A post by Rosemary Mullally touched my soul because it conveyed  the burning desire deep within me to collect and share the stories of my family:

“As an African American living in a country and a society of Africans, I can’t help but feel proud, yet saddened.  Proud that not every part of our African culture was erased by our enforced journey into slavery, yet saddened that so much of our history and knowledge is lost.  African American Griots do exist in the form of our historians, writers, actors, musicians, parents, grandparents and our selves.  We sing the praises of our ancestors, we tell their stories, we give them their rightful place in history and we are the keepers of their memories. As we research our families, let us become a part of the gift giving competition, bestowing our gifts of knowledge upon our fellow Griots, sharing information and resources, praising each other’s successes.  May our loud and long praises echo down the centuries, from generation to generation, never ending”   Rosemary Mullally, American Grio, Bamako , Mali, January 2005