In the quest to find information about her ancestors, genealogist Alice Freeman Harris discovered the remarkable story of her Great, Great Aunt Elizabeth Thomas, who was an important figure in District of Columbia Civil War history. Ms. Harris will describe how you can begin researching your ancestors. Using her own Great, Great Aunt Elizabeth Thomas as a case study, she will demonstrate how you can find jewels on your own family tree. Ms. Harris recently testified before the District of Columbia City Council in support of legislation to rename the portion of Quackenbos Street, N.W. between Georgia Avenue and 13th Street, ""Elizabeth Thomas Way."
This is the first of a series of lectures and forums hosted by the District of Columbia Archives throughout the year on slavery, abolition, emancipation, and other Civil War era history such as the Snow Riot of 1832, the Pearl Affair and Riot of 1848, the Compromise of 1850, the riots of 1919 and 1968, and the struggle for home rule in honor of the 150th anniversary of DC Emancipation Day.
District of Columbia Archives
1300 Naylor Court, NW (Between 9th and 10th Streets, NW, and N and O Streets NW; one block north of the Walter Washington Convention Center)