In this episode, genealogist Melvin Collier talks about how he became involved in researching his family's history. From the age of 4, Melvin enjoyed listening to stories about his family. By 1993, he was actively searching archives for family records. Learn about how a DNA test and a trip to Ghana resulted in a surprise transcontinental family reunion. 

Melvin has been conducting historical and genealogical research for over 25 years. He’s a former civil engineer, who later earned a Master of Arts degree in African American Studies at Clark Atlanta University, in 2008, with additional graduate coursework in Archival Studies from Clayton State University. For seven years, Melvin worked as a Library Associate/Archivist at the Robert W. Woodruff Library – Atlanta University Center. He now works for the Department of Defense in the Washington, D.C. area. Melvin has appeared on the NBC show, Who Do You Think You Are, as one of the expert genealogists on the Spike Lee episode in 2010. He has given numerous presentations on genealogy, slave ancestral research, and genetic genealogy at numerous events and conferences. Melvin is the author of three books: Mississippi to Africa: A Journey of Discovery (2008), 150 Years Later: Broken Ties Mended (2011) and Early Family Heritage: Documenting Our Legacy (2016).

Music by Sean Bempong