Archive for February, 2010

Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak and Michelle Obama’s Roots

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

Our speaker, Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak has published an article on the Huffington Post site titledĀ Michelle Obama’s Roots: “Colored Persons Cohabiting … on 27th February, 1866” and describes a document she unearthed during her 9 months of research into Michelle Obama’s Roots during 2009.

This document is a list she describes as […Shortly after Emancipation, the General Assembly in Virginia passed a law to permit what amounted to a retroactive solemnization of the marriages of former slaves in the state. Previously denied the privilege of marriage, couples could now register their names and those of their children at the local courthouse, and both the marriage and offspring would thereafter be regarded as legitimate in the eyes of the law….] and it contains the records of several of Michelle Obama’s ancestors who had their marriages and children recorded in Henry County, Virginia.

On Friday evening of our Seminar Megan will be telling about this and other aspects of her research in her presentation “Michelle Obama’s Roots” – Friday 5 November 2010 at the Prince Conference Center at Calvin College.

See you there!!!