National Archives to host retrospective on African Americans in U.S.

A retrospective on the black odyssey in America is scheduled for later this month at the National Archives at Atlanta.

It’s been 400 years since the first documented landing of Africans on American soil. The June 22 program, “1619-2019: African Americans’ 400-Year Journey Since Jamestown,” is free, but preregistration is required. The event is hosted by the National Archives at Atlanta, the Friends of the National Archives at Atlanta and the Metro Atlanta Chapter of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society.

Among the highlights will be speakers Maurice Hobson, a Georgia State University history professor; Mark Lowe, a certified genealogist who specializes in southern research; Ric Murphy, an AAHGS-national vice president for history and descendant of a Jamestown, Va., African indentured servant; Robyn Smith, an award-winning genealogy blogger; and Melvin Collier, who used DNA to connect with his African ancestral family.

The National Archives is located at 5780 Jonesboro Road in Morrow. Seating is limited. Check-in is at 8:30 a.m., with the program running from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. A box lunch will be provided for a donation. To pre-register, go to aahgsatl.org. For more information on the National Archives, see archives.gov/atlanta. National Archives at Atlanta Education Director Joel Walker can be reached at 770-968-2530 for information and group reservations.