HARNETT COUNTY, N.C. — A Harnett County man is making sure families across our state know their roots and family trees, especially in underserved communities where people don’t always have access to that data.

Desi Campbell started collecting information about his family roots because he didn’t know much about his relatives growing up.

That’s why he’s eager to help others access the information too.

What You Need To Know

  • A Harnett County man is making sure people across our state know their family history, especially in underserved communities where that data has not been easily accessible

  • Desi Campbell has published at least 14 books and collected data over the past 30 years that tells the stories of his family’s history, dating back to the early 1800s and beyond

  • So far, Campbell has helped more than 100 families trace their lineage

Campbell has published at least 14 books and collected data over the past 30 years that tells the stories of his family’s history, dating back to the early 1800s and beyond.

“To be able to see this in print and know that these are my relatives, it makes me feel some kind of way that I can actually see them and I know that they lived and I know that I can document it and I know that I can trace them,” Campbell said.

Campbell, who’s also a professional genealogist, is on a mission to help as many people as possible in our state trace their ancestry, especially in African American communities where learning about their history can be a challenge.

“One of the reasons it can be a challenge is because we just don’t know where to look or what to look for,” Campbell explained.

Experts say, because of slavery, it is often difficult for African Americans to trace their heritage prior to the 1870 census. Many records were handwritten and lost over time.

 A collection of Campbell’s findings that he gathered through research are at the Harnett County African American Heritage Center, a place he founded.

“The earliest document I think I can find is 1797. My fifth great-grandmother Jenni, so Jenni was given to his daughter Ana Clark,” Campbell explained.

So far, Campbell helped more than 100 families trace their lineage. Campbell says attending family reunions, visiting gravesites of ancestors and DNA helped relatives make the connection.

“To be able to be a blessing to other people through giving their family history, it’s great to me,” Campbell added.

Campbell says ancestry DNA helped him connect with more than 275 cousins.

He also helped his mother find her father. She was 60 years old when they connected.