When Your Ancestors Choose You: Finding Binky with Michael A. Willis

Enslaved on the Trail of Tears with Terry J. Ligon

Ancestor's Footprints is featuring author Terry J. Ligon’s groundbreaking book "Enslaved on the Trail of Tears: Race, Removal, and the Transformation of Indian Territory." His research challenges common oversimplifications about the Trail of Tears by revealing that thousands of enslaved African-descended people were forcibly removed alongside the so-called Five Civilized Tribes, with many being named through his genealogical research using documents like Dawes Commission records, census data, and muster rolls.   Terry J. Ligon is a founding member of the African American Genealogical Society of Northern California and the Choctaw Chickasaw Freedmen Association. For decades, he has dedicated his work to researching and preserving the history of the Choctaw and Chickasaw Freedmen and illuminating the lives of formerly enslaved people in Indian Territory. His passion for genealogy began in 1987 when his father entrusted him with family photographs, letters, and documents that opened the door to a deeper understanding of their family history. That journey led Terry to become a respected genealogist, lecturer, and researcher whose work has helped countless people reconnect with their own ancestral stories. Terry’s research into his own ancestor, Bettie Love-Ligon, uncovered a remarkable legal and historical story that eventually reached the United States Supreme Court in the case known as “Equity Case 7071.” His scholarship continues to bridge genealogy, history, law, and memory in ways that challenge long-held assumptions about race, citizenship, belonging, and identity in Native and African American history. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ancestor-s-footprints-with-bernice-alexander-bennett--6436157/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ancestor-s-footprints-with-bernice-alexander-bennett--6436157/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss]. You can find Ancestor’s Footprints on Spreaker.com, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, Amazon Music, and many other platforms. Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

The Choctaw Freedmen of Skullyville with Angela Walton-Raji

The Choctaw Freedmen of Skullyville - Uncovering an Oklahoma Ghost Town This episode will explore the  story of Skullyville a once-thriving capital of the Choctaw Nation that faded into obscurity. Unlike the freedmen communities in Spiro, Fort Coffee, and Poteau, the town of Skullyville eventually became a ghost town. Historical accounts documented aspects of life there, yet often omitted the stories of those who arrived in the 1830s along the Trail of Tears, enslaved people of African descent who endured displacement alongside their Choctaw enslavers. Joining Ancestor's Footprints is Angela Walton-Raji, a nationally recognized genealogist and historian specializing in Freedmen of the Five Tribes, author of Black Indian Genealogy Research, and host of The Freedmen Files. She is also a renowned author of several books including Black Indian Genealogy Research, the first book of its kind focusing on the unique record set reflecting the Indian Freedmen found within the Dawes Records from eastern Oklahoma. Since the publication of that first book - Angela has continued to publish other books including “Freedmen of the Frontier” Volumes 1 and 2, released in 2019, and 2020 respectively, present family profiles of Freedmen from all of the Five Tribes. “Oklahoma Freedmen of the Five Tribes” is a compilation of Freedmen family stories told by the descendants from all of the former slave-holding tribes and her latest Book - The Choctaw Freedmen of Skullyville - Uncovering an Oklahoma Ghost Town. Angela’s decades of research and advocacy have helped bring national attention to the history and rights of Freedmen descendants. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ancestor-s-footprints-with-bernice-alexander-bennett--6436157/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ancestor-s-footprints-with-bernice-alexander-bennett--6436157/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss]. You can find Ancestor’s Footprints on Spreaker.com, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, Amazon Music, and many other platforms. Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Behind the Gavel- Lessons from Chief Justice Bernette J. Johnson and KaTrina Chantelle Griffin

