In honor of Juneteenth, Wayne State University hosted a series of lectures and a genealogy workshop focused on tracing African American family lineages beyond slavery.

The workshop was led by Dr. Carolyn Carter, a historian and professional genealogist. Carter says genealogy research is an emotional journey.

“You’re going to find things that you didn’t know, you’re going to make discoveries that you didn’t know, that are going to be emotional. And you have to be ready and open and prepared for that,” she said. “But I tell my students, assume all stories are false because you were not there, and so it’s your job to find the truth in that journey.”

On this episode of Detroit Evening Report Weekends, we listen to WDET reporter Bre’Anna Tinsley’s conversation with Carter about the process of tracing one’s ancestry and the difficulties of tracing the histories of African Americans.

Later, Tinsley joins Detroit Evening Report host Sascha Raiyn to discuss their own family histories.

Listen to the episode using the media player above.

Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Wayne State University is offering a genealogy workshop focused on the lineage of enslaved Black Americans as part of its 2025 Juneteenth programming.

At the interactive workshop, “Building Forward with Wisdom,” participants will learn practical genealogy strategies, like how to trace one’s ancestry through digital tools and historical records, under the guidance of professional genealogist, historian and researcher Dr. Carolyn Carter.

Carter says when beginning the search into family history, its important to start with what’s known.

“In genealogy, we do something called tracing from the known to the unknown,” Carter said. “You want to start with your story, or the people who are there with you.”

WDET’s Bre’Anna Tinsley spoke with Carter ahead of the workshop to discuss what attendees can expect and share tips for tracing one’s ancestry.

Carter says collecting oral histories will be the most valuable resources, and often the only resources that people may have. Once the story reaches slavery, researchers may find it more difficult to find information as enslavers did not keep detailed records of slaves.

“Because enslaved people were property, they had no rights. They were listed on the Census just by tick mark in male or female. So those stories, those histories have been lost,” Carter said.

Carter said researching the enslavers themselves can be just as crucial as researching one’s ancestors. She suggested checking wills and deeds of enslavers, as they would often leave slaves to family members after death. Some enslavers would sympathize with their slaves and leave property to them in their death, or emancipate them in their wills, she added.

According to Carter, there are many road bumps along the way when researching ancestors. One main reason she points out is that African Americans, even those who were free, were afraid of the government. They often would not give accurate information during Census counts to protect themselves and their loved ones.

“They put nicknames, they put erroneous occupations. And if you were living or visiting a relative the day that the Census takers came, you were recorded as living in that home,” she said.

Carter says it wasn’t until after emancipation that the U.S. government realized they were getting inaccurate information.

“So genealogy is detective work,” Carter said. “You’ve got to figure out some things. You got to listen and learn and and understand history and understand your family, where they came from, how they migrated, when they migrated, who they are.”

Carter also advises researchers to think outside the box when looking for names. Some people may have names spelled incorrectly, because most black people were illiterate and would spell things by how they sound. They would change their names to distance themselves from the enslaver, such as adding the surname Freeman or adding an “e” to the end of names to signify their emancipation.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

More stories from The Metro

The night skies over Tehran have been flashing with fire since Israeli jets began piercing Iranian airspace. They have been targeting nuclear facilities that Israel insists pose an imminent threat. Hundreds have been killed in Iran and thousands injured. 

Iran has responded by firing missiles into Israel, where at least 24 have been killed.

An American-brokered ceasefire fell apart this morning with reports of Israeli and Iranian airstrikes coming after the announcement. 

President Donald Trump’s post on Truth Social Tuesday morning demanded Israel’s compliance: “ISRAEL. DO NOT DROP THOSE BOMBS. IF YOU DO IT IS A MAJOR VIOLATION. BRING YOUR PILOTS HOME, NOW!”

Meanwhile, the world has been watching anxiously. That anxiety grew Saturday when Trump escalated the conflict, deploying American B-2 bombers and launching Tomahawk missiles in an aggressive campaign. The president has openly hinted at regime change. 

Iran responded by striking an American air base in Qatar, home to thousands of U.S. troops. 

Diplomacy now teeters on a knife-edge as fears of broader conflict intensify. These fears are held among many in metro Detroit, especially among the hundreds of thousands of Arab and Middle Eastern residents here. Many have been watching violence and conflict erupt across the region and it brings back painful memories of the wars that forced them to leave their homes and flee to the U.S. in the first place.

