Finding Empowerment on the Family Tree: The Story of Mammy with Gaynell Brady

Research at the National Archives and Beyond

Join Gaynell Brady, owner and educator at Our Mammy’s for a discussion about the legacy and fallacies of mammy. Genealogy remembers all of our ancestors, not just the most famous or free people. In 2013, Our Mammy's was created to honor the legacy of those who sacrificed their lives to take care of others. The company was named Our Mammy’s to reclaim the name Mammy, and to emphasize to others that a Mammy was much more than just a name. Mammy cared for generations of plantation owners, laborers, and enslaved Africans and African Americans. Mammy's strength, courage, wisdom, and tenacity is displayed on every family tree. Mammy is often stereotyped as an uneducated, submissive, dark skin, overweight maternal woman. Gaynell Brady is an educator and museum professional who is passionate about learning, genealogy, and museums. She currently serves as the Owner/Educator at Our Mammy’s LLC, where she teaches families about genealogy and African American history. In her current role as Owner/Educator at Our Mammy’s, she develops and implements hands-on history and genealogy lessons for children using historical research from her family tree. Past professional experiences include The National World War II Museum, National Park Service Jean Lafitte National Historical Park & Preserve and New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, Louisiana State Museum, and River Road African American Museum. Gaynell holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and a Master of Arts degree in Museum Studies from Southern University at New Orleans. She is currently a PhD candidate at Capella University. Opening Music: Sweet Mellow by AK Alexander Productions