"The African American Family's Guide to Tracing Our Roots...Healing, Understanding & Restoring Our Families" is for every African American who has ever thought about researching their family history! <P>Award-winning historian Roland Barksdale-Hall will help us rethink past events, explore vital health matters, and better understand our families, increase our level of awareness about cultural and historical identities and develop better understanding of the events, which help to shape our families' values, beliefs, and attitudes. <P>The book discusses a TWELVE-STEP PLAN TO HEALTH, WEALTH, AND SUCCESS. It shows us how to incorporate these easy to achieve every-day activities including: Practicing conversion; Bonding to healthy communities; Getting our dollars to work; Rapping with our elders; Joining together for the common good; Voting in local, state, and national elections; Reading more and Increasing our cultural awareness; Knowing our history and Rethinking our past; Taking a calculated risk; Pursuing our passion and Birthing a vision; Building bridges to confidence through Unity; Celebrating lifeÂ’s passage; Instilling positive values; Excelling in what we do. <P>IT'S ALL HERE! How to Begin, Precious Keepsakes, Looking for Freed Persons, African Connections, Healing through Storytelling and Restoring the Family with detailed listings of Genealogical Societies, Lineage Societies and much more. <P>"The African American Family's Guide to Tracing Our Roots" offers solutions by asking tough questions in the Life Applications to provoke constructive thought and discussion. It is a call to get back to work, to heal ourselves, seek restoration of families, and return to the way of caring and sharing.
Roland C. Barksdale-Hall grew up in a mill town in Western Pennsylvania, where all his siblings were musically gifted, playing several instruments in school marching bands and orchestras. He unfortunately was the misfit and youngest of four. After a series of failed piano lessons at the church parsonage followed by hair-raising trumpet lessons, the music teacher announced to his mother. "You're wasting your money on this one." His mom gave up. No more practicing under the pear tree. Whew! The neighborhood was safe again. Yay! He was left to find his course. Known as Brother Barksdale by his many friends, some years later he still is piping his own tune through call-and-response storytelling, folksy word-picture histories, and holistic family-oriented tales. He enjoys family, gardening, and traveling. He, his wife, and two children live in the same house where he grew up.
