About Us
The Family Historians
Successful and self-assured people know who they are and where they are headed. For generations African Americans have been a lost people, stripped of our history, language, culture, traditions, ancestral names, and the contributions of our forefathers denied.
We are part of the American fabric and because of our research no one can say that we aren’t.
Our mission is to enlighten family through shared research and networking. We want our family to be aware of their strong family identity, to connect with other family decedents, to discover and be discovered by our “Missing links,” and to pass on our family history to future generations.
One day, you too will be a part of history. What legacy will you pass on to your children’s children? How will you be remembered? Sharing and documenting your stories is one way to communicate exactly who you are and your contribution to generations beyond your own.
what we do
We are family genealogists and our research is focused specifically on the Cornute family lineage. We began researching and documenting the Cornute’s ancestry in 1983 and have since traced the Cornute lineage back to 1727.
Family
Stories & Memories
In addition to documented research, a large part of our research is inspired by…
Family
History
Genealogy, also known as family history, is the study of families and the tracing of…
Publish
Research
We document our research for those interested in the Cornute’s rich family history…
Family
Trees
Genealogical data can be represented in several formats, usually as a pedigree or…
Meet
The Family Historians
Tracy L Simmons
Family Historian
As a young girl growing up and attending school in rural Ohio, Tracy was underwhelmed by the representation of African Americans in history books. African Americans…
George E Simmons
Family Historian
When George met Tracy, Tracy was running into roadblocks, as to be expected with genealogy research. She had journals filled with mostly leads and some family stories.
Note: The header and background image used on this page are from The African American Civil War Memorial & Museum in Washington DC.
Ubuntu: The Family Historians Overarching Principle
“I Am Because We Are”
HONORING THE PAST—IMPACTING THE PRESENT—SHAPING THE FUTURE
Ubuntu (pronounced Ooh-BOON-too)
Ubuntu: I Am Because We Are is a South African ethic or philosophy focusing on people’s allegiances and relations with each other.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu offered: A person with Ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel threatened that others are able and good, for he or she has a proper self-assurance that comes from knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole. Ubuntu speaks particularly about the fact that you can’t exist as a human being in isolation. It speaks about our interconnectedness. You can’t be human all by yourself, and when you have this quality—Ubuntu—you are known for your generosity.
We think of ourselves far too frequently as just individuals, separated from one another, whereas you are connected and what you do affects the whole world. When you do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity.
We really cannot separate ourselves from each other. We cannot see our actions as separate from the impact on each other. John Cornutt instilled this interconnectedness into his family because he knew that it would be the key to them surviving in the future. Because of this, it’s built right into the fabric of the Cornute family.
Through conversations with our Elders and our detailed research we heard and saw the determination of John Cornutt to preserve the legacy of this family. Each of us has inherited a love of God and Family, determination to fulfill our destinies and thereby continue to shape future generations of Cornute families.