A Mind To Stay- Sydney Nathans, Michael Williams, Theresa Williams, Angela Peay

Panelist will discuss A Mind to Stay - White Plantations - Black Homeland. This story researched and written by Sydney Nathans begins in 1844, when North Carolina planter Paul Cameron bought 1,600 acres near Greensboro, Alabama and sent out 114 enslaved people to cultivate cotton and enlarge his fortune.

Syd Nathans is a historian and author of "A Mind to Stay," which tells the story of a white plantation that became a black homeland to formerly enslaved people. Based on decades of oral interviews with descendants, the book illuminates how African Americans got land and why successive generations fought to hold it for 150 years.

Angela Peay is a Stagville descendant. Angela’s genealogy quest has traced her direct maternal ancestry to Durham, North Carolina’s State Historic Stagville Plantation Site. Her maternal great grandmother was born in 1863 which was right at the cusp of slavery’s end.  She is pending lineage results from Ancestory.com. She currently works in the Pharma/Biotech field.

Michael Williams is an eight generation Stagville Descendant.  Since Michael’s 1996 Adoption Search &  Reunion journey he has traced his direct maternal ancestry to Durham, North Carolina’s State Historic Stagville Plantation Site.  Michael currently works in Healthcare and he is a genetic genealogy coach and presenter with Sankofa Genealogy Tech Seminars.

Theresa Williams-Stoudamire is a retired healthcare administrator.  Her undergraduate degree is in history. Upon retirement, she decided to explore her family roots.  All four of her familial lines relocated to NYC during the Great Migration from the South. Her paternal lines both hailed from North Carolina. As she delved into her Durham family's past she discovered that her great grandparents were enslaved on Stagville plantation.