In the past they have only been clips, maybe 1 minute or so. I can’t listen to more than one per day. This evening I have now heard the full interview from Fountain Hughes. He was a slave in the Charlottesville area and after he became free he moved to Baltimore. As I tear up listening to it I realized that this gentleman was a slave, he was owned by someone, he was a piece of property, not a human. He shares that his mother and father were slaves of the Burnley family and his grandfather was owned by Thomas Jefferson. His interview took place when he was 101. He tells a bit about life, which we all need to take heed and then comments on slavery. One of the attendees is researching the Burnley family in my area, I am sure there is a connection. I can’t wait to contact her.
This is worth listening too, please give Mr. Fountain Hughes your attention for a few minutes. Hear his voice, hear his story and I encourage you to do more to share your ancestors stories. This type of information needs to be told. Just click on the link below.
Fountain Hughes, circa 1952. Photograph courtesy of The Jeffersonian newspaper, Towson, Maryland.
Shelley Murphy, aka “familytreegirl”, a native of Michigan residing in Central Virginia, Shelley has been an avid genealogist for over 25+ years researching the Davis, Marsh, Goens/Goins/Goings, Roper, Boyer, Worden, Cureton, and Murphy family lines. She is a Coordinator and faculty for the Midwest African American Genealogy Institute (MAAGI), presents Genealogy 101 workshops at the local community college, state and national genealogy conferences. She holds a Doctorate of Management in Organizational Leadership and works as an adjunct professor for Averett University.
Murphy is known for her inspiring and interactive “Getting Started” Methods and Strategies for genealogy research, “Time and File management” along with interesting problem-solving methodology lectures. Shelley currently has 20+ publications with Charlottesville Genealogy Examiner and the Central Virginia Heritage, a publication of the Central Virginia Genealogical Association. She is an instructor for the Midwest African American Genealogy Institute (MAAGI).
Doctor of Management in Organizational Leadership, Adjunct Professor, Professional Genealogist. Volunteers for American Red Cross as a Disaster Services Instructor, facilitates financial education workshops for the last 8 years, and former licensed Real Estate Broker
This site features a genealogy blog about the Ville Platte Louisiana area African descendant families of Frank, Jason, Denton, Ruben, Leday, Laughtin, Joseph
“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” ~ Alexander Graham Bell
“There are two lasting bequests we can give our children: One is roots, the other is wings.” Teaching children values and giving them the opportunity to excel is essential to good parenting. However, I feel I must also provide my children (and myself) insight into the ones who came before us: our ancestors whose lives and stories have shaped us into who we are. This is my journey; these are their stories…
