About Me
Hi, thanks for dropping by!
My journey began 40 years ago when I asked for pictures of my paternal grandfather. I would ask my grandmother to describe my grandfather to me. She would say...just look at your father. But that was not enough. I needed to know who he was as I was discovering who I was.
My mom sent me to the local Public Library. I first discovered census records were a way to search your family history. This was at least 30 years before all of the genealogy test and television shows. There was no world wide web or search engines.
My first discovery was that my grandfather changed the spelling of our last name. The previous version was Crews and our current usage is Cruise. I wanted to know why.
Fast Forward 30 years and for my birthday, my husband gifted me a DNA Test. That changed everything.
In 2022, I created Blacks in the Apps to chronicle my journey, educate and inform, and open opportunities for others to share their process of discovery.
Please walk with me on this path to embracing our Appalachian heritage while sharing the challenges of growing up black in the intersectionality of this culture.