I don't know what I expected, but I don't know if I was prepared [for the result]. It showed that I'm actually related to a woman I've been writing a… - Deborah Berry

We all have a story, and especially as African Americans, we've contributed much to the making of America. In some way — whether your great grandmother was enslaved in South Carolina, whether your grandfather was a sharecropper — all of them have played a role in what America is today.

I'm still kind of overwhelmed by just the whole story. Even looking through the census records I felt some kind of sadness that I could only go so far. Even when I tried to go back further, all I could find was records that said 'free colored' or 'slaves.' There were no names attached to those people, so we weren't even counted.

So, if you have time, and you have the passion, then take the time to go find out more about your family.