Skip to main content

In Case You Missed It: Saundra Russ Cropp's TV Debut

Last Thursday, June 25, Saundra's video premiered on Spectrum News 1. She was interviewed by Kennedy Chase about researching Black Patriot ancestors, an topic of historic interest right now. Saundra's Patriot was Black so this made for some challenging research. 

In the interview, Saundra explained,  “I did a lot of genealogy on the general public, but I did not have the time to focus on my family.” She applied those skills honed over the years of past research to connect with her extended maternal line and trace her lineage back to free Black Patriot, Jesse Harris.

The video highlights several stumbling blocks that black researchers encounter and encourages persistence. Saundra noted that more discussion on researching black ancestors occurred than was shown in the final edit, but she thought Kennedy Chase did a wonderful job of pulling it all together. This was her first TV appearance, and she's excited to share more.

We are so proud to have Saundra as a member and call her friend!  For more on researching Black ancestors and Patriots, attend her free virtual presentation: People of Color During the Revolutionary War in Granville and Wake Counties, North Carolina on July 13 at 7pm via Zoom. Register here.

...This Fourth of July will feel a little different. We should embrace it because, you know, the United States history is our history, and our history is the United States history. And you can't separate them. You can't erase it...
                                                                                                - Saundra Russ Cropps 




Visit Wake County Genealogical Society's Website - Homepage | WCGS Events | Join WCGS | Publications | Wake Cemetery Survey Images | Society Surnames | Digital Resources | History Resources | More Links and Resources |  Donate | Contact - info(at)wakecogen(dot)org

Labels:

Comments

  1. Beth SnyderJuly 27, 2026 at 9:33 AM

    Saundra, I'm just getting around to watching this video of you. Great Job! You looked so comfortable in front of the camera!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Wake Wednesday - Slave Narratives in the Wake Treasures Journal Archive

A selection of the slave narratives relevant to Wake County were transcribed as noted below. The Wake Treasures Journal Archives are currently free to all to view.  Note that historical materials often include viewpoints, language, norms, and values of the original creators that may be harmful to our sensibilities today. There is language here that some may wish to skip. The words of the original speakers were preserved as originally expressed.* SLAVE NARRATIVES – A FOLK HISTORY OF SLAVERY IN THE US, FROM INTERVIEWS WITH FORMER SLAVES Transcribed by Jerry J. Lewis NORTH CAROLINA NARRATIVES, Pt. 1, Vol. 14, NC District #2. This can be found in the North Carolina State Library. This was a project of the Works Progress Administration in 1937. These narratives were can be found in Vol 8.2 (starting p. 57 ) and Vol 9.1 (starting p. 59 ) The narratives include accounts from former enslaved persons who lived in Raleigh at the time of the WPA survey. Many were enslaved in Wake County...
Post a Comment
Read more

Reminder: 2026 Wake County Genealogical Society Virtual Meetings - next - Sept 22, 2026

There is still time to register for this very interesting and timely topic! Tuesday, Sept 22, 2026 @ 6:30pm – Virtual Topic:   Using Artificial Intelligence Tools in Genealogy Speaker:   David McCorkle Learn how to use AI tools to process genealogical evidence from various records in a more comprehensive and less time consuming manner. This lecture will cover document analysis, reading handwriting, processing images, and more, using real examples and the latest tools. This is an introductory lecture, so no AI knowledge is required. Join us! Free and virtual! *Please register by 4pm day of meeting. *Please save your passcode and link for ease of entry at start time. *Presentation starts promptly at 6:30 pm. Link to register at the Wakecogen website events page .   Registration is now open! **Get the video recording to watch on-demand for 30 days and access to our webinar handout library with your WCGS membership!**           ** ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Reminder - Join Wakecogen for "Coffee & Conversation" - July 16 Meet-up - This Thursday

Join Wakecogensoc for "Coffee & Conversation"  What - July Meet-up When - Thursday, July 16 , at 9:30 am   Where - Panera Bread - (Glenwood/Pleasant Valley),  6201 Glenwood Avenue , Raleigh, NC 27612 Designed by pch.vector / Freepik Our first coffee gathering was so fun, we are going to do it again!  We’ll chat about what genealogical topics we're working on, or a brick wall, or ask other members how to do something.  No RSVP - just show up , order your beverage or food, and look around for Barbara at a large table with a sign for WCGS. We tentatively plan to hold several more “Coffee and Conversation” events on different days and locations throughout 2026. If you are interested in hosting one, email President@WakeCoGen.org and we'll choose a date and location. Visit Wake County Genealogical Society's Website  -  Homepage  |  WCGS Events  |  Join WCGS  |  Publications  |  Wake Cemetery Survey Images  |...
Post a Comment
Read more