Black History of Colorism | What the Slave Registers Reveal | US (EST)

Black History speaker Paul Crooks uncovers the roots of colorism, revealed through his groundbreaking research into his family history—traced back over 200 years.

In this talk, Paul explores how 19th-century Slave Registers and other historical records reveal the early foundations of colorism, and how these ideas still shape attitudes today.

Paul will discuss:

• What the 1817 Slave Registers reveal about the origins of colorism
• How Black British and North American ancestors were taught to embrace colour hierarchies during enslavement
• Why colorism persisted long after transatlantic slavery ended

How understanding these histories can:

• serve as a tool for empowerment
• recalibrate conversations about race, colour, and identity
• encourage reflection on our own attitudes and behaviours

“We are not makers of history. We are made by history.” — Martin Luther King, Jr."

Who is this talk for?

This event is for anyone who:

• Wants to deepen their knowledge of Black History and understand how colorism evolved
• Is curious about connections between African Caribbean and African American experiences
• Is beginning to explore their family history and seeks inspiration and guidance

Join Paul for an eye-opening journey into how historical records continue to shape the modern conversation about race, identity, and belonging.

🎟️ Plus Ticket

1. Full access to the event
2. Black History of Resistance and Abolition Timeline — interactive PowerPoint (digital copy sent via email after the event)

🎬 Watch the trailer: https://youtu.be/9vIa8Q9yjh8?si=vTLS31X6efdx18rn

🌟 Premium Ticket

1. Full access to the event
2. Black History of Resistance and Abolition Timeline — interactive PowerPoint (digital copy sent via email after the event)
3. Descendants — digital copy of Paul Crooks’ latest novel (sent electronically after the event)

🎬 Watch the trailer: https://youtu.be/BmI8rTjUEmE

💎 Deluxe Ticket

1. Full access to the event
2. Black History of Resistance and Abolition Timeline — interactive PowerPoint (digital copy sent via email after the event)
3. Descendants — digital copy of Paul Crooks’ latest novel (sent electronically after the event)
4. DNA Testing Demystified: Separating Fact from Fiction in Genealogy — eBook to deepen your understanding of genealogy (sent via email after the event)

🎬 Watch The Trailer: Https://Youtu.Be/Mqancy3o1xm

Be sure to follow Black History Speaker Paul Crooks on Eventbrite!

About The Speaker

Paul Crooks is a trailblazing genealogist and published author with a specialist interest in Black ancestry. He pioneered Black genealogy research in the 1990s, tracing his African Caribbean family history from London back six generations — to ancestors enslaved on a sugar plantation in North America 200 years ago, and further still to forebears on the Gold Coast of West Africa.

Paul gained national recognition with his acclaimed historical novel Ancestors, based on his family’s story, and he appeared as an expert on Black British genealogy on Who Do You Think You Are? with Moira Stuart. His second book, A Tree Without Roots, is regarded as a seminal guide to tracing Black British ancestry.

Paul is credited with inspiring an upsurge of interest in Black and British genealogy and is recognised as having sparked a movement in African Caribbean family history research, linking generations separated by slavery and reconnecting people of African descent with their ancestral heritage.