COLORADO SPRINGS — The nonprofit African American Historical and Genealogical Society of Colorado Springs spent the day celebrating its 42nd anniversary in town. The organization says that focusing on where people come from helps them know where to go in the future.
"Our ancestors are calling," said the President of the nonprofit Candice McKnight. "They want to be found, there's a story to be told on how things went down. Keeping our history alive so that we can grow, learn, teach, and pass it onto future generations".
The group splits its focus between helping people trace their family lineage and preserving the history of African Americans in Colorado Springs.
"It helps you to understand who you are, where you come from, who you're related to, and I've participated in some research of my own family, and it's really eye-opening and exciting to learn about," said local mother of two daughters Sanquenetta Russell.
With exhibits about the history of the Tuskegee Airmen, Buffalo Soldiers, black police officers, and firefighters in Colorado Springs, along with other literature about the civil rights movement. They even have the suit Mayor Yemi Mobolade, the first elected Black Mayor of Colorado Springs, wore on his inauguration day.
"I think it's important that people know we have a lot of history in Colorado Springs, a lot of people may not think we have the history that we have," said supporter Aaron Cosley.
"If you don't remember history, you will repeat history. And we're trying not to go backward, we're trying to go forward".
The nonprofit is offering free lineage tracing classes for anyone in the community who wants to learn more about where they come from in January. You can sign up by emailing aahgscs@gmail.com.
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