Christopher Smothers

At the age of 12 years old, Christopher Smothers sought to gain a sense of his identity in his ancestral roots. After taking the initiative upon himself to learn how to conduct ancestral research, he drew an even stronger desire to get exposure to different cultures and experiences minorities have faced in America. In 2014, Christopher began his journey helping people discover their roots and understand the story of their ancestors by starting a non-profit. After years of researching various nationalities, Christopher embarked upon a journey of service and dedication to the community seeking to unearth their roots. In 2018, he founded Unearthing Your Roots, Inc. to provide professional genealogical services to people in search of their biological families and ancestors abroad. Even before joining the Board of Directors at Reclaim the Records, his work was instrumental in the first-ever public acquisition and online publication of the Mississippi State Death Index.