Some analysts say this latest move by Israel is an attempt to entirely reshape the Middle East, which is stoking further tension and anxiety among people in the diaspora here.

Fariba Pajooh, an Iranian-American scholar of communication and media studies at Wayne State University, joined The Metro to help us understand this moment. Pajooh spent years working as a journalist in the Middle East covering conflicts. Some of that coverage led to her imprisonment by Iranian authorities. 

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

More stories from The Metro

On Friday, Israel launched attacks on Iran, intending to hit Iran’s uranium enrichment site, where it is building nuclear arms, as well as the country’s military sites.

Iran has since retaliated with aerial attacks on Israel. Over the course of a week, the Israeli military has killed at least 224 people in Iran, and Iran has killed 24 people in Israel. This past weekend, Israel asked the U.S. to join its side in the war, since Israel lacks the capacity to destroy the space where Iran is developing nuclear weapons. 

Although, CNN reports that U.S. intelligence officials are saying Tehran was up to three years away from fully developing a weapon, and that it’s not actively pursuing a bomb. Still, the U.S. continues to provide weapons and warplanes to Israel, including a recent shipment. But it has yet to directly engage militarily in the war, and Trump, thus far, has called for Iran’s “Unconditional surrender.”

Saeed Khan, an associate professor of teaching in near eastern studies at Wayne State University, joined The Metro on Wednesday to discuss what this says about Israel’s role in the Middle East, and how America will respond.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

More stories from The Metro

Wayne State University is opening the city’s first standalone School of Public Health. The school is designed to train health care professionals who will embed in Detroit’s neighborhoods. Construction is set to begin this fall on a $200 million dollar health sciences research building, with community input central to the operation.

Dr. Bernard Costello, Wayne State’s senior vice president for health affairs, is utilizing this opportunity as a tool to lead an effort to reignite public trust in Detroit health institutions via real and equitable change. Knowing Detroiters struggle with chronic illnesses and limited access to care, he joined The Metro to talk about what opening this school means for our community.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

More stories from The Metro

A number of universities are worried about funding cuts that are coming from the Trump administration. That includes those in Michigan. 

Wayne State University, the University of Michigan, and Michigan State University collaborate — sharing research and attracting businesses to their campuses. Late last month, Michigan Tech joined the re-branded group that’s now called Research Universities for Michigan. 

At the 2025 Mackinac Policy Conference, presidents from three of the four schools spoke with WDET’s Russ McNamara: MSU President Kevin Guskiewicz, Michigan Tech President Rick Koubec and Wayne State President Kimberly Andrews Espy. 

This isn’t the only way schools are collaborating. Although it’s not yet supported by administrative leadership, faculty at many Big Ten universities are advocating for their respective leadership to sign a NATO-like agreement. It would allow the universities to share attorneys and pool financial resources in case President Donald Trump’s administration targets one of them. 

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

More stories from The Metro

D.L. Holmes was the athletic director, track and cross-country coach at Wayne State University from 1917 to 1958. In a time when segregation in sports was the norm, Holmes coached athletes of all races, a radical act. He coached three Olympians, one gold medalist and 11 All-Americans.

Holmes, a beloved mentor known for nurturing hidden talent, was instrumental in nine national championship wins and four world record holders.

In his new book, “Coach of Champions,” Troy author Keith D. Wunderlich tells the story of Coach Holmes through team member interviews and “historically informed narratives.” Wunderlich is Holmes’ grandson and a former sprinter.

He joined The Metro to talk about the book and Holmes’ legacy in Detroit and beyond.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

More stories from The Metro

Finding enriching child care options can often be a challenge for parents during the summer months, especially for those looking for programs specifically geared toward the arts.

For the past 12 years, Wayne State University’s “Keys2Life Performing Arts Summer Camp” has provided that outlet to metro Detroit students ages 11–13.

The six-week day camp program, led by Detroit youth nonprofit The Yunion, offers a diverse range of performing arts experiences, led by top Detroit artists, mentors and certified teachers. 

Camp Director Darell Campbell Jr. joined The Metro on Tuesday to share more about what this year’s program will entail.

Registration is now open for the day camp, which runs 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, June 30 through Aug. 8 on the campus of Wayne State University. For more information, including rates, visit theyunion.org/camp.

—WDET’s Jenny Sherman contributed to this report.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

More stories from The Metro