JFIFC    $ &%# #"(-90(*6+"#2D26;=@@@&0FKE>J9?@=C  =)#)==================================================K" }!1AQa"q2#BR$3br %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz w!1AQaq"2B #3Rbr $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ?liIIrP  !>S(PckQN 42Ŏ(~j4616;d^kX`-:NO7\`'q@8ho+ePssW4 Ȇ7>GPM vK[h#Or׆.e&mit<I|U9晊Dnlʸq-DKBT5hzFn4?k))osyRݲiNvٌ\1<~/"F#O 98: ^:}Y ԑRĚbt+D>FIp#V|ZԱHrºЬ-Ӗ <%ڣ؁{CBċ81~έ[:dFE(un5:?⠸̒z @9MV!T:閊v %˽Rע6[?tMVK&a" .49,3$M'sI?OʶCF[hZ}+Ta5q4)s8lA]Vx7 xNw,dm" F'zT9iL-ɮkȭy>ƓkzTQQJ?j.*rMle03›g^_2kR!WCiaodmHGSԥ@kW. Sf#lݠ`^y}Cէ\tצKRwlV J𭰱RS ص%nT"W[N!ҠvNzC> \*T A9b3]7d-m:H* sa*mBNBŰBDm.2]Ya}?xyXv\a6MǹA!x&|WyO0d*dV+^  >`hG4<dC26j^z3i6kx?Xnc\ NOF2[ʏpL#+MIGbK %^K3,Q1+s]-+sFFcq"GBx[2d\* nG1 &&sr֪e82zt( ӰPw~F|;ÜS& i2ZgĖΡF=2k?Zc;F'<]F}KkªmQU>㤉e!E*}ץ1 1ԲFamily history researchers have long known about the Freedman s Bank records. The originals are preserved in the National Archives. But the data on microfilm has been essentially useless because it lacked effective and reliable indexes. The microfilm contains mid-19th century family records of 480,000 African-Americans. <br> Marie Taylor discovered these Freedman s Bank records and envisioned African-Americans breaking the chains of slavery and forging the bonds of families. She put together an inspired plan for the daunting task of compiling all these records into a useable format. The day-to-day efforts of extracting, linking and automating the 480,000 names contained in the bank records, were performed by a team of inmates from the Utah State Prison. Approximately 550 prisoners donated their time to this project. They worked in a unique, three-room facility filled with microfilm and microfiche readers and 30 computer stations. After 11 years, the project was completed in the form of a CD of the Freedman s Bank records. Another CD in the works which will be ready this year is the record of the 1880 census, which includes 6.5 million citizens of African ethnic origin. Eventually, the Freedman s Bank records will be available online.<br>The CD was first released on February 26th o