDD) he became a manager and worked in that capacity for 34 years. He is also a professional scenic and wedding photographer. He has participated in numerous photography exhibits. Richard is a California licensed Marriage Family Therapist and worked briefly as a clinician/manager after retiring from EDD. He is a member of the California African-American Genealogical Society.

You Go Google | Preparing for the 1940 Census

Lorna has served as an Associate Director of the Torrance Family History Center since it opened in 1989. She discovered her love for genealogy as her grandparents tutored her in family history as a child. It has since become a life long pursuit that has provide opportunities for travel and expanded her research beyond her own family.

A Humanities/Education major at Brigham Young University, she officially retired from the Torrance Unified School District but now regularly volunteers six to eight hours a day at her neighborhood elementary school. She is married, the mother of three grown children and the grandmother of ten. She is a merit badge counselor for the Boy Scouts of America and has also written several articles, authored three published family histories and chaired seven genealogy seminars. In addition to working two days a week at the Torrance Family History Center, she teaches classes for local community groups and is a frequent seminar speaker.

Lorna is a member of the South Bay Cities Genealogical Society, Upper Shores Genealogical Society of Maryland and Delaware,Windsor Historical Society, the New England Historic Genealogical Society and the Connecticut Society of Genealogists.

The MacPhatter Project: Lessons in Pre-Emancipation Research

Marjorie a retired registered nurse began the vocation of family history in1984. It was a cousin statement, “your grandfather was one of twenty four children”, that prompted her quest for the family’s history. She has identified over 1900 direct descendants of a great grandfather who was a slave. Her family has given her the distinction of being the Family Historian and sends her all the news pertaining to the family.

She is a presenter of several aspects of family research and has spoken at genealogical conferences locally and nationally. For Ancestry.com she did a webinar on Slave Research February 24, 2009. She recently appeared in a genealogy television show for celebrities’ family research, titled “Who Do You Think You Are?”

Member of several genealogical societies in Louisiana, past president of the California African American Genealogical Society (CAAGS), member of the Associated Professional Genealogist (APG), member of the National Genealogical Society (NGS) and a Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) Director (2003-2009)

The African Diaspora in Latin America and the Caribbean

Anulkah Thomas is a southern California native born to Afro-Panamanian parents. She received the BA in Ethnic Studies from Pomona College and the MA in sociology from Harvard University. Presently, she works for the Center for Health Care Rights, a Los Angeles non-profit focused on health care education, counseling and advocacy and is pursuing teaching sociology and ethnic studies at the community college level.

The MacPhatter Project: Lessons in Pre-Emancipation Research

Sam Ward has over 35 years of speaker experience, including guest lecturer during his military career, in numerous U.S. and foreign military institutions and conferences. His career after the military included ten years as an Aerospace Research Engineer having responsibility for proposing and verifying new concepts for and innovative modifications to existing systems involved in air operations. He is a recently retired Avionics Project Engineer who controlled budgets and schedules for significant avionics projects of a leading aerospace company. His responsibilities included frequent presentations during company and customer hosted program reviews.

Since his April 2008 retirement from aerospace, Sam Ward has been aggressively researching his family history toward a goal of publishing a family memoir. He was motivated to this task in early 2007 after being asked to deliver the eulogy of a close family friend who, he discovered, published a family memoir just a couple of months prior to his death. Having started this task so late in his life, Sam immediately realized the significant challenge he faced due to the family members of his parent’s and earlier generations have all passed away. He is meeting this challenge by applying skills that he honed during his military and aerospace careers to aid his genealogy efforts.

He is a member of the Southern California Genealogical Society, the California African American Genealogy Society, the Pasadena Area African American Genealogy Society, and the Corona Genealogical Society. He is also a member of the Lowndes County Historical Society of Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia.