LOOKING FOR LINCOLN isa film about trying to find out who Abraham Lincoln really was, who he was as a man, a person, rather than as we have been told he was, rather than as he was marketed. It is a question of re envisioning history, a difficult task.
Interestingly, Abraham, who is said to have walked rigidly and stood six foot 4 inches tall, and was considered odd looking, was quite interested in having himself photographed, aware that he needed a photo to market himself as a Presidential Candidate and President, that spoke for him. The image he finally chose was the image that was reproduced or redrawn or painted many times.
This video questions if it was ever Lincoln's Big Idea to Free the Slaves. At the time some of those who wanted to abolish slavery also thought about sending Free people of Color to Africa, to establish themselves there.
I believe this is because the line between slavery and indentured servitude was sometimes very thin. Someone who served their servitude and someone who was freed or bought others out of slavery.
Doris Kearns Goodwin and Tony Kushner, Pulitzer prize winning authors who've written about Lincoln and other scholars including genealogist and historical professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. speak in this film.
Film came out in 2009 producted byby WNET ORG.
28 November 2012
24 November 2012
COMING UP - ABRAHAM LINCOLN!
Living in Southern California where a large part of the economy is based in movie making, I've been seeing advertisements on bus stops and all around for the movie that's just coming out in which the actor Daniel Day Lewis acts as Abraham Lincoln and Sally Fields acts as Mary Todd Lincoln. In this company town there is Oscar Buzz about the film. The screenplay by Tony Kushner is said to be excellent and well, this may be one of those rare films that has earned its right to call itself an "event."
LINCOLN the movie official site link
We Americans seem to have an ongoing fascination for Abraham Lincoln as a character and as someone who had an impactful role in History, and like the story about the sinking of the Titanic, there have been a number of films over the years in which various actors, directors, and screen writers have had their chance to put forth their Point of View.
You may also consider President Lincoln to be a fascinating GENEALOGY CASE STUDY!
I'll be posting on Lincoln, American History and Genealogy, and Slavery from now through February, which is African American Month, along with my holiday posts! I know that many of you genealogy researchers find the months of November and December to be down time when it comes to research but what's great abouty using Blogger is that the posts remain to be found at any time in the future as well.
LINCOLN the movie official site link
We Americans seem to have an ongoing fascination for Abraham Lincoln as a character and as someone who had an impactful role in History, and like the story about the sinking of the Titanic, there have been a number of films over the years in which various actors, directors, and screen writers have had their chance to put forth their Point of View.
You may also consider President Lincoln to be a fascinating GENEALOGY CASE STUDY!
I'll be posting on Lincoln, American History and Genealogy, and Slavery from now through February, which is African American Month, along with my holiday posts! I know that many of you genealogy researchers find the months of November and December to be down time when it comes to research but what's great abouty using Blogger is that the posts remain to be found at any time in the future as well.
22 November 2012
THANKS GIVING : WHAT I'M THANKFUL FOR
What am I thankful for?
I want to thank my readers for reading ANCESTRY WORSHIP GENEALOGY because I always imagine someone is reading when I write, but it's very good to know that's actually true!
I want to thank those of you who have posed some QUESTIONS about genealogy research, as in answering I find myself learning more too!
I want to thank Google for the no cost blogging platform and tools that make this blog happen without my having to come up with money.
I want to thank Dover Publishing, which provides no cost artistic images for non-profit web sites and other uses. I never worry that I'm violating someone else's Rights to an image when I use Dover images.
I want to thank Yahoo for notifying me and helping me when my e-mail account was hacked into and my address book was used for spamming. It was disheartening and I still feel concern that my new genealogy friends might have been conned.
I am also thankful that I have intelligence and the willingness to seek out information and that there have been times during my years as a genealogy researcher when I suspected I had divine help.
That's a lot to be thankful for!
I want to thank my readers for reading ANCESTRY WORSHIP GENEALOGY because I always imagine someone is reading when I write, but it's very good to know that's actually true!
I want to thank those of you who have posed some QUESTIONS about genealogy research, as in answering I find myself learning more too!
I want to thank Google for the no cost blogging platform and tools that make this blog happen without my having to come up with money.
I want to thank Dover Publishing, which provides no cost artistic images for non-profit web sites and other uses. I never worry that I'm violating someone else's Rights to an image when I use Dover images.
I want to thank Yahoo for notifying me and helping me when my e-mail account was hacked into and my address book was used for spamming. It was disheartening and I still feel concern that my new genealogy friends might have been conned.
I am also thankful that I have intelligence and the willingness to seek out information and that there have been times during my years as a genealogy researcher when I suspected I had divine help.
That's a lot to be thankful for!
17 November 2012
I FOUND FAMILY ON THE INTERNET BUT THEY DON'T SEEM TO WANT CONTACT WITH ME! (QUESTION FROM READER!)
Question for: ANCESTRY WORSHIP GENEALOGY
After years of research, I found some information on a lost relative (someone I never met but who my mother wanted contact with) on the Internet. The person had married and was celebrating a special occasion and there was a brief biography on the net that mentioned her maiden name. It was the right state but not the right city, as much as I knew, but I decided since there was an e-mail address to contact her.
I did so honestly. I told her who I was and how we were related, and I gave enough information to back up my claim and flat out asked her if she was the person in question. I told her I was the family genealogist and that there were some mysteries I hadn't been able to solve.
A couple weeks later I got an e-mail back from her. She didn't say I was right or not. She mentioned talking to her husband about it and also said that over the summer they would go through some old pictures and documents. It was almost a yes. I responded right away telling her I was looking forward to it. Then a couple months passed and I e-mailed again, just a hello how are you kind of message. This time there was no response. Now it's almost winter and there has been no more contact. I have only her e-mail address or I would send a Christmas card. Should I just leave this alone?
