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Author Pam Bailey’s Ancestry Search Led to First Time Reunion with Close Family in South Florida

THE WESTSIDE GAZETTE — America’s dark tragic past with African Americans through slavery, reconstruction and Jim Crow laws led to many families being forcibly torn apart with very little chances of reconciliation. That forced separation by a racist system set on destroying any form of family for Black Americans has caused many people to wonder where their families actually come from.

Published

6 years ago

August 30, 2019

Oakland Post

Bailey found several members of the Miami Green family were DNA matches to her. Dr. Green was unaware of any SC ancestral connection. Bailey’s family, who shares biological connection to the Florida Greens and Lawrences, were enslaved in Clarendon County, South

By Janey Tate

MIAMI, FL — America’s dark tragic past with African Americans through slavery, reconstruction and Jim Crow laws led to many families being forcibly torn apart with very little chances of reconciliation. That forced separation by a racist system set on destroying any form of family for Black Americans has caused many people to wonder where their families actually come from.

This question is what caused Pamela J. Bailey, an author and adjunct professor from Dallas, to begin the complicated search to learn where her ancestors are from and where their off springs live today.

“My family was forced to migrate during the Antebellum period of the slave trade. We put a lot of focus, which is important, on the transatlantic slave trade. However, there were so many people who were American born between 1810 and 1860 that were relocated all over this country and those bonds were broken,” Bailey said.

She began researching her family on both sides ten years ago, but in 2017 started to make strong headway. She took a DNA test by Ancestry.com and used GEDmatch and Social Media to connect her family tree. After countless hours of research, Bailey was led to three of her closely related cousins here in South Florida. That led to a family reunion on August 3, 2019 in South Miami.

Her first major connection was to her cousin Phylis Lawson, who lives in Broward County. It began from Bailey randomly liking a Facebook page for a book she thought was interesting. She later found out that the woman whose book she admired from afar was in fact her long lost cousin.

Lawson is the author of a book titled “Quilt of Souls.” Bailey was intrigued that Lawson had built this story around former enslaved people who were quilting. Lawson said as a kid growing up in Alabama she would sit under the porch when it was scorching hot and listen to older people tell stories about slavery and Jim Crow.

“I thought that was fascinating so I liked her book on Facebook and we became friends. It wasn’t until two or more years later that I was in that GEDmatch DNA database, and I was sorta looking through it to see if anything looks familiar. And people would leave their email addresses and one of the email addresses was quiltofsouls@gmail.com,” Bailey said.

She knew that name matched the book she was a fan of and sparked her curiosity to ask Lawson about their possible family connection, so she messaged her on Facebook.

“I said look, I know this sounds really wild but I think we’re family. I think that your family might be connected to my family from South Carolina. And so her initial response was I don’t’ have any family from South Carolina. My family is from Alabama and have been there for generations,” said Bailey of the Facebook conversation.

She later would get multiple excited messages from Lawson in the middle of the night. Lawson told Bailey that she had done some of her own research after they spoke and discovered they were in fact related through her mother from a relative named Josh Horn. He was a former slave that was interviewed as a part of the Federal Writers Project. Bailey knew Horn was her relative and that this was in fact a true match.

The second person Bailey connected with was her cousin Dr. Carey Green, a heart specialist in Miami.

“When I reached out to Carey, there were several people in his family, including his brother and a nephew who I was connected to biologically,” said Bailey. “Carey had no idea that there were any connections to South Carolina [in his family].”

Bailey explained their connection is through her family in Clarendon County. Her Green family branch comes from here, which is her connection to Dr. Green. They discovered that they both have relatives with the name Sipio from South Carolina. Their ancestors were forcibly split apart by their slave owner Pierce Mease Butler, who held the largest sale of slaves of more than 600 people at a race track in Savannah, Georgia in 1850. That sale was called “the Weeping Time” by reporters of the time who covered the event. Part of their family was sold and sent to the El Destino Plantation in the Florida panhandle, which is where Green said his family is from.

The third connection Bailey made was to Jean Jackson and her daughter Cherria Brown. They discovered they were related through their Dewitt family members, who were owned by German slave owners of the same name who lived in Horry County, which is home to Myrtle Beach.

“The most striking thing was they look so much like parts of family in South Carolina that it just kinda took me aback. I thought they are definitely my family,” said Bailey.

Jackson and Brown had been doing their own research on their family tree, and there was a missing part of the family they couldn’t find. When they connected with Bailey they learned that missing family branch was through her grandmother, Isla Henrietta Dewitt.

All of Bailey’s family members met at Dr. Green’s medical office in South Miami on a Saturday morning this Summer. Bailey said before the meeting she was very anxious.

