The Free Library of Philadelphia has launched a new club focused on black genealogy, part of The Legacy Lab series. Club events will be held at the Blanche A. Nixon/Cobbs Creek Library and the Kingsessing Library and are timed with the nation’s 250th anniversary. The series offers community members opportunities to research, document, and celebrate their own family histories.

“The Legacy Lab demonstrates how libraries can expand access to powerful tools and for learning and discovery,” said Kelly Richards, President and Director, the Free Library of Philadelphia. “By offering free resources, guidance, and welcoming spaces, we are helping ensure that Black families explore their family histories, reclaim their narratives, and pass the knowledge on to future generations.”

In partnership with the House of Zamani, the Legacy Lab is a six-month educational series designed to build genealogical research skills with a focus on Black family history. Participants will learn how to uncover records, interpret historical documents, use digital tools, preserve their findings, and share their stories. It is a part of the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Hyperlocal Heritage initiative, a component of Philly’s 250th programming.

The first club meeting at the Blanche A Nixon/Cobbs Creek Library was held on January 10.

Here are the dates, times, and locations of the upcoming meetings and monthly themes (registration is preferred):

January: Laying the Foundation

• Saturday, Jan. 31, at 1 p.m. at the Kingsessing Library

February: Unearthing Records Beyond the Census

• Saturday, Feb. 21, at 11 a.m. at the Blanche A Nixon/Cobbs Creek Library

• Saturday, Feb. 28, at 1 p.m. at the Kingsessing Library

March: Digital Discovery and Utilizing Online Platforms

• Saturday, March 21, at 11 a.m. at the Blanche A Nixon/Cobbs Creek Library

April: Connecting the Dots to Trace Ancestral Lines

• Saturday, April 25, at 1 p.m. at the Kingsessing Library

May: Preserving Your Legacy — Documentation and Storytelling

• Saturday, May 16, at 11 a.m. at the Blanche A Nixon/Cobbs Creek Library

June: Sharing Our Stories

• Saturday, June 6, at 1 p.m. at the Kingsessing Library

• Saturday, June 27, at 11 a.m. at the Blanche A Nixon/Cobbs Creek Library

 

To learn more about the Free Library’s Legacy Lab programs and events, visit freelibrary.org/calendar.