Afro-American Historical & Genealogical Society, Inc.

Arkansas Chapter

News

Greetings Members & Friends of AAHGS-AR!

March and April are exciting months for our Chapter. On March 10, 2012, The Arkansas Chapter along with the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center will host a workshop entitled The Forgotten: Arkansas African American Civil War Soldiers. The month of March is also National Womens History Month. The theme for 2012 is Women's Education - Women's Empowerment. This year, our honoree is Dr. Patricia mPata McGraw. We are excited to announce that our society has joined the 1940 U.S Census Community Project to help index the 1940 U.S Federal Census! Beginning in April, we will began indexing records from our state, we will be an essential part of this monumental grass-roots effort that will put one of the richest genealogical data sets in the world online, complete and free of charge forever. We hope that you will consider being a part of our special programs. Please continue to read the newsletter for the date, time and location of our events.

Michelle Hood aahgs.arkansas@yahoo.com

Presidents Message............1 AAHGS-AR Conference .......2 Member -Chapter News......3 Guide to 1940 Census.........4 Womens History Month.......5 Tonias Tidbits..................6-7 Membership Application......8 AAHGS Info........................9

Membership Renewal Time! Join AAHGS or Renew Today!! Membership Application on Page 8

Cultivating our roots by identifying, collecting, documenting, and preserving our African American heritage

Make Plans to Attend!

The AAHGS-AR Chapter (cosponsored by the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center) will present our annual workshop entitled on at the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center located at 501 W. 9th Street in Little Rock from Deadline for the early registration price of $10 is March 4, 2012. On-site Registration is $15.

Archie Moore, Speaker Jay Miller, Keynote Speaker Panel Discussion to Follow

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AAHGS-AR Chapter & Member News

AAHGS-Arkansas Joins the 1940 U.S. Census Community Project
AAHGS-Arkansas has joined forces with genealogy societies and organizations around the country as part of the 1940 U.S. Census Community Project. The initiative aims to publish a free, online searchable name index of the 1940 U.S. Federal Census after images of the census are released to the public in April 2012. This online index will be free forever, offering family history researchers a rich genealogical data set for their ongoing use. Three leading genealogy organizations, Archives.com, FamilySearch International, and findmypast.com, launched the initiative at the end of last year, and the project is already engaging volunteers to help provide this invaluable resource to family historians around the world as soon as possible. The index created by the project will allow the public to easily search every person found in the census and view digital images of the original census pages where he or she is listed. The highly anticipated 1940 U.S. Census is expected to be the most popular U.S. record collection released to date. Go to www.the1940census.com/society and register to participate with our society. Simply select <AAHGS Arkansas Chapter> on the profile screen when creating your account. Every new person indexing with our society gets us closer to milestones that qualify us for incentives provided by the sponsors of the project, so sign up today!
The AAHGS-AR Chapter is now officially on Facebook!! We would like you to become a member of our group Afro-American Genealogical Society-Arkansas. Facebook is a way to bring us into the modern social media age. This will help people find out more about our society also provide an avenue to communicate better with us. We will provide news and information about AAHGS-AR as we find it and as events come up, and we encourage your participation. We will to try respond to any specific inquiries as soon as we can. We encourage you to post on the Wall, but remember this is a page for the entire AAHGS-AR community. Posts are to be used in a professional manor. The material that will be posted on these pages will always be informative and related to genealogy.

Again! Please feel free to become friend to Facebook and use it to make your family search a more pleasant experience.

AAHGS-AR member Ghita Johnson has worked with her cousin Ann Lee and published the book "Human Property Hanging in the Family Tree, Yields a Harvest." Please support our fellow AAHGS member by ordering the book. For ordering information go to:
http://www.thebookpatch.com/ BookStoreDetails.aspx?BookID=5382

Congratulations Kathy Davis on receiving your Tenure Status at UA-Monticello!!!! We are proud of you and your accomplishments!!!

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Research Guide to 1940 Census

