I woke up this morning, my body aching with the stress of this week’s work (job, getting packed and travelling, and with the today’s “Power of Blogging” workshop at the International Black Genealogy Summit. “Happy, Am I,” I thought as I lay in bed procrastinating about rising up to tackle the morning’s numerous tasks.
“Happy, Am I” was a song made famous by the Elder Lightfoot Solomon Michaux (1884-1968) beginning in the 1920s. He is remembered by my maternal grandmother and others as the “Happy, Am I,” preacher. This peppy, hand- clapping and feet-tapping, theme song opened up his radio broadcast and television show and was especially inspirational to listeners during The Great Depression in the late 1920s and early 1930s.
After getting out of bed, I watched the video below and clapped and moved to the beat in order to wake up my tired body.
All morning, I have meditated on the “Happy, Am I” and the memory of Elder Michaux. I also began making a list of some things that I am Happy about today.
“Happy, Am I”
For overcoming obstacles that occurred earlier in the week which threatened to prevent my attendance at this conference and conducting the Blogging workshop.
For the opportunity to share my knowledge of blogging with attendees of the conference.
For being in the company, for a few days, of enthusiastic and “OVERLY HAPPY” genealogists.
And most of all, that by 2:00 p.m. today, I can exhale when my presentation is over and enjoy the remainder of the conference.
Many genealogists experience the “Genealogy Happy Dance” after finding something special on their ancestor. I have experienced this on several occasions. My first Happy Dance experience came early on in my research sometime after 1994, when I received a picture of my great-grandmother Luvenia Jeffress Bullock (1864-1951). I was talking to my mother’s brother about information I had found on Grandma Ven. “I sure wish I had a picture of her,” I told him. I was shocked when he told me that he had a photo. He was visiting from New Jersey and promised to send me a copy when he returned home. Uncle John kept his promise and it was a “Happy Dance” day when I received a copy of the photo in the mail.
Another “Genealogy Happy Dance” experience occurred one day when I was in the Register of Deeds office in Vance County, NC looking birth certificates where Grandma Ven was named as midwife. During this visit, I found numerous birth certificates where she was named as midwife. As I looked through the 1936 book of birth certificates, I came across the document below which was in front of one of the stillbirth certificates. After reading it, I realized that this was a statement from my ancestor Luvenia. I wanted to scream and holler with joy, but held back since I was in a public place.
At this deeds office, copies had to be made by the staff. “This is a statement from my ancestor,” I exclaimed to the staff person as she made a photocopy of this document. My face was lit up with a smile from ear to ear and I felt that I had to tell somebody the good news. The staff person didn’t share my excitement and I don’t think she even responded to my statement. Nevertheless, I didn’t let this spoil my “Genealogy Happy Dance” feeling and spent the remainder of my time at the deeds office full of joy.
Dancing is an act for showing pleasure and joy. Happy dance styles vary depending on personal style, taste, and culture. It doesn’t matter if your “Genealogy Happy Dance” is a twist, a river dance or holy dance. What matters is that all genealogists experience this pleasure from time to time.
