In this third episode of Series Four, host Andrew Martin meets with historian, author, TEDx speaker, and family historian, Shaquan McDowell to find out how he got hooked on researching his family, his adventures with DNA, and how he got involved in the New York Times' 1619 Project.

Life Story - Elizabeth Scott
Shaquan has chosen to tell the story of his 5x Great Grandmother, Elizabeth Scott - a Free Person of Colour born in 1810 in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Whilst her country was going through significant changes, Elizabeth managed to navigate them whilst holding together her household, as the head, and as the mother.

Life was hard, but her connections to the community around her enabled her to cross the colour line repeatedly. She managed to break through and provide for her children and grandchildren.

Despite dying in 1883, Elizabeth's influence continues down today, even inspiring Shaquan to become an author of his E. L. Moran series.

The Brick Wall - Wiley Fuller
It's Shaquan's 4x Great Grandfather, Wiley Fuller that is giving him a headache in the archives.

It is known what happens to Wiley from the 1870 US Census onwards, but it's a mystery what happens before this date. DNA analysis by Shaquan has hinted that his father was an Enoch Fuller, but documentary evidence remains elusive. Can you help?

If you think that you can help Shaquan with a research idea or a clue, then you can contact him via his email address (given in the episode), or via his twitter account (@S_C_McD). Alternatively, you can send him a message via our contact form.

In the meantime, Andrew offers Shaquan some help with his brick wall, but he's not entirely convinced that it's safe...

- - -
Episode Credits:
Series Four, Episode Three:

• Andrew Martin - Host and Producer
• Shaquan McDowell - Guest

Show notes and more at familyhistoriespodcast.com

Support the show

Thank you for listening!
You can sign up to our email newsletter for the latest and behind the scenes news.

You can find us on Twitter @FamilyHistPod, Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky.
If you liked this episode please subscribe for free, or leave a rating or review, or consider giving us a 'tip' to keep the show funded.