Family Matters Genealogy

08/12/2026

Our book was featured in a podcast this week! Please check it out and learn what our book is all about. Ordering info is in the comments.

Tenacity Talks · Episode

08/08/2026

Cemetery restoration & preservation is important to keeping our ancestors’ memories alive. Please donate if you can ❤️

For those who didn’t know, sad to say, SOAL did not receive a 2026 Dauphin County Tourism Grant. Not the first time our descendant-led, volunteer-powered efforts have been passed over. Although this seriously hampers 2026 plans, the restoration of Harrisburg’s oldest remaining historic Black cemetery needs your help!

Lincoln Cemetery is a nationally significant historic site, a community archive, a place of descendant return, and a site of growing cultural, genealogical discovery, and public history research. For more than five years, SOAL has invested in working with descendants, volunteers, community members, and partners to reclaim the site, recover gravestones, restore monuments, reconstruct family histories, preserve endangered records, and welcome visitors from around the corner and across the country.

We are currently still facing an urgent maintenance crisis. Wesley Union AME Zion Church has not contributed any funds to mowing or lawn care in 2026. This loss has created a significant gap and left the grounds inaccessible, particularly for elderly visitors. Without regular maintenance, graves quickly become obscured, paths become unsafe, and public access is constrained.

We have minimally managed the situation with volunteers. However, 7+ acres of uneven terrain and historic stones is beyond our capacity and has prevented SOAL from doing the work of recovery and restoration.

SOAL has secured approximately $3,500 through Veterans Affairs related funding to support the care of veterans’ graves. A check is expected to arrive soon, but the process has been slow. Moreover, these funds will not cover the costs of mowing through the remainder of this year.

We need to raise immediate funds to keep Lincoln Cemetery accessible. This is not a long-term wish list. It is about descendant access and safety during the restoration season.

Here is how you can help right now:

* Donate today: https://linktr.ee/savingourancestorslegacy

Donations online through:
• Zeffy
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/soal

• $SOALlife on CashApp
https://cash.app/$SOALlife

• GoFundMe
https://www.gofundme.com/f/unburied-dead

• PayPal Giving Fund
https://www.paypal.com/US/fundraiser/charity/
4753303

* Share this request with at least 3 people who care about Black history & historic preservation

* If you are able, make a recurring monthly gift to help stabilize care for the 2026-2027 season.

Help us keep this underfunded historic place open and accessible, the ground visible, and the restoration possible.

08/07/2026

07/30/2026

When in doubt, spreadsheet it out! Create a spreadsheet to prove people with similar names are not the same people.

07/21/2026

Hey !
I co-authored a book with 2 of my sorority sisters Lawren Fowlkes and Lauren Francies Nance. Blueprint for Life: Organizing Your Legacy with Ease was created for the families who end up scrambling during a crisis—searching for documents, guessing at final wishes, and trying to piece together the stories that deserve to be preserved. It’s especially powerful for the sandwich generation who are juggling care for aging parents while raising their own families; however, it is truly helpful for anyone navigating major life transitions.

This guided workbook helps you organize the essentials—genealogy, medical info, insurance, finances, passwords, legal documents, property details, spiritual preferences, traditions, and personal reflections—all in one place. It’s not legal advice; it’s the heart and history behind the paperwork.

Blueprint for Life bridges structure and soul, giving you peace of mind now and easing the burden for loved ones later. It is a simple, compassionate way to organize your legacy with ease. Buy your copy today:

is a guided workbook designed to solve that problem. It helps individuals document and preserve essential personal information—including medical history, insurance details, financial accounts, passwords, legal documents, property records, spiritual preferences, family traditions, and personal r...

07/07/2026

I find these indexing errors A LOT!! I tell everyone to read every document and every line. Important information can be bypassed by not relying on your own eyes!

06/30/2026

So, I did a THING with 2 of my Sorority sisters...

We are Gen X, the sandwich generation who are taking care of our parents while still supporting our children. We need to prepare ourselves and our children for what comes next with life. This workbook is everything you need to capture your memories, organize your documents and build a legacy with intention. Order your co book for yourself or your loved ones today!

is a guided workbook designed to solve that problem. It helps individuals document and preserve essential personal information—including medical history, insurance details, financial accounts, passwords, legal documents, property records, spiritual preferences, family traditions, and personal r...

06/29/2026

https://familymattersgenealogy.com/january-2023-newsletter/

As you must know, genealogists respectfully work with dead people - I mean, researching them and their history. I have been involved with cemetery cleanup lately because of a blog post I did for my January 2023 The Family Jewels newsletter. This is important work, especially for African American communities. Flag down to the middle of this post and it will explain why.

The January newsletter features HBCUs - Historically Black Cemeteries Unearthed. Learn the fate about these historic spaces.