People

Who am I?

What do you know about your family history, and how would you feel about exploring your roots?

If you've ever wanted to trace your ancestral heritage and you're of Afro-Caribbean descent, this could be your chance.

"Who Am I?" is a unique project by BBC local radio, giving eight people across the country the opportunity to do just that.

Alongside a team of experts we'll help you identify your ancestors, and you might even get to travel to their country of origin.

Rickki White: tracing your family

Local black historian Rickki White explains how she got involved in tracing her own ancestors.

"I kept hearing people saying there weren't any black people here in Berkshire before the 1950s, and I knew that couldn't be right.

"For example, slavery and the slave trade couldn't have been missed by Berkshire, it must have had some involvement.

"I started asking people and then started going into archives, looking in parish registers and joining local family history societies.

"I collected and collected information and it's gone from there."

Rickki says tracing your ancestors is fun, helps to preserve family connections, and is something you can pass down to your children.

"And from a wider perspective, the more black people that research their family history, the more black British history can be found and recorded."

Rickki White's top tips for family history research

1. Write down what you know about your family - all the dates, names and events you can remember.
2. Contact as many family members as you can, particularly older relatives. They usually have fascinating facts and stories to tell.
3. Read as much as you can about the different records, get familiar with the records that are available.

"You can't just do a little bit then expect to go straight to an archive and get results," says Rickki. "You need to find out as much as you can first."

Want to get involved?

If you want to get involved, please send your answers to the following questions:

• Why is tracing your ancestral heritage important to you?
• Where do you think your heritage goes back too?
• What do you already know about your family history?
• Do you have any family stories, photos or heirlooms that could help you in your search?
• What will you do when you discover your past?

Send your answers by email to Louise Chandler, presenter of BBC Radio Berkshire's Caribbean Show, every Sunday night from 9pm.