ST. LANDRY PARISH — Alex Lee, a genealogist and St. Landry Parish archivist, shares his journey of discovering his family's history in a recent interview. Lee recalls a pivotal moment when he visited his great-aunt's home in Eunice and saw a picture of a man he initially thought was a white man. It was then that he learned that the man in the photo was his great grandfather, Alex Lafleur Sr., who had mixed ancestry including French, Native American, Italian, and Irish roots.
This discovery sparked Lee's curiosity to learn more about his family's origins and race. He no longer identifies solely as Black but refers to himself as a person of color or Creole due to his diverse lineage. Lee acknowledges the complexities of using racial identifiers, especially when some family members may appear white but have Black ancestry.
To delve deeper into his family's lineage, Lee visited the St. Landry Parish courthouse, where he explored original documents dating back to before Louisiana became a state in 1812. He highlights the significance of tracing his family members' contributions to various societies, such as Los Angeles, Matamoros, Mexico, and San Antonio.
For those interested in exploring their family history, Lee recommends starting by verifying living family members and utilizing search engines to access census records. Delving into courthouse documents and Catholic church records can provide additional information, although tracing Black ancestry may pose challenges due to the limitations of being enslaved.
While at the courthouse, Lee met with Mawunyo Marcus Morris, who also traveled to uncover his family's genealogy from the Opelousas area in Southwest Louisiana. Morris expressed his passion for learning about his ancestors, especially his Black ancestry.
Overall, the journey of discovering one's family history may involve navigating various challenges and complexities, but the process can provide valuable insights into one's identity and heritage.
