October is Family History Month: Family History Tells America’s History

 

Carter Lacoste researching his family 
history at the Louisiana State Archives
Photo Credit: Dr. Antoinette Harrell

I strongly disagree with the idea that family history is merely a hobby. Family history is America’s history. Our families are woven into the history of the places they have called home for generations. Their stories are connected to the communities, towns, cities, churches, schools, farms, businesses, and neighborhoods they helped establish and sustain.

These are the places where names became known, important events unfolded, traditions were created, and memories were made. They are the places where generations were born, lived, worked, worshiped, raised their families, and built their communities. They are also the sacred places where many of our departed loved ones and ancestors now rest. With this being said, it becomes clear just how deeply our family roots are planted in the communities our ancestors called home. Our roots run deep because our ancestors' stories are woven into the history of the places they called home.

Annie Harnett
Looking at a headstone on a Plantation
Photo Credit: Dr. Antoinette Harrell

When we research our family history, we are doing more than collecting names and dates. We are preserving the stories of people whose lives contributed to the larger American story. Census records, land deeds, photographs, military records, church records, oral histories, family Bibles, and even old family stories can help us understand not only who our ancestors were, but how they lived and the communities they helped shape. Every family has a story worth preserving.

If you have never taken the time to learn about your family history, Family History Month is a wonderful time to begin. Start asking questions. Talk with your elders. Write down their stories. Look through those old photographs and documents. Visit the courthouse, cemetery, genealogy library, or archives.  Tracing our footprints and leaving no stone unturned in search a piece of anything that can help us cover a piece of America's history through our ancestors footprints. A piece of the puzzle help bring the bigger picture to together. It is just a matter of finding the pieces of the puzzle. 

Most importantly, come and learn how to get started. Your family’s story matters because family history tells America’s history. Please join us to learn how to explore, research, and preserve your family history at the Amite Genealogy Library on Saturday, October 24, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Whether you are just beginning your genealogy journey or want to learn new ways to uncover your family’s past, this is an opportunity to discover the records, resources, and research methods that can help bring your ancestors’ stories to life. Come discover your roots. Preserve your family’s story. Help preserve America’s history—one family at a time.

A Legacy in the Soil: Effie Gordon Yancy’s Landownership

Dr. Saundra Yancy McGuire
Researching Land Record at the St. Helena Parish Clerk's Office
Photo Credit: Dr. Antoinette Harrell

When Dr. Saundra Yancy McGuire first contacted me about researching her paternal family lineage and history, one subject immediately stood out: the land. She spoke about property in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana, that had been owned by her ancestors and remained connected to her family for generations. The history of that land had been preserved largely through oral tradition, passed down from one generation to the next. But Saundra wanted to go beyond the stories. She wanted to find the records that could document what her family had long known.

As we developed our genealogy research agenda, I knew that a visit to the St. Helena Parish Clerk of Court’s Office was essential. Our mission was to search land records, conveyance records, deeds, and vendor and vendee indexes for evidence of the Gordon and Yancy families’ landownership.  Seeing the smile on her face put a smile on my face. Just knowing that I had helped her on her genealogy journey.

Saundra already knew that her paternal grandmother, Effie Jane Gordon Yancy, had owned land. What she wanted to discover was how Effie acquired the property, when she acquired it, and what the official records might reveal about her business affairs and the family’s history on the land. I took Saundra to some of the oldest conveyance books and showed her how to search the handwritten indexes for the surnames Gordon and Yancy. We carefully turned through pages containing transactions recorded nearly a century ago. Then we found it.

There, preserved in the parish records, was documentation showing that Isaac Gordon sold land to Effie Jane Yancy in 1927. The expression on Saundra’s face said more than words could capture. This was no longer simply a family story passed down through generations. She was looking at a historical record documenting a land transaction between her ancestor Isaac Gordon and his granddaughter Effie Jane Gordon Yancy. The discovery connected generations of her family through a piece of land and a document that had survived for almost one hundred years.

One challenge was deciphering the old cursive handwriting. Fortunately, years of historical and genealogical research have given me a keen eye for reading difficult handwriting and recognizing words that can be nearly impossible to make out at first glance. But Saundra was determined to learn for herself. She quickly began understanding how the indexes and conveyance books were organized and how to navigate the records independently.

Before long, she made another discovery. She located a record indicating that a man with the surname Phillips sold land to Centerville School. Her excitement was immediate. Each discovery opened another door into the history of her family and the community in which they lived. But perhaps the most powerful moment of our genealogy journey could not be found inside a courthouse book.

We traveled to the land connected to Isaac Gordon, Saundra’s ancestor, whose life reached back into the era of slavery in St. Helena Parish. Standing on that ground transformed our research from names, dates, deeds, and faded handwriting into something deeply tangible. Saundra was not simply researching an ancestor. She was walking the land connected to his life.

That moment demonstrated why genealogy is about far more than constructing a family tree. Genealogy can reconnect people to places, property, communities, and stories that might otherwise disappear. Oral history gave Saundra the foundation. The courthouse records provided documentary evidence. And walking the land allowed her to experience a physical connection to the history she had come searching for.

From Isaac Gordon to Effie Jane Gordon Yancy and the generations that followed, the land became more than property. It became part of the family’s historical record—a testament to survival, ownership, continuity, and legacy.The records were written on paper, but the family’s history was written on the land.

Dr. Saundra Yancy McGuire
St. Helena Parish, Louisiana and the Mississippi State Line.
Photo Credit: Dr. Antoinette Harrell

Picking the Past: Edwin Temple Remembers Amite’s Strawberry Fields

Six Pints Strawberry Carrier
Photo Credit: Antoinette Harrell

Edwin Temple vividly recalls the days of planting and picking strawberries during his youth in Amite, Louisiana. Long before he climbed aboard the yellow school bus that traveled the route along Bennett Road, Edwin had already begun his day in the strawberry fields.

