Ancestor's Footprints with Bernice Alexander Bennett cover art

Ancestor's Footprints with Bernice Alexander Bennett

Ancestor's Footprints with Bernice Alexander Bennett

Written by: Bernice Alexander Bennett
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About this listen

 Welcome to Ancestor's Footprints—the podcast where the past comes alive! Whether you're a curious beginner, an avid genealogist, or someone who believes that uncovering family history is a lifelong journey, this show is for you. With each episode, we'll bring you incredible stories, expert insights, and practical tips to help you trace your roots and connect with your heritage. I’ve lined up passionate experts who will not only share their knowledge and resources but also answer your most pressing genealogy questions. Together, we’ll uncover the hidden gems in your family’s history and inspire you to take the next step in your journey. So, get ready to explore, discover, and honor the footprints your ancestors left behind. Your story starts here.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ancestor-s-footprints-with-bernice-alexander-bennett--6436157/support.Copyright Bernice Alexander Bennett Art Social Sciences World
Episodes
  • 1776: The Forgotten Fight for Freedom with Andrew Lawler

    1776: The Forgotten Fight for Freedom with Andrew Lawler
    Apr 22 2026
    This episode featuring author Andrew Lawler will explore a lesser-known chapter of American history where enslaved people aligned with the British crown during the American Revolution.
    At the start of the American Revolution, Black men took up arms to achieve freedom--by fighting for King George III. Hear how the people owned by patriots nearly squelched the Revolution in its cradle.

    Andrew Lawler is a journalist who has written for The New York Times, The Atlantic, National Geographic, Smithsonian, and many other publications. His latest book--which the Times calls "absorbing"--is A Perfect Frenzy: A Royal Governor, His Black Allies, and the Crisis that Spurred the American Revolution. For more, see www.andrewlawler.com

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ancestor-s-footprints-with-bernice-alexander-bennett--6436157/support.

    You can find Ancestor’s Footprints on Spreaker.com, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, Amazon Music, and many other platforms. Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode.
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    24 mins
  • When Your Ancestors Choose You: Finding Binky with Michael A. Willis

    When Your Ancestors Choose You: Finding Binky with Michael A. Willis
    Apr 15 2026
    When Your Ancestors Choose You- Finding Binky

    This episode will explore what it means to carry the memory of your ancestors, the challenges of researching enslaved families, the emotional weight of the records, and the moment when genealogy becomes more than research, when it becomes a calling.

    Michael A. Willis is an award-winning author, speaker, consultant, blogger, and instructor with more than twenty-five years of experience as a genealogist. He specializes in Louisiana research, particularly in East Baton Rouge, East and West Feliciana, Orleans, and Terrebonne Parishes. In October 2025, Michael received the International Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society Book Award for Finding Binkey, a work that documents his search for his fifth great-grandmother through oral history, documentary evidence, and DNA, while also teaching valuable lessons for those researching African American families.

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ancestor-s-footprints-with-bernice-alexander-bennett--6436157/support.

    You can find Ancestor’s Footprints on Spreaker.com, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, Amazon Music, and many other platforms. Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode.
    Show More Show Less
    43 mins
  • Celia: Justice After Death with Adriene Holder, Esq., and Pamela Westbrooks-Hodge

    Celia: Justice After Death with Adriene Holder, Esq., and Pamela Westbrooks-Hodge
    Apr 1 2026
    This episode Celia: Justice After Death, explores the life and legacy of Celia, an enslaved, pregnant teenager and mother in pre–Civil War Missouri who resisted sexual exploitation and was executed in 1855 after defending herself against her enslaver. Her case exposes the stark injustice embedded in Missouri’s antebellum legal system—a system that denied enslaved women legal protection from sexual violence while simultaneously holding them fully accountable under the law. Through the voices of Celia’s descendants, this conversation connects Celia’s lived experience to her 2024 gubernatorial pardon and to ongoing family-led efforts through the Celia Newsom Legacy Foundation to advance truth-telling, reconciliation, and awareness of modern human trafficking. Celia’s story is not only history—it is an enduring call to justice.

    Adriene Holder is the third great-granddaughter of Celia and Robert Newsom and a Board Member of the Celia Newsom Legacy Foundation, where she co-chairs the Family Heritage Committee and helps lead descendant-driven efforts to preserve Celia’s legacy through genealogy, oral history, and historical documentation. Through her legal advocacy and descendant leadership, Adriene is committed to advancing justice, preserving historical truth, and ensuring that Celia’s legacy continues to inform efforts to confront inequity and uphold human dignity today.

    Pamela Westbrooks-Hodge is the second great-granddaughter of Celia and Robert Newsom and the founding President of the Celia Newsom Legacy Foundation. She leads descendant-driven efforts to preserve Celia’s legacy and advance education, reconciliation, and justice. Pamela is deeply committed to connecting historical truth with present-day systems change, ensuring that stories like Celia’s inform a more just and equitable future.

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ancestor-s-footprints-with-bernice-alexander-bennett--6436157/support.

    You can find Ancestor’s Footprints on Spreaker.com, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, Amazon Music, and many other platforms. Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode.
    Show More Show Less
    51 mins
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