WORKSHOPS

Join Ossining Village Historian Joyce Sharrock Cole as she discusses her journey of researching her family lineage despite her surname not being her family name and how that impacted her genealogical research. She will provide a small history of how the claiming of surnames happened for black people and how other ethnic groups that immigrated changed their names to assimilate and escape prejudice. She will give tips on how to navigate this as you do your own family research. 

Our virtual workshop will give you the tools you need, and allow you to ask Joyce your questions. Driven by her passion for genealogy and local research, Joyce is an advocate for all people to learn about their family and local history, as it fosters a better understanding of themselves and the community that has shaped them. 

Earning her BS in Organizational Management from Mercy College and certification as a Genealogical Researcher from Boston University, Joyce is a founding member and lead researcher of the Little Bertie County Genealogical Society, which facilitates the Ossining Public Library Genealogy Group.