In the early morning hours, the fields were covered with a blanket of cool morning dew, glistening across the rows of strawberry plants. All around him were the sweet, ripe fruits waiting to be carefully picked. For a young boy, the work was part of everyday life—a childhood shaped by hard work, family, and the land.

Between February and March, Edwin would make his way into the strawberry fields carrying a wooden  handmade carrier fitted with small green nine pints. He carefully picked the bright red strawberries, one by one, placing them into the containers. The work required patience and determination, but it was also a part of a way of life that connected him to the land that he still calls home. 

Some of the strawberries Edwin picked did not simply disappear at the family table. His grandmother, Aline Vining Temple, preserved them, turning the harvest into something that could be enjoyed long after the strawberry season had ended. Through her hands, the fruits of Edwin's labor became part of the family's food traditions and memories.

Edwin's recollections offer more than a glimpse into strawberry farming—they take us back to a time when children learned the value of hard work at an early age, when family members worked together, and when the changing seasons shaped the rhythm of everyday life. His memories of those dew-covered fields, the red strawberries, the wooden berry carrier, and his grandmother's preserving hands remain a living connection to Amite's agricultural past and to a childhood that should never be forgotten. 

Edwin Temple is reminded of the old days, when life seemed much simpler and hard work could put a little money in your pocket. As a young boy, after getting out of school, Edwin would often head to the strawberry fields to work. Before boarding the yellow school bus that traveled the Bennett Road route in Amite, Louisiana, he had already spent part of his day working in the fields. After school, he would return to picking strawberries, earning money for his labor.

One of the farmers Edwin remembers working for was Paul Jake Cozzo. Edwin recalls that Paul had four
strawberry fields. One of those fields was located near the home of Peter Richardson. Behind Paul Cozzo’s old wooden white house was a strawberry field that stretched all the way toward what is now Interstate 55.

Edwin remembers that the Cozzo family had Italian ancestry and was among the many Italian families in the area who planted strawberries. Strawberry farming provided employment for many Black families in the surrounding community, and Edwin remembers seeing numerous Black workers in the fields, including members of families who lived near the Cozzo farm.

Among the families living near the farm were  the Jackson, Morris, Zanders, McCoy, Magee, and Curry families. Edwin specifically recalls members of the Zanders family picking strawberries on Paul Cozzo’s farm.  For many families, strawberry picking was more than just seasonal work—it was a way to earn money and help provide for their households. Edwin’s memories offer a glimpse into a time when strawberry farming was an important part of the local economy and community life. The fields were places where generations of families worked side by side, and where children like Edwin learned the value of hard work at an early age.

The Cozzo family’s connection to farming reaches back another generation. According to the 1930 United States Federal Census, Paul’s father, Cipriano Cozzo, was listed as a truck farmer. His occupation reflects the agricultural roots of a family whose livelihood became intertwined with the strawberry-growing community of Tangipahoa Parish.

Through Edwin’s memories, the strawberry fields are more than just farmland. They represent a chapter of local history—a time when the fields were filled with workers, families depended on seasonal harvests, and a young boy could finish a day of school, pick strawberries in the afternoon, and earn a little money from the work of his own hands.

Charles Daggs: From Enslavement to Community Leadership in Hammond, Louisiana

Charles Daggs Headstone

Charles Daggs stands as one of the important early African American pioneers in Hammond, Louisiana, a man whose life spanned slavery, the Civil War, emancipation, Reconstruction, and the establishment of one of Hammond's oldest African American institutions.

Daggs was born in the Washington, D.C., area in the early nineteenth century, although his exact birth year remains uncertain. Sources place his birth between approximately 1809 and 1814. A later account of his death reported that he was 99 years, four months, and 18 days old when he died in Hammond on January 26, 1909. That calculation would place his birth around September 1809. However, the 1835 slave manifest reportedly recorded Charles as 21 years old, suggesting a birth around 1814. Because these records conflict, additional primary documentation is needed to establish his exact date of birth.

One of the most significant discoveries in Daggs's history is the record documenting his forced migration as a enslaved man from the Washington, D.C., region to Louisiana. In 1835, Charles  along with his mother, Rachel Daggs, and other members of his family aboard the Tribune, a vessel transporting enslaved people from Alexandria, District of Columbia, to New Orleans. The vessel arrived in New Orleans on October 1, 1835. The surviving account identifies Rachel as approximately 35 years old and lists Charles among her children. The shipment was associated with John Armfield and the individuals identified in the record as Brandon, McKenna, and Wright. He was sold to Louisiana Governor Henry Johnson to finanically support the building of Georgetown University. The Maryland Jesuits sold 300 enslaved individuals including members of the Daggs family. 

Carter LaCoste attended the unveiling.

The documentation connecting Charles to the "Tribune" is particularly significant because it provides a rare and powerful link between an individual who later became a respected community leader who endure the  domestic slave trade.  His story therefore does not begin with freedom; it begins with a forced journey whose surviving documentation allows his family history to be traced across generations and geographic boundaries.

During the Civil War, Charles Daggs's life took another dramatic turn. He served the Union cause in the United States Navy.  His service placed him on the Union side during a conflict that ultimately destroyed the institution of slavery. A 1909 notice published after his death specifically remembered Daggs as a man who had served aboard the Scioto. His transition from an enslaved man to a Union Navy veteran represents one of the most remarkable transformations in his life. The war fundamentally altered the legal and political circumstances of millions of African Americans, and Daggs became part of the generation of formerly enslaved people who helped build new communities after emancipation.

