As Juneteenth approaches, the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands — in partnership with American Ancestors® and the National Urban League® — will host “10 Million Names: A Conversation About African American Family History and Healing,” a free virtual event set for Thursday, from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

The event will feature a live discussion between National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial and renowned genealogist Kenyatta D. Berry. Registration is available at tinyurl.com/2pz3uauf, CFVI announced in a press release.

Honoring History, Identity, and Legacy

“This isn’t just an event — it’s a homecoming,” organizers wrote in a press release. “This special event honors the lives, stories, and legacies of the 10 million enslaved African American men, women, and children whose names and histories were systematically erased by slavery — and celebrates the modern descendants reclaiming those stories today. Together, we will recover, restore, and remember.”

Marc H. Morial will share reflections on his own ancestry and legacy in a conversation with Kenyatta Berry, who will present new research into Morial’s family history during the live event. The program will also debut a short impact reel from the 10 Million Names initiative, highlighting more than one million names already recovered, the press release stated.

CFVI Brings Caribbean Context to National Project

“CFVI is honored to support this important conversation about African American family history and healing in recognition of Juneteenth,” said CFVI President Dee Baecher-Brown. “Our commitment to education and community empowerment aligns deeply with the mission of this project — to help millions of descendants of enslaved persons reconnect with their roots and their stories. We encourage everyone in our network to join us in this virtual event and to share this opportunity widely. Understanding our history is a vital step toward healing, belonging, and building a stronger future for all.”

The 10 Million Names Project, launched by American Ancestors and its partners in 2023, is a national initiative dedicated to recovering the names of the estimated 10 million men, women, and children of African descent enslaved in the U.S. between the 1500s and 1865. The project seeks to amplify family stories, connect data researchers with descendants, and expand access to genealogical information for the 44 million living descendants of enslaved people, the release stated.

Genealogy and Inclusive Education in the Virgin Islands

CFVI’s involvement in the project stems from its participation in the “United We Stand: Connecting Through Culture” initiative, launched by the National Endowment for the Humanities in 2023. As NEH’s official partner in the U.S. Virgin Islands, CFVI saw the need to explore Caribbean connections to U.S. slavery, recognizing that enslaved individuals and slaveholders often moved between the Caribbean and the American colonies, the releae stated.

That recognition led to a collaboration with the Caribbean Genealogy Library, a former NEH grantee, to develop “Using Genealogy to Teach Inclusive History: U.S. Virgin Islands,” a one-day program held in March 2024. The workshop trained 31 local educators and community members to use genealogical tools to connect students with inclusive historical narratives, it said.

About the Featured Speakers

Kenyatta D. Berry is a noted genealogist, attorney, and television host best known for her work on Genealogy Roadshow on PBS. A contributor to The 1619 Project, Berry is widely recognized for her efforts to make African American genealogy more accessible. Her work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Black Enterprise, and Real Simple.

Marc H. Morial is the President and CEO of the National Urban League and former Mayor of New Orleans. He is the author of “The Gumbo Coalition,” which outlines a leadership framework rooted in unity and democracy. Morial is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and holds a law degree from Georgetown University.

CFVI officials said they are proud to continue building on this collaboration, calling the event an opportunity to “recover stories, reconnect families, and reframe the historical narrative.”