COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — A Colorado Springs woman is turning to a local nonprofit organization that helps Black families learn about their family tree.
Colorado Springs resident Gail Lott was raised to believe in the importance of family.
“Family is everything, that’s why there are so many pictures everywhere,” said Lott in the living room of her home.
But, there were branches of her family tree still missing.
“I just wanted to learn a little more about my grandfather, where he came from. My grandmother, where she came from,” said Lott.
So she signed up for a genealogy workshop, hoping to better understand her background, and her health.
“I wanted to know more about my biological father, because I don’t know a lot about him,” said Lott. “I’m really interested in knowing what diseases [are in] bloodline. Some of that comes through your family line.”
Some of what she found out surprised her.
“Some interesting facts, I didn’t know he had been married five times,” said Lott.
Learning this wouldn't have been possible without the genealogy workshop hosted by the African American Historical and Genealogical Society of Colorado Springs (AAHGSCS).
“We help people to research their roots to find out where they came from, so they will know where they’re going,” said Candice McKnight, the President and CEO of AAHGSCS.
She said her interest in genealogy was sparked when she was 15 years old. She wanted to learn more about her family, so she conducted an interview with her grandfather.
In September 1981, the Negro Historical Association of Colorado Springs (NHACS) was founded, according to AAHGSCS.
McKnight founded the African American Genealogical Society of Colorado Springs in 2000. In 2003, the organizations combined and was renamed the African American Historical and Genealogical Society of Colorado Springs.
“Over the years, I have connected quite a few people with their families,” said McKnight. “My favorite cases that I’ve uncovered have been the adoption cases. I have uncovered four adoption cases.”
For many Black families, tracing lineage can be difficult due to lost or incomplete records from slavery and segregation.
“Most of the records have been destroyed,” said McKnight. “A lot of them, but not all of them have been destroyed. So yes, it’s a big chore, and you have to have the mindset to do this, to want to do this, to make it happen.”
The donation-based workshops walk people through public records and using ancestry tools, without a DNA test.
“It actually was really interesting to find the census,” said Lott.
“Our history is not just swept under the rug. A lot of it is still out there,” said McKnight.
McKnight says she has helped hundreds of families, including Lott, reconnect with their roots.
“It’s important to know where you come from, and I knew so little,” said Lott.
For people like Lott, the search is about more than names on a page. It’s about identity, connection and legacy.
“That’s what I want to pass on. The importance of being strong and resilient in the face of adversity because we’re all going to have it," said Lott.
AAHGSCS holds donation-based beginning genealogy workshops in January and September. The nonprofit also hosts multiple events throughout the year that align with its mission to preserve Black history in the city.
“It’s just like a tree without roots, people without history or culture, they’re dead just like that tree without roots,” said McKnight.
Their next free event is Thursday, June 19, 2025 for a Juneteenth celebration. It’ll be located in front of the Westside Community Center, which is located at 1620 West Bijou Street.
The author of this story is Kierra Sam. You can contact her about stories in southern Colorado at kierra.sam@koaa.com.
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