Following the Civil War, Daggs lived and worked in Louisiana. His name appears in the John W. Gurley Papers preserved by LSU Libraries. Documents from 1865 and 1866 identify him as a tenant farmer and preserve correspondence concerning charcoal production, farming, timber, livestock, clothing, rations, commodities, and wages for freedpeople. These records provide an important glimpse into Daggs's life during the difficult transition from slavery to freedom.

In 1867, Charles Daggs organized what became Greater St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church in Hammond. The church became one of the earliest African American religious institutions in the community and an important center of worship, fellowship, leadership, and community life. The Louisiana State Historic Preservation review recognizes 1867 as the year the church was established by Daggs, a newly freed man.

Mt. Canaan Missionary Baptist Church "City of Refuge" received books

Donated by Rwc. Curry

A couple of weeks ago, RWC Curry once again donated books for me to distribute to children in our community. I never turn down educational resources and materials because there is always a need, and I believe every child deserves access to books and opportunities to learn.

After researching the rich history of Mt. Canaan School in Arcola, Louisiana, I contacted Pastor John Smith of Mt. Canaan “City of Refuge” to ask if the youth of the church could use the books. He quickly responded, “Yes!” We are grateful for the opportunity to add these books to the educational resources available to the children.

What really came to mind was the history of Mt. Canaan School. The school once stood near the church premises and was part of the educational story of African American children during segregation. What a meaningful way to honor the memory and legacy of that school, by placing books into the hands of today’s children. I was watching a teacher named Darius William cry after learning that many High School seniors couldn't read. He asked the question as to how did we get here and what is the solution? Mt. Canaan, is making an effort to be a part of the solution. At one time Mt. Canaan School was a Rosenwald School. The school was the foundation of basic reading, writing, and arithmetic.  As well as character building. 

Books donated by Rwc Curry

These books are more than educational materials. They represent opportunity, knowledge, and the continuation of an educational legacy that began generations ago. Thank you, RWC Curry, for continuing to donate books and helping us put resources where they are truly needed. And thank you to Mt. Canaan “City of Refuge” for welcoming this contribution for your youth. We honor the past by investing in the future.

If anyone has educational materials, laptops or computers, art supplies, recreational materials, books, or other resources that could benefit our youth, please consider donating.Mt. Canaan “City of Refuge” will gladly accept these generous educational gifts to help provide our children with the resources they need to learn, grow, create, and succeed. Every donation, big or small, can make a difference and help us build a brighter future for our youth.

If you would like to contribute, please contact me via email at antoinetteharrell14@gmail.com.  Together, we can continue to honor the educational legacy of Mt. Canaan by investing in the next generation

Connecting Through History: The Vernon Family Discovering Legacy in the Archives

Left to Right: Dr. Antoinette Harrell, Dr. Portia Preston
Charlene Kelly-Shockley, Back Row: Sonora Kelly and
 Glyniss Vernon Gordon at the Center for Southeast
Louisiana Studies. 

Several descendants of "Free Bob" recently visited the Center for Southeast Louisiana Studies to examine the records in the Mount Canaan Missionary Baptist Church Collection. The joy on their faces was unmistakable as they explored the documents, uncovering pieces of their family's history.

Two generations sat across from one another, carefully analyzing the collection together. At times, Sonora Kelly's mother, Charlene Kelly-Shockley, shed tears of happiness as she saw that the history of her Vernon ancestors had been preserved and documented for future generations.

Family members spent time studying historical records and treasured photographs, connecting names and faces to stories that had been passed down through the years. Dr. Porta Preston was especially delighted to discover a photograph of her grandmother in the collection, making the experience deeply personal and memorable for everyone present. Everyone walked out of the building with such joy, just knowing that their history had been documented and share for future studies 

Mt. Canaan Missionary Baptist Church at Tangipahoa Tourism

John "Tree" Smith
Pastor of Mt. Canaan
Photo Credit: Dr. Antoinette Harrell

Today, we proudly placed the Mt. Canaan Missionary Baptist Church and Robert "Free Bob" Louis Vernon, Jr. historical brochure at the Tangipahoa Parish Convention & Visitors Bureau (Tangipahoa Tourism), making this important piece of local history available to visitors from across the region.

Pastor John "Tree" Smith of Mt. Canaan Missionary Baptist Church was honored to see the church's history represented in a way that invites tourists and community members alike to discover its remarkable legacy. The brochure highlights the story of a church that has faithfully served the community for more than 157 years, as well as the extraordinary life of Robert "Free Bob" Louis Vernon, Jr., whose vision and generosity helped establish the church, school, and cemetery. By placing these brochures at Tangipahoa Tourism, we hope to encourage travelers, researchers, students, and local residents to explore this rich history and visit the historical marker. Preserving and sharing our stories ensures that the legacy of those who came before us will continue to educate and inspire future generations. 

The rich history found across the railroad tracks in Arcola, Louisiana, holds an important piece of the puzzle in understanding the history of Tangipahoa Parish. It was here, during the Reconstruction Era, that formerly enslaved men and women began building new lives grounded in faith, education, landownership, and community.

Among Reconstruction's most enduring legacies is Mt. Canaan Missionary Baptist Church, established in 1869, the same year Tangipahoa Parish was created. On March 6, 1869, the Louisiana Legislature formed Tangipahoa Parish from portions of Livingston, St. Helena, Washington, and St. Tammany Parishes, creating a new parish during one of the most transformative periods in American history.

