Resumé of:
Angela
Y. Walton-Raji, Author, Genealogist, Historian
Catonsville MD
AngelaW859@aol.com
Genealogical Research and
Experience
Oklahoma Freedmen Genealogical
Research 1991-Present. Specialized in Freedmen from the Five Nations of
Oklahoma (Five Civilized Tribes) Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek and
Seminole Nations.
Civil War of the Trans-Mississippi West. Research pertaining to the U.S. Colored Troops (USCTs) of Arkansas, Louisiana, Kansas, and the Indian Home Guards of Kansas and Indian Territory. Have documented over 100 soldiers and the histories of the regiments, and succeeded in marking the graves of USCTs of NW Arkansas.
General Genealogical Research 1975 - 1990 Interviewed elders, made
traditional recordings and
documentation of family research data of parents and elders
primarily from
Arkansas and Tennessee.
Genealogy Forum America On-Line 1994-2003 Genealogy Forum
Specialist in African
American and Native American weekly chats or Special Interest
groups. Served
as manager, trainer and moderator of a team of 7 hosts.
African American Genealogy (Online Hosting Experience)
Prodigy- Genealogical Contributor 1992-1993 Became a special contributor on Prodigy assisting the genealogical bulletin board community.
African-Native Circle Serve
as host for the only African-Native American historical and genealogical online
chat.
AfriGeneas. African Ancestored Genealogy Website Co-founder of this first and groundbreaking website for African American researchers, which grew from an online BBS system, to a series of weekly chats on AOL, to its own identity now at AfriGeneas.com Serve as host for weekly ongoing chat on African American genealogy and the only chat pertaining to African-Native Genealogy and history in the country.
Also currently serve as owner and moderator of the AfriGeneas
based African-Native American Message board.
Specialization in Black
Indian Records
Tribal records: Have
developed special skill with records pertaining to the Freedmen of the Five Tribes, including, Dawes Records, Kern Clifton
Rolls,
Wallace Rolls, Dunn Rolls.
Indian Military Records: Developed expertise working with the records of Black and Indians soldiers of the Indian Home Guards, and US Colored Troops.
Transcription: Have compiled unique study of districts within the
Choctaw Nation, prior to Oklahoma Statehood.
Cemetery Preservation: Have
co-transcribed several African-Native American cemeteries in Eastern Oklahoma,
along with noted Arkansas researcher, Tonia Holleman
2006 Video Presentation-
Afro-American Historical & Genealogical Society, Inc., Annual Conference,
Salt Lake City. “Beyond the Dawes Rolls. Black Indian Genealogy West of
the Mississippi" Presentation
National Endowment for the
Humanities: My History is America’s History 2000 Was selected to be
a part of an initiative sponsored by the NEH and the White House Millenium
Council. The unique research into the history and documentation of the Walton
family in documented among the Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes was one of
8 families documented in this project. The story was also featured in Parade
Magazine in November 1999 to launch the initiative.
Dartmouth College: Eating
from the Same Pot, an African-Native American Cultural Symposium,
Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire April 2000 Was invited as a guest
speaker of the first cultural symposium at Dartmouth College on the history and
culture of African and Native American peoples.
Workshop at this symposium was the only selected workshop on research
methods for documenting African and Native American family history.
“Black Indians an American Story” by Rich Heape Films 2000 Was the only genealogist interviewed by the award winning video documentary producers Steve Heave and Chip Richie.
National Institute of Genealogical Research 1995 An intensive week long institute focusing lesser known records at the National Archives in Washington, DC
Federation of Genealogical Societies: Attended workshops and symposiums in Jacksonville FL, Richmond VA, Cincinnati, OH.
National Genealogy Society Conferences: Richmond VA, Nashville TN. Valley Forge PA
African American Historical & Genealogical Society Have attended a number of genealogical workshops throughout the 1990s through 2005.
National Presentations
2006
Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah
Smithsonian Institution, Anacostia Library, Washington DC. “Researching Black Indian Genealogy and History.” April 2006
Church of Latter Day Saints, African American Family
History Conference, Kensington, Maryland,
February 2005 "Beginning African American Family History"
Shifting Borders of Race & Identity, Kansas
University & Haskell Indian Nations. March
2005
2004 African American Historical & Genealogical Society, Annual Conference, Little Rock, Arkansas. "African-Native American Family Research" October 2004
2003
2002 Baltimore Chapter, African American Genealogical Society Annual Conference. "Black Indian Genealogy Research."
2001 African American Historical & Genealogical Society, Annual Conference, Washington, DC 2001
2000 Florida Librarian Association Annual Conference, Tampa Florida, 2000 Black & Indian Genealogical Records
Dartmouth College, Hanover New Hampshire. Eating From the Same Pot. The first national cross-cultural symposium.
Additional workshops presented from 1994 to present time.
Publications
Black Indian Genealogy Research. African Ancestors Among the Five Civilized Tribes Heritage Books, Bowie Maryland 1993
The Choctaw Freedmen. The Story of Oak Hill Academy.
Heritage Books, Bowie, Maryland 1914 text by Robert Flickinger.
Frontier Freedman’s Journal. An African American Genealogy Journal of the South, Indian Territory and the West. Angela Walton Raji, publisher Catonsville Maryland 1992-1997
Freedom’s Spirit. An African American Genealogy Journal of Arkansas Angela Walton-Raji, publisher, Catonsville Maryland, 2003-present
Black Chronicle of Northwest Arkansas. A Black Genealogy journal of NW Arkansas history. Walton & Holleman, publishers, Van Buren, Arkansas, 2004-present
Have been a guest on a number of radio talk shows and
television programs. Programs include:
LDS African American Video Production: "Beyond the Dawes Rolls. Black Indian Genealogy East of the Mississippi." 2006
WHUT-TV“Evening Exchange” a public television program in Washington DC in 2000, hosted by Kojo Nnamdi
KUAF-FM 2002 (Fayetteville Arkansas.) Ozarks at Large, Jackie
Froelich, host
RichHeape Films: Black Indians an American Story (narrated by James Earl
Jones)
Memberships
Association of Professional Genealogists
African-American Historical & Genealogical Society, National Chapter
African-American Historical & Genealogical Society, Arkansas Chapter
Oklahoma Historical Society
Oklahoma Cemetery Preservation Association
Websites
The
African-Native American Genealogy Website, Owner and Developer
Arkansas Freedmen of the
Frontier Website Owner and developer
Education:
St. Louis University 1973, B.A. Romance Languages
Antioch University 1979, M.Ed. Education Administration
University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) 1990-Present
Director, Graduate School Recruitment
Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts, and Medford Campuses
1986-1990 Recruiter, Nutrition Researcher Center on Aging, Boston
1980-1886 Asst. Director, Undergraduate Admissions, Medford
Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 1978-1980
Asst. Director, Undergraduate Admissions.