I originally created this website to share my family history and resources that would be helpful to people researching their family history in Caroline County, Virginia.
While researching my family history in Caroline County, Virginia, I noticed a dearth of information about people's experiences in the communities where my ancestors lived. I decided to take an active role in preserving local history. The focus of my website shifted from my family history to local history.
In 2010, I initiated the Union High History Project to preserve the history of Union High School, Caroline County, Virginia's only high school for blacks during the era of segregation.The output from the project was a self-published book titled Memories of Union High: An Oasis in Caroline County, Virginia, 1903-1969.
Tuskegee Institute Commerce Class 1929
I received recognition and several awards for my efforts to preserve local history. But the most moving responses were the heartfelt thanks I received from the people in Caroline County, Virginia. They were very appreciative I had preserved the history of an important institution in their community.
After that experience, I was on a mission to encourage ordinary people to take an active role in preserving the history of the communities where they had an affiliation. I spokeat genealogy workshops and conferences to share my experience with the Union High History Project and the importance of preserving local history. I also created a blog, Discovering Yesterday, to provide research tips and tools and local history.
I hope this website educates and inspires you to take an active role in preserving local history.
Woodfork Genealogy LLC provides personal historian services to assist ordinary people preserve community history by telling their stories.
Joyce Garrett, a retired District of Columbia Public School music teacher and choir director, is collaborating with Woodfork Genealogy LLC to write her memoir.
Memories of Union High An Oasis in Caroline County, Virginia 1903-1969 Finalist in the African American Non-Fiction category of the 2012 National Indie Excellence Book Awards and 2012 USA Best Book Awards
Joyce Garrett - Photography by Lois Kebe
District of Columbia Fire Department
I am currently researching the experiences of black firemen in the District of Columbia Fire Department during the 1950s and 1960s. Please contact meif you have information you would like to share.