The 1940 census population schedules will be available for research on April 2, 2012, at 9:00 AM The National Archives and Records Administration will be providing free online access to the 1940 census at 1940census.archives.gov. Researchers may to search the 1940 census using NARA's public access computers at any NARA archival location or using any other computer connected to the internet. Within the next weeks to months, the census images and eventually indexes will be rolling out on major genealogy websites, including FamilySearch.org, Archives.com, CensusRecords.com and Ancestry.com. All responses on the census will reflect the individual's status as of 1 April 1940, even if the status had changed between April 1st and the day of enumeration (i.e. children born after 1 April should not be listed, and people who died after 1 April should be counted). A name index does not exist for the 1940 census. However, Ancestry.com and FamilySearch have both announced plans to index the census after it opens. The 1940 U.S. census introduced several new questions of special interest to genealogists, including each individual's residence on April 1, 1935 and the total amount of wages or salary received in 1939. Another bonus is that it is the first available U.S. census to identify the informant who provided the census taker with each household's information. Also of note is that there were less questions about immigration and naturalization than for the decades 19001930. Many of the questions on the 1940 census are the standard ones: name, age, gender, and race, education, and place of birth. But the 1940 census also asks many new questions. The instructions ask the enumerator to enter an [a circled x] after the name of the person furnishing the information about the family; whether the person worked for the CCC, WPA, or NYA the week of March 24-30, 1940; and income for the 12 months ending December 31, 1939. The 1940 also has a supplemental schedule for two names on each page. The supplemental schedule asks the place of birth of the person's father and mother; the person's usual occupation, not just what they were doing the week of March 24-30, 1940; and for all women who are or have been married, has this woman been married more than once and age at first marriage. Employment questions asked of everyone 14 and older: Was the person at work for pay or profit in private or nonemergency government work during the week of March 24 - 30?

http://genealogy.about.com/od/census/a/1940_census.htm?nl=1; From Kimberly Powell, your Guide to Genealogy (1940census.archives.gov)

March is National Women's History Month. Women's Education - Women's Empowerment is the theme for National Women's History Month 2012. Although women now outnumber men in American colleges nationwide, this reversal of the gender gap is a very recent phenomenon. The fight to learn was a valiant struggle waged by many tenacious women across years and across cultures. After the American Revolution, the notion of education as a safeguard for democracy created opportunities for girls to gain a basic education. However, that education was based largely on the premise that, as mothers, they would nurture the minds and bodies of the (male) citizens and leaders. This idea that educating women meant educating mothers endured in America for many years at all levels of education. The equal opportunity to learn, which today is taken for granted, owes much to Title IX of the Education Codes of the Higher Education Act Amendments. Passed in 1972 and enacted in 1977, this legislation prohibited gender discrimination by federally funded institutions. Its enactment has served as the primary tool for women's fuller participation in all aspects of education from scholarships, to facilities, to classes formerly closed to women. It has also transformed the educational landscape of the United States within the span of a generation. Each year, the Arkansas Chapter of AAHGS honors a woman from our state, whose work and life testifies to the national theme. This year, our honoree is Dr. Patricia mPata McGraw a woman dedicated to Women's Education Women's Empowerment. We will honor her at a reception on March 26, 2012 at East Little Rock Recreation Center, 6:00 p.m.

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Richard Turner and Wife Polly were Slaves of William Turner who lived in Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina. Richard and Polly were both born in North Carolina. He was in CO. G, 83rd Kansas Regiment United States Colored Infantry and was ranked as First Sergeant. While reading his Civil War Pension, Richard gave several locations of where he and his family lived: Lived on Callahan Farm 1866-1867, 2 miles from Van Buren: On John Austin Farm in1868, 2 miles from town: 1869-1870 on the Walker Moon Farm: 1871-1876-on Lynch Farm: 1877-1898 in Van Buren, Arkansas. His occupation was farming and carpentering. Polly states, they were living on Jim Turners place near Van Buren when Richard enlisted in the 83rd Kansas Regiment at Fort Smith, Arkansas. I went to Fort Smith after he enlisted and stayed there nearly all the time. I drew rations as his wife from the commissary. When the Regiment was moved to Little Rock, I came along also and was with him there. I did not go with him to Camden, Arkansas when the Regiment went there, but returned to Fort Smith and then to Van Buren and was there when he was discharged and came home. Polly also gives a more detailed interview of when the Turner Family moved to Crawford County, Arkansas. I belonged to Mr. Sam Turner and Richard belonged to Hezekiah Turner, a brother of my owner. Richard was about 18 years old when we married; He was 4 years older than me. I was born in 1833, in August after the stars fell on the 4 day of the month. That is what my mother and my white people told me. Mr. Sam Turner got Richard in a trade and settlement of accounts between him and Hezekiah Turner before the latter died. After Richard became property of my master, and in 1848, when I was about 15 years old, I married him. A white man, Justice of the Peace, named Tom Gean married us. We wanted a colored preacher to marry us but he couldnt come, so Mr. Gean came to my masters house and he had him to marry us. We came to Crawford County with our master, Sam and Jim Turner. Richard Turner was born March 1, 1831 and died March 21, 1901 and is buried in an unmarked grave in Fairview Cemetery. A project which Angela Walton-Raji and I work together, now has 8 Union Civil War United States Colored Troops Military Stones in Fairview. These Union Civil Soldiers have been documented being buried in Fairview, now has Military Stones, Richard Turner being one of the eight. Continued on page 7

