OAKLAND, Calif. — Some 450 people from throughout the Bay Area gathered in the Oakland Interstake Center, adjacent to the Oakland Temple, to enjoy a special program on African American family history. The Feb. 13 event was part of Temple Hill's annual Black History Month commemorations.

Among special guests were Elder William W. Parmley, Area Authority Seventy, who was the final speaker on the program, titled "Finding Your Roots," and President C. Malcolm Warner of the California Oakland Mission. The mission, along with the California African American Genealogical Society, the California Genealogical Society and the California Veterans Advocacy Corporation, sponsored the event.

In his remarks, Elder Parmley spoke about the eternal nature of families and introduced the principle of eternal marriage as performed in LDS temples, such as the Oakland Temple.

In a later interview with the Church News, Elder Parmley explained the Church's part in helping to sponsor the event: "Some of the local African Americans volunteer at the family history center here on Temple Hill — some LDS and some non-LDS. So there are close ties between the African American Genealogical Society and the family history center."

Also featured during the program was The Rev. Franklin A. Dorman, author of Twenty Families of Color, a book which traces thousands of the living descendants of African American soldiers who fought in the Civil War. Others participating were The Rev. J. Alfred Smith Sr., of the Allen Temple Baptist Church; U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee; Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown; NAACP Mid-Peninsula Chapter Pres. Janet Wells; and Electra Price, vice president of the Northern California African American Genealogical Society. Also present were Virginia Craft Rose and Doreen Hazel Marsh, two descendants of African American soldiers mentioned in Twenty Families of Color.

During the program, Rep. Lee presented to Pres. Warner a copy of the 1999 National African American History Month proclamation.

During her remarks, Rep. Lee encouraged those present to recommit to exploring family roots, saying, "This will strengthen our family foundation and strengthen us as a community."

Speaking of the atmosphere in the interstake center during the program, Rev. Dorman commented, "Something is happening here, some kind of spark, a spirit moving." He also spoke of the importance of documenting the past, particularly for the African American community, which has lost contact with much of its family history due to the "past horrendous institution of slavery."

After the program, Rep. Lee said she was excited about her renewed interest in her own family history and made a commitment to return to the family history center to research her family roots.

"Today's program really signifies the importance of who we are as a people," she added.