Megan
Answer:
Megan,
I think you should leave it alone even though the holidays are near and it would be nice to send a card by the United States post office (I don't do e-mail cards). Maybe this person is just so busy that she hasn't gotten around to the old pictures and documents or going through all the memorabilia brought up bad feelings, maybe she has lived her life without contact with your mother and doesn't want it, maybe her husband doesn't think it's a good idea... One thing for sure is you've done your part and so it's now up to her.
I know this is difficult to accept after so many years of earnest research and good heartedness, but there are many people who just are not at all into genealogy. There are also people using genealogy databases and other public information wrongfully and good reason for people to be concerned for their privacy and security. I know that the information this woman has might prove to be valuable and it's really tempting to try, try again, but when I find myself hitting a brick wall like this, I use my time to work on some other line of family. In other words, maybe this reunion is not meant to be, not now, not in the near future.
After years of research, I found some information on a lost relative (someone I never met but who my mother wanted contact with) on the Internet. The person had married and was celebrating a special occasion and there was a brief biography on the net that mentioned her maiden name. It was the right state but not the right city, as much as I knew, but I decided since there was an e-mail address to contact her.
I did so honestly. I told her who I was and how we were related, and I gave enough information to back up my claim and flat out asked her if she was the person in question. I told her I was the family genealogist and that there were some mysteries I hadn't been able to solve.
A couple weeks later I got an e-mail back from her. She didn't say I was right or not. She mentioned talking to her husband about it and also said that over the summer they would go through some old pictures and documents. It was almost a yes. I responded right away telling her I was looking forward to it. Then a couple months passed and I e-mailed again, just a hello how are you kind of message. This time there was no response. Now it's almost winter and there has been no more contact. I have only her e-mail address or I would send a Christmas card. Should I just leave this alone?
Megan
Answer:
Megan,
I think you should leave it alone even though the holidays are near and it would be nice to send a card by the United States post office (I don't do e-mail cards). Maybe this person is just so busy that she hasn't gotten around to the old pictures and documents or going through all the memorabilia brought up bad feelings, maybe she has lived her life without contact with your mother and doesn't want it, maybe her husband doesn't think it's a good idea... One thing for sure is you've done your part and so it's now up to her.
I know this is difficult to accept after so many years of earnest research and good heartedness, but there are many people who just are not at all into genealogy. There are also people using genealogy databases and other public information wrongfully and good reason for people to be concerned for their privacy and security. I know that the information this woman has might prove to be valuable and it's really tempting to try, try again, but when I find myself hitting a brick wall like this, I use my time to work on some other line of family. In other words, maybe this reunion is not meant to be, not now, not in the near future.
13 November 2012
ANCESTRY PAID DATABASES RELEASES BURIAL RECORDS FOR MILITARY BURIALS IN TIME FOR VETERANS DAY
National Cemeteries Administration released records of thousands of military personnel which through the paid genealogy database Ancestry (not related to this blog) and what's special is that your ancestor's burial record may include interesting notes. The Rueters news service, which released the story that was picked up in papers around the country : RUETERS STORY : MILITARY BURIAL RECORDS RELEASED THROUGH ANCESTRY
"They were posted on Ancestry.com through a partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the National Archives and Records Administration, said Todd Godfrey, the Utah-based company's senior director for U.S. content."
"They were posted on Ancestry.com through a partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the National Archives and Records Administration, said Todd Godfrey, the Utah-based company's senior director for U.S. content."
03 November 2012
ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOLPHIN : CAVE OF NATIVE AMERICAN WOMAN WHO LIVED ALONE FOR 18 YEARS ON SAN NICHOLAS ISLAND
LA TIMES - ARTICLE BY STEVE CHAWKINS "CAVE OF POPULAR HEROINE FOUND AT LAST?
"By 1835, the few Nicoleños left were struggling. Whether motivated by compassion or a need to increase the ranks of mission laborers, Franciscan fathers from the mainland sent a ship for them. All but one made the trip to the mainland aboard the Peor es Nada, loosely translated as "Better than nothing."
The holdout came to be known as the Lone Woman. According to legend, she jumped overboard and swam for shore when she frantically realized that her baby had been left behind. Less romanticized theories hold that she told the captain she'd show up with her child but a sudden storm forced him to shove off without her.
What's known is that a solitary woman lived in the sand and fog of San Nicolas for the next 18 years. On the mainland, her legend grew. A time or two, fishermen reported seeing a fleeting figure on the deserted island. In 1850, a padre at the Santa Barbara Mission commissioned a sea captain to find her."
I read the book as an adult and found it to be a fascinating read. The story of a woman alone for 18 years on an island who was rescued and died 7 weeks later has captured my imagination.
"By 1835, the few Nicoleños left were struggling. Whether motivated by compassion or a need to increase the ranks of mission laborers, Franciscan fathers from the mainland sent a ship for them. All but one made the trip to the mainland aboard the Peor es Nada, loosely translated as "Better than nothing."
The holdout came to be known as the Lone Woman. According to legend, she jumped overboard and swam for shore when she frantically realized that her baby had been left behind. Less romanticized theories hold that she told the captain she'd show up with her child but a sudden storm forced him to shove off without her.
What's known is that a solitary woman lived in the sand and fog of San Nicolas for the next 18 years. On the mainland, her legend grew. A time or two, fishermen reported seeing a fleeting figure on the deserted island. In 1850, a padre at the Santa Barbara Mission commissioned a sea captain to find her."
I read the book as an adult and found it to be a fascinating read. The story of a woman alone for 18 years on an island who was rescued and died 7 weeks later has captured my imagination.
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