Today's episode features a new book: Behind the Gavel: Lessons from Chief Justice Bernette J. Johnson. This book is  co-authored by Chief Justice Bernette J. Johnson and the Honorable KaTrina Chantele Griffin.” “This inspiring book introduces young readers to the life lessons, values, and experiences that shaped one of the nation’s groundbreaking legal minds.”  The Honorable KaTrina Chantelle Griffin currently serves as the Orleans Parish School Board Member for District 4 and is widely recognized for her passionate advocacy for children, families and public education. KaTrina is the author of Behind the Gavel: Lessons from Chief Justice Bernette Joshua Johnson, a book inspired by the life and legacy of the FIRST African American woman to serve as Chief Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court.  A respected business professional and community leader, KaTrina is committed to preserving stories that inspire future generations and empower young people to create lasting impact in their communities.  “Chief Justice Bernette Joshua Johnson made history as the first African American Chief Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court, serving with distinction and integrity. Born during segregation and determined to make a difference, she attended Spelman College on scholarship before becoming one of the first African American women to attend the Louisiana State University Law Center. Her career was grounded in civil rights, advocacy, and service to communities often overlooked and underserved. From working with the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund during the Civil Rights Movement to becoming Chief Justice of Louisiana’s highest court, her journey teaches us that leadership is not about power alone — it is about responsibility, compassion, and courage.” Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ancestor-s-footprints-with-bernice-alexander-bennett--6436157/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ancestor-s-footprints-with-bernice-alexander-bennett--6436157/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss]. You can find Ancestor’s Footprints on Spreaker.com, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, Amazon Music, and many other platforms. Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Memories That Heal: How Family Stories and Photos Can Support Healthy Aging with Rick Voight

This episode will focus on Memories That Heal: How Family Stories and Photos can support Healthy Aging. What if the photographs tucked away in your attic or family albums could actually improve brain health, strengthen relationships, and help people age with greater purpose and connection? Today’s guest is Rick Voight, CEO and Co-Founder of Vivid-Pix and publisher of Reunions Magazine. Rick is a lifelong innovator in photography, storytelling, and memory preservation. Raised in Rochester, New York — the historic home of Kodak — Rick developed an early appreciation for the power of photographs and memories. His passion centers on the emotional, social, and health benefits of reminiscing and storytelling — especially for older adults. Research increasingly shows that viewing photographs, sharing family stories, and engaging in family history activities can reduce loneliness, improve communication, strengthen intergenerational bonds, and support cognitive and emotional well-being. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ancestor-s-footprints-with-bernice-alexander-bennett--6436157/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ancestor-s-footprints-with-bernice-alexander-bennett--6436157/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss]. You can find Ancestor’s Footprints on Spreaker.com, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, Amazon Music, and many other platforms. Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Freedom in the Age of Slavery: A History of Free People of Color in Virginia with Warren Eugene Milteer Jr.

Today's episode features a conversation between host Bernice Alexander-Bennett and Dr. Warren Eugene Milteer Jr., an associate professor of history at George Washington University, about his book "Freedom in the Age of Slavery: A History of Free People of Color in Virginia." Dr. Milteer discussed his motivation for writing the book, which filled a gap in the historical record since the last full-length exploration of free people of color in Virginia was written in the early 20th century. He also shares insights about the challenges of researching this topic, including records loss and limited access to the voices of free people of color themselves. Milteer recounts in granular detail the discriminatory policies and resulting hardships that free Virginians of color faced, while also documenting the openings they created for themselves and the successes they enjoyed against overwhelming odds. Throughout, he highlights the commonwealth’s significance as the laboratory for legal discrimination throughout the nation, while never losing sight of the ways free people of color seized their opportunities wherever possible and built meaningful lives in the face of massive white resistance. Warren Eugene Milteer, Jr. is an associate professor of history at the George Washington University. He received his Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2014. His publications include four academic books, Out of This Strife Will Come Freedom: Free People of Color and the Fight for Equal Rights in the Civil War Era (UNC Press, 2026), Freedom in the Age of Slavery: A History of Free People of Color in Virginia (UVA Press, 2026), Beyond Slavery’s Shadow: Free People of Color in the South (UNC Press, 2021), and North Carolina’s Free People of Color, 1715-1885 (LSU Press, 2020), the independently published Hertford County, North Carolina’s Free People of Color and Their Descendants (2016), as well as articles in the Journal of Social History and the North Carolina Historical Review. Milteer was the recipient of the Southern Historical Association’s Charles S. Sydnor Award for the best book in Southern history in 2022, the North Carolina Literary and Historical Association’s Ragan Old North State Award for nonfiction in 2022, and the Historical Society of North Carolina’s R. D. W. Connor Award in 2014 and 2016 for the best journal article in the North Carolina Historical Review. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ancestor-s-footprints-with-bernice-alexander-bennett--6436157/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ancestor-s-footprints-with-bernice-alexander-bennett--6436157/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss]. You can find Ancestor’s Footprints on Spreaker.com, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, Amazon Music, and many other platforms. Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode.