[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] you are the living story of your
you are the living story of your
you are the living story of your ancestors where you are today was
ancestors where you are today was
ancestors where you are today was determined not only by your actions but
determined not only by your actions but
determined not only by your actions but also by the actions of your parents your
also by the actions of your parents your
also by the actions of your parents your grandparents your great-grandparents and
grandparents your great-grandparents and
grandparents your great-grandparents and those of your ancestors hundreds and
those of your ancestors hundreds and
those of your ancestors hundreds and thousands of years ago their movements
thousands of years ago their movements
thousands of years ago their movements choices successes and failures you
choices successes and failures you
choices successes and failures you sitting here with us today are the
sitting here with us today are the
sitting here with us today are the direct result of a culmination of
direct result of a culmination of
direct result of a culmination of conduct by innumerable people genealogy
conduct by innumerable people genealogy
conduct by innumerable people genealogy is the second most popular hobby in
is the second most popular hobby in
is the second most popular hobby in America my roots are third fourth fifth
America my roots are third fourth fifth
America my roots are third fourth fifth and sixth generation American but my
and sixth generation American but my
and sixth generation American but my roots also run deep in the soil of Italy
roots also run deep in the soil of Italy
roots also run deep in the soil of Italy the farmlands of Ireland and the
the farmlands of Ireland and the
the farmlands of Ireland and the Potteries of England the past seems so
Potteries of England the past seems so
Potteries of England the past seems so distant to many of us but we are its
distant to many of us but we are its
distant to many of us but we are its children and were not always very good
children and were not always very good
children and were not always very good at listening to our parents humanizing
at listening to our parents humanizing
at listening to our parents humanizing our history makes that past palpable it
our history makes that past palpable it
our history makes that past palpable it makes the people personal it makes the
makes the people personal it makes the
makes the people personal it makes the journeys your ancestors took an integral
journeys your ancestors took an integral
journeys your ancestors took an integral part of who you are when they become
part of who you are when they become
part of who you are when they become real people instead of just names in a
real people instead of just names in a
real people instead of just names in a book or a photo on the wall their
book or a photo on the wall their
book or a photo on the wall their experiences can teach us discovering the
experiences can teach us discovering the
experiences can teach us discovering the stories of our ancestors provides
stories of our ancestors provides
stories of our ancestors provides lessons in empathy in humility in
lessons in empathy in humility in
lessons in empathy in humility in forgiveness and compassion meet Fanny
forgiveness and compassion meet Fanny
forgiveness and compassion meet Fanny Morelli born in Italy she arrived to New
Morelli born in Italy she arrived to New
Morelli born in Italy she arrived to New York City with her family at the age of
York City with her family at the age of
York City with her family at the age of four in her teens Fanny was a
four in her teens Fanny was a
four in her teens Fanny was a suffragette even though she wouldn’t be
suffragette even though she wouldn’t be
suffragette even though she wouldn’t be able to vote as a non citizen she
able to vote as a non citizen she
able to vote as a non citizen she later told a family member it was just
later told a family member it was just
later told a family member it was just something that had to be done she
something that had to be done she
something that had to be done she married an Italian at 19 and he
married an Italian at 19 and he
married an Italian at 19 and he naturalized four years later just after
naturalized four years later just after
naturalized four years later just after the laws had changed that would have
the laws had changed that would have
the laws had changed that would have made Fanny an automatic citizen – she
made Fanny an automatic citizen – she
made Fanny an automatic citizen – she was widowed in 1940 as World War two
was widowed in 1940 as World War two
was widowed in 1940 as World War two loomed she started the process to
loomed she started the process to
loomed she started the process to naturalize herself but not soon enough
naturalize herself but not soon enough
naturalize herself but not soon enough once war broke out Fanny was labeled an
once war broke out Fanny was labeled an
once war broke out Fanny was labeled an enemy alien she had to surrender radios
enemy alien she had to surrender radios
enemy alien she had to surrender radios and cameras carry special identification
and cameras carry special identification
and cameras carry special identification at all times register with the
at all times register with the
at all times register with the government
Fanny finally became a citizen in
Fanny finally became a citizen in December 1943 after Italy’s surrender
December 1943 after Italy’s surrender
December 1943 after Italy’s surrender and after answering lengthy questions
and after answering lengthy questions
and after answering lengthy questions about her support of the war effort
about her support of the war effort
about her support of the war effort about where her true sentiments lie this
about where her true sentiments lie this
about where her true sentiments lie this was a woman who likely had no memory of
was a woman who likely had no memory of
was a woman who likely had no memory of her home country she was treated like a
her home country she was treated like a
her home country she was treated like a criminal
criminal
criminal simply because of where she was born she
simply because of where she was born she
simply because of where she was born she was treated like a criminal
was treated like a criminal
was treated like a criminal simply because of where she was born
simply because of where she was born
simply because of where she was born this enemy alien was my
this enemy alien was my
this enemy alien was my great-grandmother when I learned this
great-grandmother when I learned this
great-grandmother when I learned this story I was really astounded she was
story I was really astounded she was
story I was really astounded she was always just grandma Fanny she never gave
always just grandma Fanny she never gave
always just grandma Fanny she never gave any hints to the adversity she faced and
any hints to the adversity she faced and
any hints to the adversity she faced and she was always so grateful to the
she was always so grateful to the
she was always so grateful to the country she called home if she could
country she called home if she could
country she called home if she could persevere in the face of all that we
persevere in the face of all that we
persevere in the face of all that we always joked she lived to ninety six
always joked she lived to ninety six
always joked she lived to ninety six because she was widowed young and didn’t
because she was widowed young and didn’t
because she was widowed young and didn’t have a man to bother her it was likely
have a man to bother her it was likely
have a man to bother her it was likely the result of a thick skin and a strong
the result of a thick skin and a strong
the result of a thick skin and a strong work ethic both of which she perfected
work ethic both of which she perfected
work ethic both of which she perfected involuntarily knowing that’s my stock is
involuntarily knowing that’s my stock is
involuntarily knowing that’s my stock is humbling to think of her and the dozens
humbling to think of her and the dozens
humbling to think of her and the dozens of other ancestors I have who got on a
of other ancestors I have who got on a
of other ancestors I have who got on a boat and left behind everything they
boat and left behind everything they
boat and left behind everything they knew to create better lives for
knew to create better lives for
knew to create better lives for themselves
themselves
themselves children gives me pride and courage and
children gives me pride and courage and
children gives me pride and courage and it connects me to all of the people that
it connects me to all of the people that
it connects me to all of the people that do the same today decades centuries may
do the same today decades centuries may
do the same today decades centuries may separate their journeys but the hope for
separate their journeys but the hope for
separate their journeys but the hope for a better life knows no era many fled
a better life knows no era many fled
a better life knows no era many fled persecution at home just to pave the
persecution at home just to pave the
persecution at home just to pave the streets here they were already meant to
streets here they were already meant to
streets here they were already meant to be golden research conducted through
be golden research conducted through
be golden research conducted through Emory University shows that children who
Emory University shows that children who
Emory University shows that children who know stories of their family are more
know stories of their family are more
know stories of their family are more resilient have higher self-esteem and
resilient have higher self-esteem and
resilient have higher self-esteem and feel they have more control over their
feel they have more control over their
feel they have more control over their lives
lives
lives dr. Marshall Duke and dr. Robin five-ish
dr. Marshall Duke and dr. Robin five-ish
dr. Marshall Duke and dr. Robin five-ish say that family knowledge can lead to a
say that family knowledge can lead to a
say that family knowledge can lead to a robust intergenerational self when one
robust intergenerational self when one
robust intergenerational self when one feels connected to something bigger than
feels connected to something bigger than
feels connected to something bigger than themselves
themselves
themselves this is strongest when a child knows a
this is strongest when a child knows a
this is strongest when a child knows a mix of family stories the good and the
mix of family stories the good and the
mix of family stories the good and the bad with family as the constant it’s not
bad with family as the constant it’s not
bad with family as the constant it’s not just immigrants whose stories ring true
just immigrants whose stories ring true
just immigrants whose stories ring true today along the way you find stories of
today along the way you find stories of
today along the way you find stories of life in the Jim Crow South which for
life in the Jim Crow South which for
life in the Jim Crow South which for some is still a reality you find a widow
some is still a reality you find a widow
some is still a reality you find a widow left with small children who ends up in
left with small children who ends up in
left with small children who ends up in the poorhouse at the mercy of government
the poorhouse at the mercy of government
the poorhouse at the mercy of government assistance you find that grandpas
assistance you find that grandpas
assistance you find that grandpas cherished mother was an unwed single
cherished mother was an unwed single
cherished mother was an unwed single parent cast aside not only by her family
parent cast aside not only by her family
parent cast aside not only by her family but by her entire congregation or Uncle
but by her entire congregation or Uncle
but by her entire congregation or Uncle Ben you realize maybe he and his dear
Ben you realize maybe he and his dear
Ben you realize maybe he and his dear friend weren’t actually bachelors after
friend weren’t actually bachelors after
friend weren’t actually bachelors after all when we place ourselves there with
all when we place ourselves there with
all when we place ourselves there with our ancestors in those moments we live
our ancestors in those moments we live
our ancestors in those moments we live those struggles and joys with them we
those struggles and joys with them we
those struggles and joys with them we understand them better and we understand
understand them better and we understand
understand them better and we understand ourselves better the stories connect us
ourselves better the stories connect us
