About this Event
Paul Crooks spent 13 years searching for his African roots. He discovered that his great-great-great-grandfather was freed from the Cousins’ Cove sugar plantation in Jamaica in 1838. This revelation sparked Paul's curiosity about the factors leading to the emancipation of enslaved people in the Caribbean.
"We are not makers of history. We are made by history." — Martin Luther King, Jr.
In his talk, Paul will explain:
- How the decision to grant liberty to those enslaved in the Caribbean and North America was influenced initially by military conflicts between Africans in the Caribbean and colonial powers; and
- How these conflicts triggered a series of events that ultimately led to the abolition of slavery in these regions.
Recognizing that each generation reinterprets history, especially Black history, Paul aims to place the factors that contributed to the end of transatlantic slavery into historical perspective. He challenges the established views on how abolition was achieved, arguing that ideas fostered in the consciousness of many by Great Britain have shaped and guided informed opinion.
Receive discounted access to one-on-one advice on tracing your African ancestry with Paul Crooks - Genealogy Specialist. More details will be available upon completing your registration for this event.
How to gain access to this event
This talk will be held over Zoom. Details of how to join the session will be in your registration confirmation email.
This event will not be recorded for later distribution or upload to Youtube.
Plus Ticket: Along with event access, Plus Ticket holders will receive a digital copy of the 'Black History of Resistance and Abolition Timeline' interactive PowerPoint, which will be sent via email after the event.
Premium Ticket: Premium access includes all Plus offerings, plus a digital copy of Paul Crooks' latest novel 'Descendants,' sent to you electronically after the event.
Deluxe Ticket: Deluxe attendees enjoy all Premium benefits, with the added bonus of the 'DNA Testing Demystified: Separating Fact from Fiction in Genealogy' eBook to deepen your understanding of genealogy which will be sent via email after the event.
About the speaker
Trailblazing family historian Paul Crooks pioneered research into Black genealogy during the 1990s. He traced his family history from London, back 6 generations, to ancestors enslaved on a sugar plantation in North America.
Paul was told that it would be impossible to trace records of slave-ownership let alone his Ancestors enslaved on plantations in North America. “No one had tried because such records did not exist.” Undeterred, he embarked on a journey of discovery that led from suburban North London to North America and ultimately back to the Gold Coast.
His books, Ancestors and A Tree Without Roots - The Guide To Tracing British, African and Asian Caribbean Ancestry brought him international recognition for his breakthrough research into Black genealogy.
Paul is credited with inspiring an upsurge in interest in Black and British ancestry. He is also recognised for having spawned an industry in African Caribbean genealogy.
Ancestors by Paul Crooks
Tree Without Roots - The Guide To Tracing British, African And Asian Caribbean Ancestry
Be sure to follow Black History Speaker Paul Crooks on Eventbrite!
Event Venue
Online
