Trace how African American surnames were carried, changed, and transformed across generations.
Njila New Moon Workshop — "Who Carried the Name? | Surname Research & Legacy"
A surname is not just a label. It is a choice, an assignment, an inheritance, and sometimes a reclamation. For African American families, the story behind a surname often contains the deepest and most complicated truths of family history — who enslaved them, who freed them, who they chose to become.
In this one-hour workshop, B. Kelly, Founder of Njila, guides you through surname research as an act of historical recovery: tracing how names were carried, changed, inherited, and transformed across generations.
You'll learn:
• How to research the origins and history of your family's surnames
• How surnames changed before and after emancipation, and what those changes reveal
• Strategies for tracking families across surname variants and spelling changes
• How to use surname research to break through brick walls
What's included:
GA ($27) — Live workshop access
VIP ($47) — Live workshop access + downloadable Surname Research Log (fillable PDF research template)
This workshop is free for Njila Patreon members (Storykeeper tier and above). Join at patreon.com/njila.
About Njila:
Njila is a family history preservation practice founded by B. Kelly. Rooted in African American heritage and the documentary record of Louisiana, Njila uses rigorous genealogical methodology to help families find, document, and honor their ancestors. njila.org
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Highlights
- 1 hour
- Online
Refund Policy