ourselves better the stories connect us across the generations and just maybe
across the generations and just maybe
across the generations and just maybe they challenge our perceptions of what
they challenge our perceptions of what
they challenge our perceptions of what we think we know all unwed mothers MA
we think we know all unwed mothers MA
we think we know all unwed mothers MA to be immoral sinners right but what
to be immoral sinners right but what
to be immoral sinners right but what about great-grandma Tilly
about great-grandma Tilly
about great-grandma Tilly gay people don’t deserve equal rights
gay people don’t deserve equal rights
gay people don’t deserve equal rights but Uncle Ben and his friend if we let
but Uncle Ben and his friend if we let
but Uncle Ben and his friend if we let it the other becomes our family they
it the other becomes our family they
it the other becomes our family they become us these people we uncover along
become us these people we uncover along
become us these people we uncover along the way quite literally make us who we
the way quite literally make us who we
the way quite literally make us who we are
are
are my father is 100% southern Italian but
my father is 100% southern Italian but
my father is 100% southern Italian but his DNA also includes North African
his DNA also includes North African
his DNA also includes North African Middle Eastern Caucasus and European
Middle Eastern Caucasus and European
Middle Eastern Caucasus and European Jewish well I may never be able to find
Jewish well I may never be able to find
Jewish well I may never be able to find the paper records that take me back to
the paper records that take me back to
the paper records that take me back to those non Italian ancestors remnants of
those non Italian ancestors remnants of
those non Italian ancestors remnants of them remain in the blood that runs
them remain in the blood that runs
them remain in the blood that runs through my veins this gives new
through my veins this gives new
through my veins this gives new perspective
perspective
perspective Syrians Iraqis and Yemeni are not just
Syrians Iraqis and Yemeni are not just
Syrians Iraqis and Yemeni are not just casualties of war on the news they are
casualties of war on the news they are
casualties of war on the news they are my cousin’s DNA shows us we are more
my cousin’s DNA shows us we are more
my cousin’s DNA shows us we are more alike than we are different it shatters
alike than we are different it shatters
alike than we are different it shatters the idea of a pure race even when we
the idea of a pure race even when we
the idea of a pure race even when we think we are only from one place we are
think we are only from one place we are
think we are only from one place we are actually of many places in the American
actually of many places in the American
actually of many places in the American South case after case exists where
South case after case exists where
South case after case exists where descendants of slaves hold close to one
descendants of slaves hold close to one
descendants of slaves hold close to one quarter European DNA and descendants of
quarter European DNA and descendants of
quarter European DNA and descendants of slaveholders also frequently have
slaveholders also frequently have
slaveholders also frequently have African DNA we often want to divorce
African DNA we often want to divorce
African DNA we often want to divorce ourselves from this history but a climb
ourselves from this history but a climb
ourselves from this history but a climb up the family tree pits you and history
up the family tree pits you and history
up the family tree pits you and history face to face do you fight that battle
face to face do you fight that battle
face to face do you fight that battle against your own past or do you learn
against your own past or do you learn
against your own past or do you learn from it of course this research is not
from it of course this research is not
from it of course this research is not always easy to stomach or to conduct
always easy to stomach or to conduct
always easy to stomach or to conduct tracing slaves is notoriously difficult
tracing slaves is notoriously difficult
tracing slaves is notoriously difficult every country of origin will be
every country of origin will be
every country of origin will be different in terms of what records are
different in terms of what records are
different in terms of what records are available but stories of perseverance
available but stories of perseverance
available but stories of perseverance and strength and hard times can be found
and strength and hard times can be found
and strength and hard times can be found in every generation in just six
in every generation in just six
in every generation in just six generations roughly 105
generations roughly 105
generations roughly 105 two years you are directly descended
two years you are directly descended
two years you are directly descended from 128 people that is a lot of stories
from 128 people that is a lot of stories
from 128 people that is a lot of stories our ancestors may not have made the
our ancestors may not have made the
our ancestors may not have made the history books but they wrote the history
history books but they wrote the history
history books but they wrote the history and the story of us knowing our
and the story of us knowing our
and the story of us knowing our genealogy connects us to the ground
genealogy connects us to the ground
genealogy connects us to the ground beneath our feet if we disregard these
beneath our feet if we disregard these
beneath our feet if we disregard these roots we lose the very foundation we are
roots we lose the very foundation we are
roots we lose the very foundation we are built upon our ancestors can awaken
built upon our ancestors can awaken
built upon our ancestors can awaken within us a new understanding of the
within us a new understanding of the
within us a new understanding of the world we live in we once were them and
world we live in we once were them and
world we live in we once were them and in no small part still are our ancestors
in no small part still are our ancestors
in no small part still are our ancestors have a lot to tell us and a lot to teach
have a lot to tell us and a lot to teach
have a lot to tell us and a lot to teach us let’s listen thank you
”
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