Glyniss Vernon Gordon
5th Great-Granddaughter of
 "Free Bob"
Photo Credit: Dr. Antoinette Harrell

The story of Mt. Canaan is inseparable from the story of Tangipahoa Parish itself. As the new parish emerged, African American communities were laying their own foundations for the future. Churches such as Mt. Canaan became more than places of worship, they served as schools, meeting places, centers of civic leadership, and symbols of hope. The land donated by Robert "Free Bob" Louis Vernon, Jr. provided a place where generations could worship, receive an education, and be buried with dignity. That is exactly what Free Bob has in mind for his family and community. Today that gift keep on giving and that what's important. 

To truly understand the history of Tangipahoa Parish, one must look beyond political boundaries and official records to the communities that shaped its character. Across the railroad tracks in Arcola stands a living testament to Reconstruction a place where faith, freedom, education, and perseverance came together to build a lasting legacy. The history of Mt. Canaan Missionary Baptist Church is not simply the history of one congregation; it is a vital chapter in the history of Tangipahoa Parish and the African American experience in Louisiana.

Mt. Canaan School, Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana was a Rosenwald School

Mt. Canaan Rosenwald School
Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana

While researching the history of Mt. Canaan Missionary Baptist Church and the Mt. Canaan School, I received a text message from Candice Picard, Executive Director of the Tangipahoa Historical Society. She asked if I was aware that Mt. Canaan had been a Rosenwald School. I replied that I was familiar with the Mt. Canaan School, but I had not known it was part of the Rosenwald School program. That question immediately sparked my curiosity.

I began searching the Rosenwald School Database at Fisk University and was thrilled to discover a historic photograph of the Mt. Canaan School, dated 1938. Finding this image confirmed the school's place within the Rosenwald School movement and added another important chapter to the rich history of Mt. Canaan and the surrounding community. Moments like these remind us that history is often uncovered one question at a time. A simple conversation can lead to remarkable discoveries that help preserve the stories of our communities for future generations.

Hidden within the rich history of Tangipahoa Parish is the story of Mt. Canaan School, an institution that represented hope, opportunity, and determination during the era of segregation. A photograph preserved in the Rosenwald Fund Collection at Fisk University's John Hope and Aurelia E. Franklin Library documents the school and identifies it as being located in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana. The archival record dates the image between 1917 and 1938, preserving an important chapter in the history of African American education.

Mt. Canaan School was one of the many Rosenwald Schools established throughout the South during the early twentieth century. These schools were the result of a remarkable partnership between educator Booker T. Washington, philanthropist Julius Rosenwald, local African American communities, and public school systems. Together, they helped construct thousands of schools that provided educational opportunities for Black children who had long been denied equal access to quality education under segregation.

Like many Rosenwald schools, Mt. Canaan School stood as more than a place of learning. It was a community institution where children gained the knowledge and skills that would prepare them for future generations of leadership and service. Families often contributed labor, donated materials, and raised money to help build and maintain these schools, making them powerful symbols of community pride, sacrifice, and self-determination.

For the Mt. Canaan community, education was deeply connected to the church and the values of faith, perseverance, and collective responsibility. The school helped educate generations of African American children in the Arcola community and surrounding areas, creating opportunities that many families had never before experienced.

Today, surviving photographs such as the one preserved by Fisk University remind us that these buildings were more than wooden structures, they were places where dreams were nurtured despite the barriers of Jim Crow. Every image, every document, and every oral history helps preserve the legacy of the teachers, parents, and students who believed education could transform lives.

As a genealogist, I believe it is our responsibility to continue documenting schools like Mt. Canaan so their stories are never forgotten. Their history is not simply about a building; it is about a community that invested in its children and refused to let the promise of education be denied.

Source: Rosenwald Fund Collection, John Hope and Aurelia E. Franklin Library, Fisk University. Mt. Canaan School, Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana. Photograph dated 1917–1938.

Untold History Foundation Expands African American Archival Legacy

Untold History Foundation, LLC. is proud to announce the donation of two additional African American collectionsto the Center for Southeast Louisiana Studies at Southeastern Louisiana University. These collections are rich with historic photographs, documents, funeral programs, church programs, and other archival materials that preserve the history and legacy of African American communities in Tangipahoa and St. Helena Parishes.

The newly established collections are:

• Mt. Canaan Missionary Baptist Church & Robert "Free Bob" Louis Vernon, Jr. Collection
• Grant Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church Collection

With the addition of these two collections, the Untold History Foundation has now established seven archival collections at the Center for Southeast Louisiana Studies.

These collections provide invaluable resources for genealogists, historians, scholars, students, and researchers seeking to better understand the African American experience in Tangipahoa and St. Helena Parishes, Louisiana. They preserve family histories, church records, community photographs, and other rare historical materials that might otherwise be lost.

Researchers can explore the online index for each collection by visiting the Center for Southeast Louisiana Studies website, where the collections are available to
assist anyone interested in African American genealogy, local history, and community research.

Hidden Treasures of History: One Baptism Certificate, One Family Story

Certificate of Baptism

Courtesy of Dennis James

For more than three decades, I have dedicated my life to researching and documenting the genealogical and local history of Louisiana's Florida Parishes. The history of older churches, African American schools before integration, Black cowboys, and Negro baseball teams has long been the focus of my work. While these stories are deeply woven into the fabric of our communities, uncovering them is rarely an easy task. For one thing no one want to depart with their treasures. Today we use portable scanners and even our phones to take photographs of the materials, ensuring that the orginals never leave the person care and home. 

