That_Wench
General Manager
I'm looking to connect with other descendants of formerly enslaved Americans as I'm curious what you were taught about the paranormal. I dabble in both genealogical and paranormal research. I have traced several lines of my tree back to the 1850s. These ancestors were enslaved people with the oldest documented ancestor being born in the late 1790s.
Speaking in terms of generations, my mom's family has been in Georgia while my dad's family is from Tennessee. I am lucky to say that on both sides of my family, there are structures that still exist dating to the mid-1800s. Specifically, the house where my grandmother (who was born in 1912/1913) and her father were born (early 1890s) still stands. I would love to visit the farm and do an EVP session to see if any of my ancestors would speak to me.
Now, I don't know about other Black folk descended from American slaves, but I was taught that talking about ghosts was off-limits. Don't say the names of deceased people because their restless spirit may find you. Or, don't whistle inside of the house as roaming spirits believe it's an invitation. However, my grandmother also told me about being born "with a veil" which allowed you to see into the spirit world. She was born with such a veil, and she loved telling me ghost stories as many of them were just interactions with friends and family members who had passed on.
There was one story from when my grandmother was a new mom in her late teens. My uncle was colicky and was crying non-stop. My grandmother was in a panic, and was seriously at the point of wishing harm on my uncle. So, she placed him in the cradle and walked away, then she began praying to her ancestors for help. His cradle was located in the corner, and my grandma recalled seeing a shadow arm appear from that wall and begin to rock his cradle. He started laughing, then she heard someone tell her to rest, which she did.
I have trips planned to visit my family's lands in Georgia and Tennessee this summer. Primarily, I will be focused on researching land deeds and obtaining copies of marriage/death/birth certificates if they exist, but I am also thinking of visiting these lands to talk with my folk.
How many of you also learned about the "veil"? Were you taught talking about ghosts was taboo? On a sidenote, my research is likely to take me to a few plantations, and I know there are members of my family who absolutely refuse to visit a plantation. Have you or would you be willing to?
Speaking in terms of generations, my mom's family has been in Georgia while my dad's family is from Tennessee. I am lucky to say that on both sides of my family, there are structures that still exist dating to the mid-1800s. Specifically, the house where my grandmother (who was born in 1912/1913) and her father were born (early 1890s) still stands. I would love to visit the farm and do an EVP session to see if any of my ancestors would speak to me.
Now, I don't know about other Black folk descended from American slaves, but I was taught that talking about ghosts was off-limits. Don't say the names of deceased people because their restless spirit may find you. Or, don't whistle inside of the house as roaming spirits believe it's an invitation. However, my grandmother also told me about being born "with a veil" which allowed you to see into the spirit world. She was born with such a veil, and she loved telling me ghost stories as many of them were just interactions with friends and family members who had passed on.
There was one story from when my grandmother was a new mom in her late teens. My uncle was colicky and was crying non-stop. My grandmother was in a panic, and was seriously at the point of wishing harm on my uncle. So, she placed him in the cradle and walked away, then she began praying to her ancestors for help. His cradle was located in the corner, and my grandma recalled seeing a shadow arm appear from that wall and begin to rock his cradle. He started laughing, then she heard someone tell her to rest, which she did.
I have trips planned to visit my family's lands in Georgia and Tennessee this summer. Primarily, I will be focused on researching land deeds and obtaining copies of marriage/death/birth certificates if they exist, but I am also thinking of visiting these lands to talk with my folk.
How many of you also learned about the "veil"? Were you taught talking about ghosts was taboo? On a sidenote, my research is likely to take me to a few plantations, and I know there are members of my family who absolutely refuse to visit a plantation. Have you or would you be willing to?