African American Genealogy Group
of the Miami Valley (AAGGMV)
Minutes of Meeting
25 September 1999

1. The second meeting of the AAGGMV was held at the Trotwood Public
Library, 651 East Main Street, Trotwood, Ohio. The group did not meet
during the month of August.

2.   Robert L. Harris opened the meeting at 1:00 pm by acknowledging and
thanking Mr Bennie McRae who since the last meeting had placed a Web site
for the group on the Internet.   The site's Internet address is:
http://www.coax.net/people/lwf/aaggmv.htm.   The site lists activities of
the AAGGMV, including minutes of meetings and has numerous links to
others dealing with African American history and genealogy. Mr McRae's
home page also hosts many other related sites of interest to all
Americans.   It has won many awards including "best of the Miami Valley."
Harris said there is a host of information available at McRae's site
which everyone should see.   Harris also thanked Mr McRae for making the
arrangements for the meeting at the Trotwood library.

3.   Jonas Bender was thanked for handling publicity for AAGGMV, and
particularly for the notices about the meetings. Bender has placed news
articles in local newspapers (The Dayton Daily News, Xenia Gazette,
Yellow Springs News) and on TV and radio.

4.   Mr Art Thomas was thanked for his efforts in setting up programs for
AAGGMV meetings, recommending activities, advice in establishing its
organizational structure, and for acting as a general consultant on
practically all matters of its operation.   Mr Thomas organized a workshop
on beginning genealogy for the AAGGMV that is scheduled to be held at
Wilberforce University on October 15, as part of the university's
International Symposium on Slave Narratives.   The workshop is the result
of an invitation to participate in that symposium that was extended to
AAGGMV at its first meeting on July 31.

5.   Mr Harris spoke of the decision by the group at its last meeting to
formally organize as a continuing, sustained, legal entity.   He urged
volunteers to present themselves as candidates for the following
positions: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Programs Director,
Treasurer, and any other appropriate offices.   Harris suggested that the
group establish itself as a "non-profit, educational and charitable
corporation" under the laws of The State of Ohio. It was stated that
advantages included: tax advantages, limited liability to officers,
indefinite life span, recognition for fund-raising purposes, and legal
legitimacy.   In pursuance of this, Harris suggested that committees be
established to write a charter, and investigate the procedures and
requirements for incorporation.

6.   Mr Harris urged everyone to set up an e-mail address for themselves
in order to facilitate communications among the group.   He mentioned that
much information about African American genealogy is available over the
Internet, and anyone can take advantage of this by "getting themselves
online."   It was explained that the process did not necessarily require
ownership of a computer or computer literacy.   He suggested that those
without computers go to any public library and use their computers to
obtain free e-mail addresses which are provided by many Internet
organization.   Specific examples cited were: Yahoo, Inc. and Microsoft
Corp.   He suggested one go to either of the following sites on the
Internet: 1) <http://www.Yahoo.com/> or 2) <http://www.hotmail.com/>, and
follow instructions on the computer screen for setting up an e-mail
address.   Library personnel can assist in the efforts.   Harris indicated
that anyone can use public- library computers and e-mail addresses as
"their personal post-offices" for writing, sending, and receiving e-mail.


7.   Once e-mail is established, Harris urged everyone to send him a
message which he will answer.   It's purpose would be to confirm
everyone's address.   He also urged everyone again to visit the web site:
<http://www.coax.net/people/lwf/aaggmv.htm> to review AAGGMV's page.

8.   Several notices of upcoming events were announced including: the
Wilberforce Symposium (Oct 13-16); the 4th Annual Ohio Underground
Railroad Summit (Oct 15-17); the meeting of the Greene County Chapter of
the Ohio Genealogical Society (Oct. 2 - first Saturday of each month);
and a notice of an African-American Culture Study group which was
elaborated upon by a member of the audience.   Handouts of the last notice
were distributed.

9.   Each member of the audience was asked to introduce themselves and
present a thumbnail background sketch of their interests and the surnames
they were seeking.   Approximately thirty-seven persons responded.

10.   The guest speaker, Mrs Madaline Jones Norris, was introduced by
Robert Harris.   Mrs Norris was inducted into the Chillicothe-Ross Women's
Hall of Fame in 1992 for achievements in historical research and
genealogical family writings.   In 1994 she was inducted into First
Families of Pike County Ohio by The Ohio Genealogical Society, an honor
to those who can prove their ancestry back to settlers of Pike County in
the 1800s.   Her nomination of Emma Ann Reynolds (an ancestor) for the
Ohio Women's Hall of Fame, as the first woman and African American to
graduate from The Northwestern University College of Medicine in Chicago
with an MD degree in 1895., won her a certificate of appreciation from
Gov. George Voinovich and from the Attorney General of the State of Ohio.
In 1998 she was awarded the Pioneer Certificate by the Historical
Society of Washington County, VA. for documenting and publishing her
ancestry in the Broady family which included a slave body servant, John
Broady, who belonged to General William B. Campbell, a distinguished
general in the Revolutionary War.   General Campbell was married to the
sister of Patrick Henry, Governor of Virginia.   Mrs Morris is the author
of four books and has published innumerable articles in genealogical
publications.   She retired from an exceptional career in professional
nursing during which time she served as licensed registered nurses,
nursing supervisors and teachers at: Provident Hospital, Chicago, IL.;
Community Hospital, Norfolk, VA.; Goldwater Memorial Hospital of New York
City; and Good Samaritan Hospital of Dayton, OH.

11.   In her talk Mrs Norris emphasized the importance of documentation in
of family history.   She explained that evidence of claims must be
provided for any certification of authenticity, and that oral histories
must be substantiated.   Historical societies, she said, demand
documentation which can include: official copies of birth and death
records, wills, photographs, original letters, and other specific
documents that can be authenticated.   By presenting examples of her work
Mrs Norris captivated her audience and illustrated her point.

Her presentation included research she has completed and published on her
family; recent efforts in   documenting tombstone inscriptions of the
Cherry Grove Cemetery of Greene County and her work as historian for the
Wayman AME Church of Dayton, OH.   Cherry Grove Cemetery was almost
completely destroyed by the Xenia tornado of 1997, and its history had
never before been recorded.   Mrs Norris' work was combined with
inscriptions for St Brigit's Catholic cemetery in Xenia and published.
It represents a major contribution to genealogy for Southwestern Counties
in Ohio.   The Wayman AME Church was the first African American church in
Dayton, founded in 1833, and Mrs Norris displayed proof of Paul Lawrence
Dunbar's membership there by showing a copy of his
Certificate-of-Membership.

12.   The meeting was adjourned at 3:30 pm

Respectfully submitted,
Robert L. Harris