“I remember walking through the door and I felt myself get emotional. I walked in and it was just a lot. I was excited and on the verge of tears. They were excited too,” Bailey said. “There were lots of hugs.”

“Every single person just felt like family. They were happy to meet me. They were happy to have this history restored. They want to be known to the parts of the family that has been scattered. And so now we’re talking about ways that we can get together so we can bring these various parts of the family together because it would be my ancestors’ wildest dreams. It’s not something they could have ever imagined,” Bailey said.

Although all the families are related to Bailey on her mother or father’s side of the family, they’re not necessarily related to each other. Bailey explained that the DNA testing matches for people who are related at least 5th cousin or closer to you. Even though they are not all directly related, Bailey said they still connected and talked for hours over lunch about their lives and what each branch of the family was up to.

Pamela J. Bailey, originally from Mullins, South Carolina, is married and has two children. She moved to Dallas ten years ago and wrote a book titled “Sanctuary: Creating a Blessed Place to Live and Love.” She has taught at a private college in Dallas for the past 4 years as an adjunct professor and has her own production company called Blue Rose Media Company, where she produces content on Black Ancestry in the United States.

Bailey said her Big Family Search Project will guide her new creative projects and the type of content she shares.

“I realized this is the responsibility that I’ve been given,” said Bailey. “I can’t help but to believe that God has a way and maybe those ancestors who have gone on are doing everything they can do to help me make these connections.”

Bailey and Jean Jackson (teal shirt) are both the great granddaughters of Daniel DeWitt who was enslaved in Horry County, South Carolina. Jean and her husband have raised a family of multigenerational entrepreneurs in Florida.

This article originally appeared in The Westside Gazette.

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Michael: The King of Pop’s Story Returns to the Big Screen

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The curtain has finally lifted on one of Hollywood’s most anticipated films. Lionsgate has unveiled the official trailer and release date for “Michael,” the sweeping biopic about Michael Jackson that has been years in the making.

Published

1 week ago

November 6, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The curtain has finally lifted on one of Hollywood’s most anticipated films. Lionsgate has unveiled the official trailer and release date for “Michael,” the sweeping biopic about Michael Jackson that has been years in the making. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the film will arrive in theaters on April 24, 2026, with the singer’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, stepping into the spotlight to portray his legendary uncle.

The trailer wastes no time rekindling the aura of Jackson’s genius. Opening with a studio scene between Jackson and his longtime producer Quincy Jones, played by Kendrick Sampson, the clip builds from a quiet, familiar rhythm to the electrifying pulse of “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’.” Viewers catch glimpses of the singer’s childhood, flashes of “Thriller,” and the silhouette that redefined pop culture. Each frame reminds fans of why Jackson remains unmatched in artistry and influence. The cast surrounding the late pop king’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, reads like a who’s who of Black entertainment and music history. Colman Domingo plays Joe Jackson, Nia Long portrays Katherine Jackson, and Larenz Tate takes on the role of Motown founder Berry Gordy. Laura Harrier portrays music executive Suzanne de Passe, while Kat Graham embodies Diana Ross. Miles Teller plays attorney John Branca, a towering entertainment lawyer and longtime Jackson confidant who later became co-executor of his estate. The film’s journey to release has been as complicated as the icon it portrays. Production wrapped in 2024, but legal hurdles over depictions of past controversies forced extensive reshoots and editing delays. Even so, Fuqua’s film now appears ready to reclaim the narrative, focusing on Jackson’s creative ambition and humanity beyond tabloid noise. IndieWire reported that the film had faced “a massive legal snafu” over a disputed storyline but was retooled to center the music and legacy that defined generations.

Maven. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson

“Michael” promises more than a chronological retelling. It aims to explore how a child star from Gary, Indiana, became the world’s most influential entertainer. The script, written by Oscar-nominated John Logan, traces Jackson’s early years with the Jackson 5 through the triumphs and isolation of global superstardom. With Fuqua’s cinematic eye and producer Graham King—who brought “Bohemian Rhapsody” to life—joining forces with estate executors Branca and John McClain, the film is positioned as both a tribute and a restoration of Jackson’s cultural truth. Branca’s work behind the scenes has long shaped Jackson’s posthumous success. After the singer died in 2009, Branca and McClain took control of the estate burdened by debt and turned it into a global powerhouse worth billions. Under their stewardship, Jackson’s projects have generated more than $3 billion in worldwide ticket sales and landmark deals, including a $600 million joint venture with Sony earlier this year. At its heart, though, “Michael” is a story about artistry that transcends scandal. It offers a reminder that, despite the noise surrounding his life, Jackson’s music still bridges continents and generations. The trailer’s closing moments capture that spirit. As the beat of “Billie Jean” swells and Jaafar Jackson moonwalks into a spotlight, audiences are left with a familiar feeling—the awe of witnessing something timeless return home.