Historical records, photographs, church documents, and family papers are often scattered, forgotten, or lost over time. Many of the most valuable pieces of our history never made it into an archive or library. Instead, they remain tucked away in dresser drawers, old trunks, family Bibles, and boxes stored in people's homes. These personal collections are priceless treasures that help tell the stories of our ancestors, events and communities.  Mt. Canaan Missionary Baptist Church was organized in 1869. The church was ninety-eight years old at the time of Dennis was baptized. 

The greatest challenge is not simply locating these records, it is finding people who are willing to share them.That is why I was especially grateful when lifelong Mt. Canaan Missionary Baptist Church member Dennis James entrusted me with an original copy of his baptism certificate. His willingness to preserve and share this document ensures that an important piece of the church's history will not be lost to future generations.

The certificate records that Dennis James was baptized in 1967 by the Rev. R. L. Primus. Serving as witnesses were Fairy Dean Hannibal, Allie Ruth Leonard, and Jamie Dillon. The document also identifies his parents, Wallace and Rosa Anderson, preserving another important genealogical connection for the family and the church. At that time they were still baptizing in the Amite River. 

To many people, a baptism certificate may appear to be a simple religious document. To a genealogist and local historian, however, it is far more than that. It is a historical record that documents family relationships, church leadership, community members, and significant life events. These records often provide information that cannot be found in census records, vital records, or courthouse documents.

Every photograph, church program, funeral bulletin, handwritten letter, membership roll, and baptism certificate has the potential to fill gaps in our history. Collectively, these records tell the story of a people whose experiences have too often gone undocumented or overlooked.

I am sincerely thankful to Dennis James for recognizing the importance of preserving his family's history and for trusting me with this remarkable document. His generosity serves as a reminder that preserving our history is a community effort. Each person who shares a document, photograph, or family story helps ensure that the legacy of our ancestors will be remembered, documented, and passed on to future generations.

History lives in the homes of our elders. We simply have to ask, listen, and preserve it before it is gone forever.

The Roots of Excellence: How Effie Jane Gordon Yancy Inspired Generations

Effie Jane Gordon Yancy
1888-1971
Photocourtesy of ancestry

Local history is often found in the genealogy of the people who call, or once called, a place home. Every family story is woven into the larger history of the community, connecting one's genealogy to another across generations. My interest in the local history of the Louisiana Florida Parishes is deeply rooted in my own DNA and family heritage. Through genealogy, I have come to understand that no family's history stands alone. Each lineage intersects with others, creating the rich historical tapestry of the communities they helped build.That truth became even more evident as I assisted Dr. Saundra Yancy McGuire in tracing her roots in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana, particularly the story of her maternal grandmother, Effie Jane Gordon. 

As we uncovered records and pieced together generations of family history, the genealogical evidence consistently affirmed the oral history Dr. McGuire shared with me. Effie Jane Gordon was born in 1888 in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana, during a pivotal period in American history as the region continued to recover from the Civil War and Reconstruction. She was the daughter of Ike Gordon and Malissa Tucker Gordon and represented the first generation of her family born into freedom. Although born in an

Effie Jane Gordon & Ike Gordon
Marriage Records
St. Helena Parish Clerk's Office

era of limited opportunities for African Americans, Effie refused to allow those barriers to define her future or the future of her children. She understood that education was the key to advancement, and she made it her life's mission to ensure that every one of her children received an education. That unwavering commitment became the cornerstone of the Yancy family's legacy and established a tradition of scholarship, service, and leadership that continues to inspire future generations.

According to Dr. McGuire, her grandmother, Effie Jane Gordon, was determined that each of her children would receive an education. That commitment became the cornerstone of the Yancy family's legacy. Effie and her husband, Robert Ernest  Yancy, Jr., were regarded as respected members of their community and would have been considered among its upper-class African American families. Education, community involvement, faith, and service formed the foundation upon which the Yancy family was built.

Dr. McGuire attributes her family's strong educational tradition to her grandmother, whom she described as a woman of character, vision, and determination. Effie Jane Gordon not only instilled the importance of education in her children but also lived those values herself. She served as an educator in the St. Helena Parish School System, demonstrating through both her profession and her example that education was the pathway to opportunity and advancement.

One of the most rewarding aspects of genealogy is witnessing oral history validated by historical records. In the case of the Yancy family, documents and oral traditions worked together to tell a story of perseverance, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to education. It is through stories like these that we gain a deeper understanding of the families who helped shape the history of St. Helena Parish and the Florida Parishes.

Effie Jane Gordon's life and legacy immediately intrigued me and inspired me to learn more about the remarkable woman who shaped generations of the Yancy family. I already knew her granddaughter, Dr. Saundra Yancy McGuire, as an internationally recognized educator, author, and retired Assistant Vice Chancellor and Professor of Chemistry at Louisiana State University. Dr. McGuire is the Director Emerita of LSU's Center for Academic Success and is widely respected for her groundbreaking work in metacognitive learning strategies, helping students around the world transform the way they learn. Her bestselling books and presentations have influenced educators and students across the United States and internationally.

As I came to know Dr. McGuire through our genealogical journey, I wanted to understand the woman who had laid the foundation for such an extraordinary life. It became increasingly clear that the values Dr. McGuire embodies her commitment to education, excellence, service, and mentoring others  did not begin in a university classroom. They were first nurtured in the home of her grandmother, Effie Jane Gordon. Through oral history, family memories, and historical records, I discovered that Effie's influence extended far beyond her own generation. Her unwavering belief in education created a family legacy that continues to impact lives today, proving that the lessons taught by one determined woman can echo across generations.

