African American Genealogy Group
The African American Genealogy Group of Charlottesville and Albemarle County, co-founded by Julian Burke and Caruso Brown, first met in 1995 and is now the Burke Brown Steppe Chapter of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society.
The Chapter mission is to encourage members of the Chapter and the community to work on stories of their immediate and extended families. Since 1996 the group has presented exhibits which celebrate our heritage and helps encourage people to recall family and friends. These exhibits are displayed at the annual African-American Cultural Arts Festival, at libraries, schools, community centers, and other gathering places. In addition, copies of some of the group's research efforts have been placed in a section of the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society collection. The group actively researches and displays the heritage of African Americans in the community. As in this work on the J.F. Bell Funeral Home records, the group also assists with other projects that add to community understanding.
The group meets on the third Saturday of the month, 12:00 noon - 2:00pm at The Jefferson School African American Heritage Center.