Exploring Black History Part II: Exploring Our Roots

April 4th, 2025
by Lisa Maholmes

WIllis and Cornelia Robinson w/ their children. c.1943-44

This month, we are introducing a series that focuses on the history of African-Americans in observance of Black History Month. Looking back on the past leads to both celebratory benchmarks and painful ones. There will be more Black History Month blog posts to come throughout February, even featuring some guest bloggers. We hope to shine a light on figures and systems that may seem far forgotten, yet still remain close to our hearts and minds. Understanding and learning from the past is an essential part of healing the scars from our past.

This past year as we were going through staff changes, Lisa Maholmes stepped in to the role of Tennessee Room Librarian. Working in the Tennessee Room can require a bit of extra knowledge when it comes to genealogy, so to feel more comfortable helping patrons, Lisa decided to go and discover her own family roots.

About her own journey through genealogy Lisa says that "Early this year, I was asked to work in the Tennessee Room in the Jackson-Madison County Library, and I was amazed with all the resources that this archive provides. After helping patrons start their genealogy journey, I decided to start investigating my own family history. I knew very little about my grandparents, so I decided to start with my maternal grandfather, Willis Robinson (top)."

"First, I asked my mother about my grandfather, and she told me stories and found photographs for me to use in my research. Second, I explored Ancestry.com and microfilm available for free in the Tennessee Room to find any information on my grandfather, and I discovered marriage licenses (middle) and obituaries. I even tracked my maternal great-grandparents to Haywood County using census records (bottom) . I still have more family history to discover, but I learned a lot and discovered things that have made me eager to continue exploring my roots."

Whether you're just getting started or have been at it for what seems like forever, come visit us in the Tennessee Room for tips and exclusive resources to better help discover your family's whole story!