Last fall we told you about the “Black Leadership” exhibit at the University of Southern Maine featuring items from the Gerald Talbot Collection of the African American Archives of Maine.

Talbot, of course, is not only a civil rights activist and former state representative from Portland, but a native of Bangor.

We mark Black History Month by sharing information about an exhibit from the Talbot and Shoshana Hoose collections of the archives, this time on display on the fourth floor of the Glickman Family Library on the Portland campus of USM.

The title of the exhibit, running through April 14, is “If He Hollers, Let Him Go: Dismantling Black Caricature.”

Another tribute to Black History Month is the new issue of The Griot, the newsletter of the African American Archives of Maine.

Maureen Elgersman Lee, USM assistant professor and faculty scholar for the archives, wrote a nice essay on Portland native June McKenzie, well-known for her volunteer work in several organizations.

I also want to point out Lee’s comments about Gerald Talbot’s attending the opening of the Black Leadership exhibit.

She noted Talbot’s remarks “on how his Parker Street neighborhood in Bangor empowered him to be a leader. The tools of leadership, honed in adulthood and eventually taking Talbot to state and national appointments, were forged in the models and lessons of his family and friends. Talbot said sincerely, ‘my neighborhood gave that to me.'”

You may join the mailing list for The Griot by writing African American Archives of Maine, University of Southern Maine, P.O. Box 9301, Portland, ME 04101-9301.

Bates College in Lewiston will continue its Black History Month activities with an opening reception for “Narrative Quilts” at 7 p.m. Tuesday, including a presentation by artist Michael Cummings in Room 104, Olin Arts Center.

In addition, the college will present the African Diaspora Film Festival March 1-3 and March 8. For information, call the Multicultural Center at 786-8215.

In Fort Kent, the University of Maine at Fort Kent marks Black History Month with a display of civil rights posters and items of African clothing. The exhibit at the Blake Memorial Library gallery will run through Wednesday.

Because the percentage of black people in Maine is small, it’s easy to forget their part in our history.

Eighteenth century records for Third Parish Church in Kittery did list marriages and other references for black parishioners, who were listed as “Negro.”

The Maine Genealogist, published by the Maine Genealogical Society, has been printing these records transcribed by John Eldridge Frost, as space permits.

A free talk on genealogy will be given by Robert Chenard, Franco-American researcher from Waterville, at 3:30 p.m. March 1 in the Ricker Annex at the University of Maine at Farmington.

Activities for Franco-American Week at the University of Maine, Orono, will include a free talk on writing your life stories by Denis Ledoux at 4 p.m. March 1 in the Bangor Lounge of the Memorial Union. His workshops on this topic are very popular, so this is a wonderful opportunity.

Also, Amy Morin and Harold Lacadie will present their oral history of French Island, Old Town, at 12:15 p.m. today in the Bangor Lounge.

We’re beginning this week’s queries with 3074, because last week’s MCGOWAN-WHITE query should have been numbered 3073.

3074. EASTMAN-KIMBALL. Interested in locating descendants of Elona Harvey Kimball and husband Benjamin Eastman. She was b. Oct. 10, 1814, Sebec, the daughter of Robert and Lydia (Adams) Kimball. She md. Benjamin Eastman Sept. 27, 1846; d. Dec. 11, 1878. Jo Kimball Loupin, RR1 Box 590, Lincoln, ME 04457; telephone 794-8074; or e-mail jloupin@linc-net.net.

3075. BENNETT-DINSMORE. Seek parents for both John Bennett and wife Elizabeth or Betsy Dinsmore, md. March 15, 1828, at Harrington. Children included George, Coffin, Freeman N., Azre, Zemro, Henry and Franklin. She d. Aug. 24, 1886, is buried in Rock Maple Cemetery, Harrington. No death record found for John, but he may have died many years earlier. His wife was “head of household” in 1860 census in Harrington. Valdine C. Atwood, 2 Free St., Machias, ME 04654.

3076. CENSUS RECORDS. Am collecting early census records for Hampden. Early ones are available in alphabetical order in indexes at Bangor Public Library. Some of the microfilm copies are unreadable. Are there better copies? Also interested in how to find military records of relatives in Civil War. Richard Newcomb, 205 Western Ave., Hampden, ME 04444.

3077. MOON-WITHEE. Seeking info and living descendants for Mabel Rebecca Withee, daughter of James and Flora (Gidley) Withee, who md. Jan. 15, 1908, in Surry, Albert G. Moon, son of Mark and Hattie (Smith) Moon. Children: Herbert, James, Gary. Dottie Lapaire, 18 Holt Drive, Ellsworth, ME 04605; telephone 667-1014.

Send queries to Family Ties, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor, ME 04402; or send e-mail to familyti@bangordailynews.net. Full name and address of sender is required even if e-mail is used.