“Michael” opens worldwide in theaters April 24, 2026. See the official trailer here.

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Donald Trump Is the Biggest Loser

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The Trump Brand took a significant hit as it was swept up in the Democratic blue wave of the election last night.

Published

1 week ago

November 5, 2025

Oakland Post

By April Ryan

The Trump Brand took a significant hit as it was swept up in the Democratic blue wave of the election last night.

Chris Jones, Democratic candidate for U.S. House of Representatives (AR-02), says, “Last night was electric, and it was unquestionably a wave.” Democrats won big in what is widely considered a repudiation of Trump’s 9 months at the White House in his second term.

In the state of Virginia, which produced the first big election night win and saw the election of the first woman governor, Democrat Abigail Spanberger, 56% of Virginia’s residents disapprove of President Trump. In New Jersey, 55% of state residents disapprove of the president; in New York, 69% disapprove; and in California, 63% disapprove of the president. The Trump brand or his support for any candidates did nothing to benefit those he endorsed in this election. They actually lost in each race he publicly put his name behind. Trump endorsed former New York Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo, who lost the New York mayor’s race in his run as an independent. And New Jersey Republican Jack Ciattarelli, who ran for governor with the presidential endorsement, also lost his prospective race.

The next question is, will the democratic momentum be sustainable? Jones further explained, “This can become a 2026 tsunami, but turning a wave into a tsunami takes energy. A lot of energy. It doesn’t just happen. The conditions are there. Now we have to work!”

Some Democrats would argue that the work is already underway. The pushback against Trump’s national redistricting efforts received a thumb in the eye from California voters. Prop 50, California Governor Gavin Newsom’s counterbalance to President Trump’s redistricting efforts, passed in California last night. Although Trump’s name was not on the ballot last night, his Republican policies were. The United States has now entered the longest government shutdown in its history. Forty-two million Americans are not getting SNAP benefits. Economists are acknowledging that the government shutdown is contributing to the rise in delinquent debt in the student loan, automotive, and credit card industries. These items are among the negatives Americans are protesting against.

Compounding Trump’s political problems is a tariff battle that’s directly impacting pocketbooks. The day after the elections, the Trump administration was arguing before the US Supreme Court in favor of the president’s tariff powers. Meanwhile, President Trump‘s poll numbers are underwater, standing at a 37% national disapproval rate

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Historic Beatdown: Democrats Sweep Virginia as Speaker Don Scott and Jay Jones Make History

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — In a clear rejection of the policies of President Donald Trump, history repeated itself in Virginia.

Published

1 week ago

November 5, 2025

Oakland Post

By Lauren Burke

In a clear rejection of the policies of President Donald Trump, history repeated itself in Virginia. Democrats once again swept all three statewide offices as they did in 2017 during Trump’s first term. Abigail Spanberger easily won the office of Governor, and State Senator Ghazala Hashmi won her race over John Reid to be the next Lieutenant Governor. The victories occurred against the backdrop of a historic win in Virginia by Spanberger that will give Virginia its first woman Governor.

Spanberger’s widely predicted win over Republican gubernatorial nominee Winsome Earle-Sears was called 17 minutes after the polls closed in Virginia at 7 pm. Former Delegate Jay Jones won his race against incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares. His victory means Jones will be the first Black Attorney General in Virginia’s history. Jones’ win was particularly noteworthy since the last month of his campaign was consumed by the issue of private text messages from 2022 to Republican Delegate Carrie Coyner. Republicans ran a non-stop barrage of negative ads against Jones for a month.

Del. Coyner lost her bid for re-election to Delegate-elect Lindsey Dougherty. The Dougherty race was the number one target for House Speaker Don Scott and his campaign lieutenant, Delegate Dan Helmer. Coyner’s defeat was one of at least 13 victories for Democrats who have now added to their ranks in the Virginia House to historic margins. When the Virginia General Assembly returns to session in January, there will be at least 64 Democrats in the chamber. The widespread Republican defeat is a testament to a combination of historic fundraising, Democrats running in all 100 seats, dislike of President Trump’s policies, and an ineffective top of the ticket featuring Lt. Gov. Earle Sears.

+13: Speaker Scott and Del. Helmer Hit Historic Numbers in Fundraising and Power

As the evening ended, a glaring historic fact became clearer: The Virginia House of Delegates will expand to a historic number. The change means the largest Democratic House chamber in the modern era. There were several notable wins by Democrats running for the Virginia House. They include Virgil Thornton, Lilly Franklin, and Kim Pope Adams. Speaker Don Scott and his campaign chair, Dan Helmer, undertook a record fundraising effort never before seen in Virginia’s history. The moment of success for Virginia Democrats will be viewed as a positive signal for Democrats moving into the 2026 elections.