Not Quite Roots: Finding My Immigrant Ancestors

WHEN: October 29, 2025 @ 12:00 p.m.
WHERE: East Tennessee History Center, 601 S. Gay St, Knoxville, TN 37902

Knoxville, Tennessee (October 16, 2025) – If black, it is almost impossible to find one’s immigrant ancestor – the first one to step foot in America. Dr. Harold Black will discuss his rare situation in which both of his mother’s great-grandfathers were white and one of them – a Confederate veteran – never disowned his black son, allowing him to find his immigrant ancestor who was born in Liverpool, England in 1651 and died in Accomack, VA in 1721.

About the Speaker

Harold A. Black is Emeritus Professor of Finance at the University of Tennessee. His undergraduate degree is from the University of Georgia, where its Terry College of Business has endowed a named professorship in his honor and the University has named its new freshman dormitory for him and two of the three others who integrated its freshman class in 1962. The numerous accolades and honors Dr. Black received over his distinguished career began with his appointment by President Carter to serve on the first National Credit Union Administration Board and continued through his December 2023 commencement address delivered to his granddaughter’s graduation class from the University of Georgia. He has served on the boards of two of the nation’s largest financial institutions and his consulting clients are among the leading law firms and financial institutions in the country. In September 2022, the University of Tennessee, the University of Tennessee – Chattanooga and Middle Tennessee State University sponsored the “Dr Harold A Black Academic Conference” to honor his academic research. The East Tennessee Historical Society is particularly appreciative of Dr. Black’s years of service on the Board of Directors, where his commitment to family history and genealogical research continues to influence our work.