The Georgetown Memory Project with Judy Riffel and Patricia Bayonne-Johnson

Join Genealogist Judy Riffel and Patricia Bayonne-Johnson- a descendant of one of the Georgetown slaves for a discussion of the Georgetown Memory project.

The Georgetown slaves were unusual in two ways, according to Georgetown Memory Project Founder Richard Cellini. First, they were baptized by Jesuits and kept the faith; second, they had both first and last names, whereas most slaves only had one name. During her search, the last name Butler stood out to Bayonne-Johnson.

Judy Riffel is a professional genealogist with over thirty-five years experience. Based in Baton Rouge, she specializes in Louisiana records and research. Judy has done genealogical and historical research for numerous television shows and documentaries. Her work has appeared on Who Do You Think You Are?, Finding Your Roots, Genealogy Roadshow, The Dead Files, and Killer Profile. She is the lead genealogist in the Georgetown Memory Project

Patricia Bayonne-Johnson, a 75-year-old retired biology teacher lives in Spokane, Wash., after growing up in New Orleans and living for 40 years in the San Francisco Bay Area. Today, she volunteers and travels — and in her spare time, researches her past.