Black Pearls of Genealogy, a program to guide individuals and families through the journey of tracing African American roots, will be the topic of a virtual meeting at 11 a.m. Saturday of the Middle Peninsula African-American Genealogical and Historical Society.

David Anthony Taylor, founder of Black Pearls of Genealogy, will speak.

The Black Pearls program is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to preserving, restoring, and honoring black family histories, a release stated. The free website platform provides access to essential records—including pre- and post-1870 census data, Freedmen’s Bureau archives, slave deeds, and church and military records—while teaching practical strategies to overcome common barriers in African American genealogy research, the release said.

A disabled veteran who served with the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, Taylor began his genealogical journey in 1997 after discovering a record for his great-grandfather, Kill Burns, a moment that sparked his lifelong commitment to restoring names and stories, the release said. He is a member of the Sons and Daughters of the United States Middle Passage and moderator of Midwest African American Genealogy Institute.

In 2025, Taylor received the James Dent Walker Award, the highest honor for excellence in African American genealogy and historical preservation given by the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society.

To receive an invitation for this virtual meeting or for more information about MPAAGHS, email mpaaghs.va@gmail.com or call 804-651-8753.