To know where you come from and whom you come through as a black person living in America is an emotional experience. We understand the significance of tracing our roots beyond what’s taught in history books as black people.
An African-American family based in Maryland has identified that they have seven living generations. They have taken the initiative to contact the Guinness Book of World Records and are actively working to validate this remarkable fact.
The Shockley family is aiming to cement their place in the Guinness Book of World Records by having seven generations of living family members. This achievement is particularly significant as there has never been an African-American family who has achieved this record, as far as records show. Alma Williams, the oldest family member, is turning 103 years old next month, while the youngest member is just 14 months old. Since the family learned about this record, they have been gathering census records and birth certificates in their quest to make history.
Let’s start by saying how awesome it is for Black families to be able to trace our roots. What led to the start of the search about your family’s history?
Natonya – During a conversation at our grandmother’s 90th bday celebration in March, we were discussing how rare 6 gens was. The talk surrounding this previously about 6 gen first was because last year, the 6th generation child of Leola’s branch of the family tree was born and there was a 6 gen photo taken at his christening. We continued at the event. It was decided that our event for the grandmother would now be a yearly one so we then began to organize the panel. I volunteered to be the family historian and do our census and family tree work for next year’s event and my plan is/was to create documents, files, pamphlets, etc; hard copy documents that would house our family’s history so that we would never lose the facts and our growing family and future lineage would have a historical file for our family.
When I returned from the trip, I immediately began doing the research as I was very intrigued about the rareness of 6 generations. During the first few days of my research, I realized that we were indeed rare, as less than 1 percent of African American families have been documented with that many generations only averaging 4-5 and that family was Australian I believe. It had been noticed last year in the media with a rare 6 gen photo. Well, we have the exact same photo and lineage but are even rarer.
The research became deeper, the hours longer, and within 3 days, I discovered, after doing family classification research, that our oldest living Aunt, Alma Williams, is the generation before my grandmother, as she is the last of her generation living and the first of ours. She and my great-grandmother, Pauline Crawford Dickerson are sisters. Leola is her niece and therefore our lineage was then astoundingly proven to not just have 6 but rather SEVEN LIVING GENERATIONS.
To know that you have 7 generations of living relatives is beautiful. How does this make you feel?
J. ANTHONY DICKERSON: Having seven living generations in a family can be a truly unique and special experience. It provides a deep sense of connection to one’s ancestry and roots, as well as a profound appreciation for the passage of time and the continuity of life. Each generation brings its own perspectives, experiences, and stories to the family dynamic, creating a rich tapestry of memories and traditions that are passed down from one generation to the next.
Being part of such a multi-generational family can evoke feelings of pride, gratitude, and a strong sense of belonging. It offers the opportunity to learn from elders, to share wisdom with younger family members, and to witness the unfolding of life’s journey in a truly remarkable way. The presence of seven living generations can also serve as a source of strength and support during challenging times, as family members come together to celebrate milestones, offer guidance, and provide comfort to one another. Overall, having seven living generations in a family can be a deeply fulfilling and enriching experience, reminding individuals of the enduring power of family ties, the importance of preserving shared histories, and the beauty of passing down cherished values from one generation to the next.
Have you all also tried researching your family through ancestry.com and if so what have you discovered?
Natonya— I am currently primarily working in archives.com for the census work and have dabbled in ancestry.com. Through Archives, I have found historical family documents dating back to the early 1800’s. Research is still ongoing. I have found many census-linking documents and the mothers and fathers of many of our mothers and fathers. It is amazing to have reached where I have gotten so far as slavery and poor recording being listed on chattel records as property, often erases the Black family’s history.
The oldest member of your family, Alma Williams, will be 103 years old next month. That’s a huge honor and blessing to have her with you. Where was she born and what have you all been able to learn through her about your family’s history?
Natonya—Alma was born in Wayne County, NC to Leora Aycock Crawford and Simon Crawford. She was one of many children including my great-grandmother, Pauline Crawford Dickerson(deceased). The family was raised for many generations and many years under the same roof in a home in Goldsboro, NC. She recounts and recalls, even with a mind now diseased with dementia, her parents, and siblings, and still holds fond phone conversations with her niece, my grandmother, Leola. Her primary caregiver, her granddaughter, has shared many of our family’s lineage and background with me that her grandmother has shared with her over the last few weeks.
Oh, how wonderful it is to have all of this historic information to pass on to future generations! We are wishing them much continued success and may this story encourage other African American families to pause and do the research to discover more about your roots!
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