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The Richard Turner Family (Continued from page 6) Richard and Polly were parents of 11 Children: 1. Harriett was born in 1853 in North Carolina. She married a Avery and moved to Oklahoma, then Little Rock, Arkansas. Harriett worked for Mr. R. L. Goodrich, clerk for the US District Court in Little Rock, Arkansas. 2. Kansas Turner was born 1856 in North Carolina. She married Peter Marrs on January 1, 1884 in Crawford County. Their children were Emma Marrs who married Edward Jackson. Nancy Marrs, Lucy Marrs and Julia Marrs. Kansas was also married to Peter Rice. Their children were: a son, Archie Rick and a daughter, Polly Rice. 3. Arch S. Turner born 1861 in Crawford County, Arkansas. He married Lillie Robinson on April 19, 1883 in Crawford County. He also married Mandy Winford on December 12, 1893 in Crawford County, Arkansas. 4. Richard Turner, Jr. was born 1864 in Crawford County and died November 1890 in Fort Smith. He married Annie maiden name unknown. Their two sons were John Turner and Rufus Turner Douglas. Richard Jr. then married Agnes Dean on November 18, 1884 in Sebastian County, Arkansas. They were parents of Hattie O. Turner, who married Ernest Adolphus Dennard, MD and a son, Richard Turner. 5. James Grant Turner was born 1869 in Crawford County. 6. Polly E. Turner born 1871 in Crawford County, Arkansas. 7. Lundie O. Turner was born 1873. She married George W. Smith. 8. Thomas C. Turner born 1875. He married America Greenlee. They had a daughter, Lelia P. Turner. 9. Simon Turner was born 1878 in Crawford County, Arkansas. 10. Mary Turner was born 1880 in Crawford County. She married Arthur Johnson. Both Arthur and Mary are buried in Fairview Cemetery in unmarked graves. Arthur was the son of Charles and Amanda Bean Johnson both of Crawford County. 11. Burton R. Turner was born April 18, 1881 in Van Buren, Crawford County, Arkansas. In 1900, he was living in Crawford County. On January 19, 1903, Burton R. Turner gave a deposition: He lived at 214 Locust St. North Little Rock, Arkansas. I was 21 years old the 18 of last April. Employed as a waiter in the American Restaurant. I am still in the process of researching the Richard Turner Family. If anyone knows the descendents, please contact me with any information. Many of the Citizens of Van Buren moved away from the county for better paying jobs and more opportunities for a better life for their families. But I must say, their roots are in Crawford County, Arkansas. So until next month Ill write more about the Soldiers who wore Blue The Soldiers of Silence of the Civil War our Freedom Fighters.

The Arkansas Chapter of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society (AAHGS) was founded in 1997 by a group dedicated to preserving and sharing genealogical and historical research techniques, conducting educational programs, and preparing exhibits. Our goal is to bring to light, through research, study, collaboration, documentation and presentation, the History and Heritage of Arkansas people of African descent.

Michelle Hood President Evelyn Tenpenny Vice President Linda Hampton Recording Secretary Margaret Moss Corresponding Secretary Tamela Tenpenny-Lewis Treasurer

We meet the first Saturday of each month at 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 Noon at the: Sheritta Camp Mildred Coursey Kathy Davis Elsie Dodson-Robinson Kenneth Henderson Deborah Hicks Darryl Johnson Gail Siddell Johnson Ghita Johnson PAAC, Inc. Antoinette Lee Plummer Gladys Randle Donna Rayford Evelyn Tenpenny James Wade Arkansas Studies Institute 401 President Clinton Ave Little Rock, Arkansas Meetings are subject to be rescheduled due to holidays and field-trip outings. There are no regular meetings in July or December. In December, a Kwanzaa/ Christmas Brunch is held in lieu of the regular meeting. We invite you to become a member of the AAHGS Arkansas Chapter. Membership is by calendar year and may be entered at any time. Gift memberships and memorials are also welcome. Annual dues for individuals are $50, which includes $15 for local dues and $35 for national dues.
Bi-M on th ly N ew sletter D ead lines fo r S ubm i ssi on a re Ja nu ary 5 th , M a rch 5t h , M a y 5 th , J uly 5t h , S eptem ber 5 th , N ov em ber 5 th

Deb Hicks Parliamentarian Archie Moore, Jr. Historian Sharon Phillips Newsletter Editor Webmaster Vacant Stefania Booth Public Relations Liaison Carla Hines Coleman Fundraiser Chairperson

PO Box 4294 Little Rock, AR 72214

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