The Descendants Project, launched in 2020 with a grant from the African American History Commission in Washington, D.C., has been working tirelessly to digitize historical documents at the Levi Jordan and Varner-Hogg historical sites. The initiative aims to create a comprehensive digital archive of family histories, photographs, artifacts, and oral histories.
Site leaders are inviting the public to contribute to the collection this weekend. “We’re working to involve people in bringing their photographs, artifacts, or oral histories and we’ll scan and record those findings and give them back on a flash drive,” said educator Allie Vanderhider Cuthebert.
The project will be open multiple times, with slots available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday at the Levi Jordan Plantation State Historic Site. Individuals can request and save their time slot at visiblejourney.org.
The project’s goal is to create high-quality scans and preserve family histories for future generations. “We’re all working together to create these quality scans and to just keep record of what’s important to them in their family history,” Cuthebert explained. Whether it’s diaries, photographs, or oral stories, the staff at Levi Jordan are prepared to document and preserve these valuable historical resources.
The initiative is particularly important for preserving the history of families connected to the historic sites. By sharing their stories and artifacts, individuals can help enrich the historical narrative and ensure that their family’s legacy is preserved for years to come.
“I think it’s really important for people to have the tools and resources to preserve their own history,” Cuthebert said. The better equipped individuals are to tell their own history, the better their history is going to be shared with future generations.