Dr. Saundra Yancy McGuire
The Chaneyville High School Alumni Association
Hall of Fame Proudly Inducts  Unto Robert Yancy.
Dr. Saundra Yancy McGuire is the daughter of Robert Yancy.
Photo Credit: Dr. Antoinette Harrell

 

Small Hands, Big Hearts: Mt. Canaan VBS Campers Brighten Lives at Tangi Pines

Ana receiving the cards
Photo Credit:
Dr. Antoinette Harrell

Mt. Canaan Missionary Baptist Church "City of Refuge" Vacation Bible School campers put smiles on the faces of the residents at Tangi Pines Nursing Home. Their beautiful, colorful artwork brightened the residents' day, and many of the handmade cards included heartfelt words of encouragement.

Some of the campers may have grandparents or great-grandparents who reside in nursing home facilities, making this act of kindness even more meaningful. Through this simple yet powerful project, the campers learned the importance of showing compassion, thinking of others, and reaching out to those who may feel forgotten.

It was a wonderful lesson, one that extended far beyond arts and crafts. Caring for others in the midst of life's circumstances and chaos is a lifelong lesson. Acts of kindness, no matter how small, have the power to bring hope, encouragement, and a smile to someone's heart. Those are lessons these campers will carry with them for years to come.

Every Record Has a Story: A Genealogical Journey with Dr. Saundra Yancy McGuire

Dr. Saundra Yancy McGuire
Photo Credit: Dr. Antoinette Harrell

During our first conversation, I learned that her family has deep historical connections to St. Helena Parish, Louisiana, and Amite County, Mississippi.  The same parish my, Wicker, Burton, Richardson, Vining, and Harrell families connected to.  She shared that her primary family surnames are Gordon and Yancy, two families whose roots run deep in the history of both communities. 

As a genealogist, I often tell people that understanding the history of a place is just as important as understanding the history of a family. The two are intertwined. Communities shape families, and families help shape communities. 

St. Helena Parish was established on October 27, 1810, making it one of Louisiana's oldest parishes and one of the original Florida Parishes. At that time, Louisiana had not yet become a state. In fact, statehood would not come until 1812. The creation of St. Helena Parish followed the West Florida Rebellion, when the region transitioned from Spanish rule to becoming part of the United States.

Her 3rd Great Great maternal ancestor were enslaved on the Gordon  Plantation. His life would eventually lead us to a much larger story about slavery, family, survival, and freedom. But it wasn't time to take her there just yet. That is a journey deserving of its own blog post. Stay tune and follow us on this beautiful and powerful genealogy adventure. 

Dr. Saundra Yancy McGuire
St. Helena Parish Clerk's Office 

As our research unfolded, it became clear that this would be more than a search for names and dates. It would become a journey through generations of family, community, resilience, and history, one that would uncover records, stories, and connections that had been waiting to be rediscovered. 

One of the things I appreciate most about the St. Helena Parish Clerk's Office is its commitment to preserving these historic records and the friendly and helpful staff.  They will guide you to the records like a tour guide at a museum. Walking into the records vault is like stepping back in time. Shelves lined with original record books and files have been carefully maintained for generations. Many of the documents I use today are the very same records created by the clerks who served the parish more than 150 years ago. I expained to her that in many cases this the first time that some of the records have been looked at since the first day they was filed away. 

I can still recall our first research trip together to the St. Helena Parish Clerk's Office. I wanted Dr. McGuire to experience more than simply finding names in an index. I wanted her to see her ancestors names recorded in the marriage index books, leading us to the original marriage certificates. There is something empowering about reading documents your ancestors signed with their own hands, or in some cases, made their mark with an "X." It creates a connection to the past that cannot be explained until you experience it for yourself. The look on her face said it all. She expressed how happy and pleased she was to discover the records. It was one of those moments that reminds me why I love genealogy. 

Dr. Saundra Yancy McGuire
Photo Credit: Dr. Antoinette Harrell

The process required us to pull old record files from the vault. The young man working in the office had not yet learned how to retrieve records from the vault. I asked him if I could show him where the files were kept, and he gladly agreed. I invited Dr. McGuire to accompany us into the vault. She was surprised to see that the records were still carefully organized and preserved by the St. Helena Parish Clerk's Office.They resembled the rows of files you might see in a sheriff's office in an old Western movie. The vault itself has the appearance of the late 1800s, preserving not only the records but also a sense of history. 

We carried the files back to the table where we were working. I explained what to look for and reminded her that every record deserves to be read carefully because you never know what valuable information it may contain. As she searched through the records, she found the marriage certificate of Robert and Effie. Her excitement was unmistakable. She paused for a moment, carefully reading the document that recorded the marriage of her ancestors. It was more than a certificate—it was a tangible piece of her family's history. Watching her hold that document and reflect on the lives of those who came before her was a reminder that genealogy is about much more than names and dates. It is about reconnecting families with their stories.

Dr. Saundra Yancy McGuire, a retired Professor Emerita of Chemistry and internationally recognized authority on learning strategies, has embarked on a new kind of scientific study. This time, her laboratory is the courthouse, the archives, and the records vault. Together, we are exploring the chemistry of genealogy—discovering how names, documents, places, and generations bond together to reveal the remarkable story of her family.

Robert E. Yancy, Sr. and Effie Jane Gordon 
Marriage Certificate
St. Helena Parish Clerk's Office

Mt. Canaan Baptist Church, City of Refuge: Children's Creative Hearts Bring Joy to Nursing Home Residents

Campers Cards
Photo Credit: Antoinette Harrell

Oftentimes, elderly and ill people can end up in nursing home facilities feeling forgotten. Some may not have family members to visit them, while others may experience neglect.

This week, Mt. Canaan Baptist Church, "City of Refuge" in Arcola, Louisiana, began its Vacation Bible School, and I was honored to be one of the many volunteers helping to guide the campers. Throughout the week, the children learned how to cope with the chaos they may face in their everyday lives. One of the lessons focused on caring for others who may be going through difficult and challenging times.

