Tim Pinnick: Someone You Should Know

Years ago, Harry Porterfield, a local Chicago reporter used to have a segment on the afternoon news entitled "Someone You Should Know." Tim Pinnick, genealogist, lecturer, and author, is one of those people.

Last year, while at the International Black Genealogy Summit, in Fort Wayne, I bought his book based on the glowing feedback about his two-part presentation: Finding and Using African American Newspapers. Being from the Chicagoland area, I immediately honed in on the Chicago Defender, which in its' heyday was delivered by Pullman Porters and had local correspondents across the country.

As a result of exploring newspaper research, I found 1200+ columns referencing residents of Starkville or near Starkville: not Starkville, Colorado; not Starkville, Georgia; not Starkville, New York; but, Starkville, Mississippi! In fact, earlier this year, based on my findings, I gave two presentations at the first annual STL-AAHGS genealogical conference entitled Putting Meat on the Bones of Your Ancestors Lives with Newspaper Articles: The Highs of Oktibbeha County, Mississippi.

Thanks to Tim, my genealogical research has a whole new focus. Want to know more African American newpaper research? Check out Tim's new class at familytreeUniversity. Moreover, thank you B.J. Smothers for sharing your many 2010 FGS Conference interviews. Be sure to watch all of them and visit AfriGeneas.

Question?  Comment?  Email me!