By Antoinette Harrell

GREENSBURG-- I made a special visit to the Audubon Regional Library Genealogy Department in Greensburg to donate the Harrell, Vining, Richardson, Gordon, Williams, and Temple family history collections to the library on July 30.

According to the branch manager Jean Claxton, it is the first African American family history book, copies of family records, and other African American genealogy publications donated to the library.

I am not the least bit surprised here. I am on a mission to strongly encourage other families to research, record and document their family history--as well as have it placed in their local library genealogy department for African American people who would like to visit the genealogy department at the library to research their family history.

We need to ensure that the research material is available for those interested.

My maternal roots are so connected to St. Helena Parish.

I am finding that my roots are intertwined with other families who roots are also deeply connected to the parish. Providing these files and family books can be invaluable resources for families that are researching their family history.

One of the greatest gifts that we can give to family members and ourselves is knowledge of self and our family history.

We can learn so much from our past, we can learn from the triumphs, failures, legacy and the events surrounding the lives of our ancestors.

I believe that we would have a greater understanding, appreciation and perspectives for our local and state history by studying our own family history. When people see themselves in a picture, it can make a tremendous difference.

The Audubon Regional Library Genealogy Department collects copies of original and secondary materials.

Primary Sources include copies of photographs, church records, obituaries, journals, family newsletters, family scrapbooks and other family research materials.

I have decided to become a friend of the library to better serve the Genealogy Department.

If you would like to become a friend of the library please contact the library at 225-222-4328. Also if you would like to donate your family records to the Audubon Regional Library Genealogy Department, the Amistad Research Center or Southeastern Louisiana University please contact me at 504-858-4658 or email me at afrigenah@yahoo.com.

Please follow me on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/pages/Preserving-Our-History-in-Tangipahoa-St-Helena-Parishes-Louisiana. Please tune into Nurturing Our Roots Blog Radio Program every Tuesday and Wednesday at 8 p.m. CST and Sundays at 7 p.m. with host Antoinette Harrell and co-host Dr. Okpara Nosakhere “The Live Talk Show Where Family Matters."