Georgia
Georgia Tech students help Savannah woman trace her lineage back 6 generations, despite the impacts of slavery
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Georgia Tech students have helped a Savannah woman trace her lineage back six generations, despite the overwhelming impacts of slavery.
It is one thing to know history from a textbook, it is another to know your own: where you came from, what stories have made you who you are, what kind of people have come before you.
“Trace your ancestry. Even if it is not for you or you aren’t interested in it- maybe your kids are, maybe your grandkids will be one day,” said Kenyetta Harris, who is currently living in Savannah.
If you are an African American, tracing your ancestry can be brutal because of the vicious impacts of slavery.
“Everyone has the right to know where they come from, but not everyone has that luxury,” Georgia Tech student Haley Evans said.
Dr. Christopher Lawton is a professor at Georgia Tech. The school doesn’t have a history major, but passionate STEM students sign up to help him dig up history and tell the stories of enslaved peoples in Georgia. He has been doing this work for years.
“It gave me such a newfound appreciation for people who do this kind of work because of how hard it is,” Evans said.
“Some histories of the past that leave some stories out or some people out aren’t good for anyone,” Dr. Lawton said.
Dr. Lawton was connected with Kenyetta Harris, who has been trying to trace her roots.
“You are trying to put together this puzzle but eventually you realize you can’t put together all of the pieces because some of them are always going to be missing,” Evans said.
“It took me a moment. It really brought me to tears. I just couldn’t believe it,” Harris said.
The students in his class, with guidance, were able to dig six generations back into Kenyetta’s family.
“Listening to the students tell the story of Cyrus, Sukey, Emmanuel, Candace and all the other family members that were enslaved. It really brought me to tears,” Harris said.
“To know where you come from is a privilege. Having some names, stories, even an area to tie that to can really make a difference just in the way that you walk, the way that you talk and the way that you carry yourself throughout this world,” said Georgia Tech student Andrea Lewis.
“We are telling the story more fully and more openly and more accurately, I think that is good for everyone,” Dr. Lawton said.
By clicking on the Georgia Tech story, you can hear students reading the histories of several members of Kenyetta’s family.
The findings will be added to Dr. Lawton’s Seen/Unseen website. The website is set up for his book Seen/Unseen: Hidden Lives in a Community of Enslaved Georgians. You can go there now and learn about the histories of dozens of enslaved Georgians.
Copyright 2025 WANF. All rights reserved.
Top 10 overlooked cruise packing items before you sail
Packing for a cruise made easy with 10 overlooked essentials and smart boarding day tips to help you stay organized and stress-free.
It can be hard to find a truly unique experience for your next vacation. That’s where Travel + Leisure comes in.
Back in May, members of the publication’s team created a list in celebration of America’s 250th Fourth of July, highlighting a unique experience in each state “from hidden gems to iconic highlights and editor-approved favorites.”
Find vacation discounts with Groupon
Most unique experience in Georgia
The Georgia spot highlighted was the World of Quercus. Here’s what writer Lydia Mansel said about it:
“The 3,800-acre property, dotted with pecan groves and cabins, isn’t your run-of-the-mill retreat. Guests are encouraged to roam the land by golf cart or on foot, visit the biodynamic vegetable garden, fish the Flint River, and connect with the ranch’s horses. Owned by Chiara Visconti di Modrone and her husband Angelos Pervanas, Quercus is a place where relaxation comes in many forms—and you can design your experience to fit your pace and preferences.”
Where is Quercus?
Quercus is in Gay at 208 Caldwell St. It’s about 30 miles east of LaGrange and over 50 miles south of Atlanta.
How much is Quercus per night?
The Sylva, Ember, and Cypress cabins are $2,700 per night. The Naya cabin is $4,500 per night.
Unique experiences in the South
- Alabama: Freedom Monument Sculpture Park
- Florida: Greater Florida Everglades
- Georgia: Quercus
- Kentucky: Kentucky African American Heritage Trail
- Louisiana: New Orleans Museum of Art
- Missouri: Anheuser-Busch Brewery
- Mississippi: Vikin’s Mississippi Delta Explorer
- North Carolina: Good Hot Fish
- South Carolina: Casual Crabbing with Tia
- Tennessee: Blackberry Farm
- Virginia: Chincoteague Island
- West Virginia: New River Gorge National Park
Miguel Legoas is a Deep South Connect Team Reporter for USA Today. Find him on Instagram @miguelegoas and email at mlegoas@gannett.com.
APPLING COUNTY, Ga. (WCYB) — The co-owner of Yurezz Home Center in Greeneville has been arrested in Georgia, according to a report obtained by News 5.
Earlier this week, News 5 told you about the dealership in Greeneville that abruptly shut down last month.
This has left homeowners with partially built homes and employees without jobs.
It is not yet clear why Richard Altman was taken into custody.
This is a developing story.
Georgia
Georgia Supreme Court upholds convictions of men in deadly shooting during gas station carjacking
Two men found guilty of murdering a man while he was pumping air into his tires at a Georgia gas station will remain in prison, the Georgia Supreme Court has ruled.
Miles Chatezal Collins and Josiah Hughley, Jr. had appealed to the state’s highest court after they were found guilty of felony murder, aggravated assault, violating Georgia’s Street Gang, Terrorism and Prevention Act, and hijacking a motor vehicle, among other charges in 2025.
The men’s charges stem from a shooting on July 10, 2022, at a QuickTrip gas station in Peachtree Corners. According to the Gwinnett County District Attorney’s Office, 30-year-old Bradley Lamar Coleman had stopped at the gas station to fill up his tires when Collins, Hughley, and a third man pulled up beside him and tried to steal his Dodge Charger.
When Coleman tried to stop the men, officials say they shot him and fled the scene.
Authorities say the three men were members of the Blood gang and had tried to steal the car to increase their status.
While their first trial ended in a mistrial due to a comment by the prosecution, a jury found Collins, Hughley, and their co-defendant, David Jarrad Booker, guilty of more than a dozen charges in 2025. They were each sentenced to life plus 145 years in prison.
In Collins and Hughley’s appeal to the state Supreme Court, they argued that there was insufficient evidence to support some of the charges and that the judge in the case improperly admitted certain evidence and committed errors in instructing the jurors.
The justices’ rulings disagreed, finding that their attorneys failed to object to the supposed errors and that the two men’s claims were insufficient.
The judges also found that a claim by Hughley that his counsel failed him by not asserting that a statement made to law enforcement should have been suppressed. With those findings, the Supreme Court chose not to overrule the case, letting the convictions and sentences stand.
“We are grateful for this affirmation from the Georgia Supreme Court,” Gwinnett County District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson said. “Thanks to the incredible work of our team of trial and appellate prosecutors, and all of the staff that assisted with defending these convictions, two dangerous criminals will remain in prison.”
Booker’s appeal remains pending.
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