During their arts and crafts session, the campers were asked to make cards for nursing home residents. Their beautiful little minds became very creative, making heartfelt cards to remind the residents that they are loved and that God is with them through every storm of chaos. Their third day's lesson was about allowing the teachings of Christ to guide them in the midst of their chaos. Most of all, they learned to trust Him, even when they cannot see the way ahead. Some of the children expressed their compassion through thoughtful written messages, while others shared their love by drawing hearts, rainbows, flowers, and other colorful creations.

This was also a wonderful way to connect generations. The activity taught the children that showing compassion, kindness, and love to others is one of the surest ways to teach the younger generation the importance of loving one another. Christ instructed His followers, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." (John 13:34)

A simple card, especially one made with the creativity and innocence of a child, can brighten someone's day, lift their spirits, and remind them that they are never forgotten. Untold History Foundation would like to thank all the campers. The cards will be delivered to Tangi Pines Nursing Home in Amite, Louisiana.

Campers Art Cards
Photo Credit: Antoinette Harrell

 

Don’t Leave Your Loved Ones Guessing "The Importance of Final Arrangement Conversations"

 

Death is something every person will face at some point in life. No matter who we are, we all experience the pain of losing someone we love. And when that time comes, families are often left not only with grief, but with difficult decisions and stressful final arrangements.  Unfortunately, talking about death is a conversation many people avoid.

In some families, older parents try to discuss their wishes with their adult children, only to be quickly shut down. “Mama, stop talking like that. You’re not going anywhere.” I’ve heard those exact words myself. I know my family do not like to talk about it.  But the truth is, avoiding the conversation does not stop death from being a reality. Instead, it often leaves loved ones unprepared during one of the most emotionally difficult times of their lives. That is why I believe we should start having those tough conversations now.

I often bring this topic up in my own household because I want to spare my family unnecessary stress and confusion when my time comes. Final arrangements involve more than grief. Families must make important decisions quickly sometimes without knowing what their loved one truly wanted. Here are a few questions that can be helpful.

Questions like:

• Where is the insurance policy located?
• Which funeral home should handle the arrangements?
• Do you want to be buried or cremated?
• What are your final wishes?
• Do you have a will or trust set up?
• Is there an attorney we should contact?
• Where do you want your access to go?
• Do you have an Estate Plan?

These are not easy discussions, but they are necessary ones. I’ve even gone as far as writing my own obituary. Some people may think that sounds unusual, but to me, it makes perfect sense. No one knows your story better than you do. Writing it yourself allows you to say exactly what you want remembered about your life, your values, and your legacy.

Planning ahead is not about giving up on life. It is about love, responsibility, and making things easier for the people we leave behind. Having these conversations today can bring peace tomorrow. So maybe it is time for all of us to stop avoiding the subject and start preparing with care, honesty, and love.

Esaw Lawson: Agreement With Freedmen, Sharkey Mills Plantation in St. Helena Parish

 

Agreement with Freedmen
Henry Lawson and son Esaw Lawson

Key Facts from the Document

• Document Title: Agreement with Freedmen
• Type: Labor contract (Freedmen’s Bureau record)
• Date: May 11, 1868
• Location: Parish of St. Helena, State of Louisiana
• Plantation:  (Sharkey Mills)  Plantation 
• Parties Involved:
  • Employer: Henry Lawson (F.)
  • Laborers (Freedmen):
    • Isaac Lawson
    • Charlotte Lawson
    • Alice Lawson
• Context:
  • Agreement made under authority of the Freedmen’s Bureau following the Civil War
  • Concerns employment, wages, rations, housing, and labor expectations
  • Indicates family labor structure (“these three laborers are children of the said Henry Lawson and work together as one family”)
• Purpose: Establishes terms for agricultural labor, compensation (including share of crops or wages), and obligations of both employer and freed persons
• Record Series: Freedmen’s Bureau labor contracts
• Archive Marking: “NARA 257” (National Archives identification)

Esaw Lawson: A Life from Slavery to Freedom in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana

Esaw Lawson was born around 1846 according to the 1900 United States Federal Census. While researching the U.S. Freedmen Contract, 1865- 1878, I found Esau on  Sharkey Mills Plantation. in St. Helena Parish, with his father Henry Lawson When Esaw Lawson passed away on June 18 at around 95 years old, his life marked nearly a century of profound change in the American South. Born into slavery before the Civil War, Lawson lived to see emancipation, Reconstruction, and the rise of the Jim Crow era—periods that reshaped the nation but often left Black Southerners navigating persistent inequality.

As a young man, Lawson was enslaved by Tom Davidson of Springfield in Livingston Parish. Like many formerly enslaved individuals, his early life was defined by forced labor and limited autonomy. After emancipation, he remained in the region, building a life in the same communities where he had once been held in bondage.

Over the years, Lawson became a familiar presence in and around Amite. He worked for local employers, including a period as a groundskeeper for the Gullett Gin Company, where he was responsible for maintaining the property and its surroundings. His work, like that of many Black laborers of his generation, was essential yet often underrecognized.

In his later years, Lawson lived in Reid’s Quarter, a Black neighborhood in Amite. Though his health declined during his final year, he remained known among residents across the town and surrounding countryside. Prior to 1910, no record of a name for the school for African-American in Kentwood. It was stateted that Esaw Lawson was the head of the first School. The school, which ws the first Training School for African Americans in Tangipahoa Parish. Esaw Lawson was asked to suggest a principal for the school and he submitted the name of Oliver Wendell Dillion

His funeral drew a large crowd, an indication of the connections he formed over decades in the area. He was laid to rest in Butler Town Cemetery, closing a life that stretched from slavery into the modern age. 

