Cynthia Jackson and Charleen Carroll have a lot in common.

They both have traces of Asian, indigenous American, Scandinavian and African blood among other ethnicities in their DNA.

Many, though, see Jackson as Black and Carroll as White.

And while DNA shows they have more in common than people might think at first glance, it is genealogy that provides the vehicle for them to explore what brought them both to this point in time and gain a better understanding of the journey their ancestors took.

“To understand where you came from allows you to see the world differently,” said Jackson who — along with her husband Wayne — leads the Transformed Through Hope Ministries in the 200 block of West Alameda  Street as apostle and pastor.

One key to that understanding is genealogy.

But if you’re a Black American it can be a challenge to do genealogical research based on how the government kept records in early days of the republic.

Such was the case for Jackson trying to research her maternal grandfather’s life to delve deeper into family history.

Some off what she has been able to find out so far has been a surprise. After years of believing their grandfather was an indigenous American Indian, she found out he had Chinese in his blood.

“It can break down false perspectives.” Jackson said of genealogy.

To help others with exploring their genealogy,  Jackson and Carroll point to several key resources.
*The Sacramento-based California African American Genealogy Seminar being conducted virtually on Saturday, March  11, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

*The Church of Jesus Christof of Latter-Day Saints family history center at the Manteca Stake Center on Northland Road that is open four days a week.

“I see myself as a citizen of the world,” Carroll said after years of doing genealogy research.

Carroll for example, explored  family history that ended up being far afield from Europe. It included North Africa lineage as well as indigenous American.

She found out she was a descendent of the Ohlone whose homeland stretched from San Francisco to south of San Jose and into what is know today as the East Bay.

Research created a path for Carroll to discover an ancestor from the Ohlone tribe married a Spaniard during the California missionary-era. That likely saved her ancestor from the plight suffered by her peers as a number of indigenous Californians ended up being intentionally killed.

“The Catholic Church kept extensive records,” Carroll said.

Jackson, in her research has relied heavily on church records as well to help build the framework of her ancestorial exploration.

But as noted previously, it is more difficult for Blacks to flesh out family history due to record keeping. As such, the American-African Family History seminar that is in its 17th year, offers insights into not just general genealogy research but also how to tackle the unique challenges of Black genealogy.

Jackson noted genealogy often shatters misconceptions people have about their family roots.

Some find out they are not the descendants of slaves but Africans that arrived in America as free men.

And some — like a former boss she worked for as an executive in a firm in Chicago — discovered a past they are shocked by and their first reaction is to seek to disavow.

In the former boss’ case, it was the fact not only was there a slave owner in his family’s history but one who was killed by those he enslaved.

Jackson noted her boss was stressed asking outload “what type of man” his ancestor must have been to have been not just to own slaves but to have been killed by them.

Jackson told her former boss that genealogy wasn’t about assessing blame or failure to one’s self but to understand what people have been able to overcome in their past to be who they are today.

“We are a diverse people,” Jackson said of the human race.

She believes genealogy essentially helps those that do the research eventually understand we don’t live in separate silos based on ethnicity, race, religion of present-day attributes such as education, occupation, politics, or social-economic status.

The 17th annual California African American Genealogy Seminar on Saturday, March 11, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. features Richard Digs and his sister Denise Diggs who will share their journey to uncover family history with clues recorded in a Bible from the 1850s.

Karen Massie is the mistress of ceremonies who will shepherd participants through a number of classes taught by the African Amercian genealogists.

There are nearly two dozen topics that will be covered touching on DNA research, United States Colored Troops/AA military records, African American World War II records, African American homesteaders, how to research records in southern states, beginning genealogy, federal census online newspapers,  oral history and more.

There is a $15 registration fee that covers the virtual seminar and an electronic syllabus. Register online at www.AAFHS.com.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Stake Center’s family research center on Northland Road is open Sunday from 7 to 9 p.m., Monday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tuesday from 6 to 9 p.m., and Wednesday from 6 to 9 p.m.

Volunteers staff the center to assist people with their research. Call 209-239-5516 or email CA_Manteca@familyhistorymail.org for more information.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com