Citation

The Roseland Herald (Roseland), 23 June 1933, p. 1, obituary of Esau Lawson; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/image/854092121/ : accessed 27 April 2026).

The Schools That Built a Community: Black Education in Tangipahoa and St. Helena Parishes

Mt.Canaan School
Roseland, Louisiana 
Photo Courtesy: Grace B. Walker 

Over the decades, I have had the privilege of interviewing elderly residents in both St. Helena Parish, Tangipahoa Parish, and surrounding communities to document their family histories. Again and again, their stories return to one central theme: education—hard-earned, deeply valued, and often pursued under the most difficult conditions imaginable.

“Reading, writing, and arithmetic”—as the late Dr. Kingsley B. Garrison recalled—were the essential skills his parents wanted their children to learn.  For many African American families in the post-Reconstruction South, education represented far more than basic literacy—it was a pathway to dignity, independence, and opportunity he said. 

Many shared memories of walking miles through dense wooded areas—what they simply called “the woods”—to attend school. These were not schools as we might imagine today, but humble spaces: churches or small, one-room wooden buildings with outhouses nearby. Often uninsulated, with walls and floors worn thin or punctured by time, these structures were heated by potbelly stoves that offered little comfort during the biting cold of winter.

In the years following the Reconstruction Era, churches frequently doubled as schools for Black children and some adults.  Institutions like the Freedmen’s Bureau played a significant role in establishing thousands of schools across the South, supporting education for newly freed Black people. They provided teachers, resources, and facilities—but it was the determination of local communities that sustained these efforts.

Despite the hardships, the descendants of those who had gained freedom just one generation earlier understood something profound: education was the pathway to true freedom—something their ancestors had been denied. These one-room buildings and churches were the humble beginnings for many who would go on to become educators, doctors, military service members, business owners, and more.

My own mother, Isabell Harrell Cook, shared her memories of attending school at Gordon Chapel Church in Amite. She described walking several miles through the woods to get there, carefully navigating muddy trails, fallen leaves, and the ever-present threat of snakes and other creatures. Like many children, she carried a stick—not out of play, but for protection.

The journeys were grueling in every season. Winters brought a damp, penetrating cold; summers, an oppressive heat that clung to the skin. Yet, these children pressed on. Their small footprints marked paths shaped not only by geography, but by determination. Their footsteps echoed through the woods, carried on the wind, each step bringing them closer to an education.

Education, however, was not always continuous. Many students were forced to leave school during the spring and summer months to help their families plant and tend crops. Survival often took precedence over schooling, yet the desire to learn never faded. Sometimes, by the light of a coal oil lamp—if their parents could afford the oil—they continued their studies at night.

In addition to collecting oral histories, I undertook a project to identify the names and locations of Black schools in the area. During a recent conversation with Saundra Yancy McGuire—Director Emerita, Professor Emerita of Chemistry, and retired Assistant Vice Chancellor—she mentioned Centerville School in St. Helena Parish, where several of her Yancy ancestors had taught. That moment sparked a deeper search.

What followed felt like uncovering a hidden treasure. I discovered a newspaper article listing Black schools and teachers in St. Helena  parish—an invaluable record. Names that once lived only in memory were suddenly documented in print, affirming the stories passed down through generations.

These schools—though modest in structure—stood as pillars of hope. They were places where knowledge was passed on, where futures were imagined, and where a newly freed people began to claim their place in a changing world.

Today, only a few surviving individuals can recall this era firsthand. But through their stories—and through continued research—we can preserve and honor this legacy. The paths through the woods may have faded, but the journey toward education and empowerment continues to echo across generations. One of the observations I made during my research in the same article, the White teachers was addressed by Mr. or Mrs. 

Here are the school names and teachers listed on the page under “Colored Teachers”

• Ricks — Ernestine Thomas
• Pine Hill — Imogene Knighton
• Woods — Corlean B. Pope
• Morgan — Catherine Leonard
• Butler — Mildred Richardson
• Leonard — Jessie C. Hookfin
• New Hope — Willie Gordon
• Jackson — Idella Williams
• Bear Creek — Elsie Tucker, Louise M. Johnson
• Sunflower — Mattie M. Tucker, Ora Lee Spears
• Morris — Elizabeth Johnson, Viola G. Wilson
• Odom — James Causey, Eunice F. Rudison
• Story — Pearl Cook, Laura W. Knighton
• New Star — John Matthews, Clovice Hurst
• Bay Gall — Frank Stewart, Helen H. Imes
• Centerville — Toretha Yancy, Gordon Yancy, Susie B. Yancy
• Rocky Hill — Bennie Wicker, Dorothy Stewart, Annie B. Tillery, Cordella B. Gordon, Ada W. Higginbotham, Louise Richardson, Thelma W. Muse, Mildred Sutton
• St. Helena Training School

Here are the school names I came across in my research:

• Roseland School, Roseland, Louisiana
• West Side High School-Amite, Louisiana
• Ard Chapel, Amite, Louisiana
• Amite Color School, Amite,  Louisiana
• Johnsel High School, 1897, Amite, Louisiana 
• Mt. Canaan School, Roseland, Louisiana 
• Tangipahoa Parish  Training School, Kentwood, Louisiana 
• Tasker AME Church School, Ponchatoula, Louisiana 
• Burgher Black School, Independence, Louisiana 
• Martin Chapel AME, Independence, Louisiana 
• Greenville Park High School, Hammond, Louisiana

The page is from The St. Helena Echo, Aug. 26, 1955, page 3.

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