Former HHS Secretary Dr. Louis W. Sullivan’s Lineage Uncovered by New Genealogy Firm, Black Ancestries

Get the Point!

Ol’ Hobbs here, and once again I am honored to share my Hobbservation Point blog space, this time with my good friend Andre Kearns, a Brother that I met on our first day in historic Graves Hall at Morehouse College in August of 1990, and a fellow member of the “Legendary” Class of ‘94.

Recently, Brother Kearns, also a graduate of Harvard Business School, launched Black Ancestries, a company which helps people with direct lineage to the African Diaspora unlock the past to learn about their roots.

Brother Kearns (second from left) and me during our 25th SpelHouse Reunion in 2019

In his inaugural article, Kearns chronicles his firm’s investigative work on behalf of Dr. Louis W. Sullivan, a prominent Morehouse Man and medical doctor who served as Secretary of Health and Human Services under President George H.W. Bush, and was the founding Dean of the Morehouse School of Medicine. After reading Brother Kearns’s exciting and informative article below, I encourage you to start your own journey into your familial past with Black Ancestries!

C. Andre Kearns

“It’s with great excitement that I officially launch Black Ancestries today—on Juneteenth, a day that powerfully symbolizes freedom and remembrance for African Americans.

Black Ancestries is a company dedicated to empowering people of African descent to uncover their family history, celebrate their cultural heritage, and preserve their legacy for future generations.

Interest in family history is already strong in our community. More than 76% of Black Americans have spoken with relatives about their heritage, and 57% believe their ancestors were enslaved. Over 7 million Black Americans have taken DNA tests to trace their lineage, while the $126 billion Black travel market continues to grow—fueled in part by the desire to connect with ancestral homelands.

As genealogists, we believe that family history isn’t just about the past—it shapes how history is understood and told today.

Take a recent example: the announcement of Robert Francis Prevost as the first American pope. Headlines focused on his nationality—but thanks to genealogists like Jari Honora, a richer story quickly emerged. We learned that through his maternal grandparents, the pope descends from Louisiana Creoles of African descent, and that his grandfather was born in Haiti. Genealogy helped bring the full truth to light.

At Black Ancestries, we’re proud to contribute to this kind of work. As part of our launch, we had the privilege of conducting in-depth genealogical research for a true giant in American medicine and education: Dr. Louis W. Sullivan, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and founding dean of the Morehouse School of Medicine.

As a Morehouse alumnus, I grew up on the stories of luminaries like Dr. Sullivan. So when his children approached me with a deeply personal request—to uncover their father’s family history—it felt like the ultimate honor. I knew we would do the work justice. What I didn’t expect was the profound power of the stories we would uncover.

Dr. Louis W. Sullivan

A foundational approach to genealogy research is to start with what you know and work your way back through in-depth documents research. This approach allowed us to extend Dr. Sullivan’s family tree back five generations, including three generations born into slavery. Along the way, we uncovered extraordinary stories of courage, resilience, and aspiration. Here are just a few:

How the Sullivans Got Their Name

According to family oral tradition, Dr. Sullivan’s grandfather, Winston Sullivan (1843–1894), was born enslaved in North Carolina and chose his surname after emancipation from the name on the first mailbox he encountered. We located Winston in the 1856 will of enslaver John Lipscomb in Edgefield County, South Carolina. By 1860, the Lipscombs had moved to Madison County, Florida, settling near a man named Owen E. Sullivan, also formerly of their community in Edgefield. It’s likely his name was on the mailbox Winston passed—and adopted—as he marched toward his freedom.

The Sullivan Family’s Rise in Reconstruction-Era Florida

Winston and his wife Mary (1852-1921), a midwife and the earliest identified medical professional in the family, migrated to Gainesville, Alachua County, Florida after the Civil War, fleeing racial violence in search of a safer future. Gainesville, home to the 3rd U.S. Colored Troops and a Freedmen’s Bureau office, offered sanctuary. Their sons, including Benjamin and Walter Sullivan (Dr. Sullivan’s father), flourished—Walter attended Claflin University and later co-founded the Alachua Mercantile Company in 1917, using entrepreneurship and land ownership as instruments of Black advancement.

The Priester Family’s Fight for Freedom and Future

Dr. Sullivan is a Priester through his mother. His great-great-grandparents, Titus (b.1820) and Lucy Priester (b.1810), were enslaved in Barnwell County, South Carolina. Their son, Dr. Sullivan’s great grandfather Rufus, was born into bondage around 1840. After emancipation, Titus joined the South Carolina militia to protect his community from white supremacist violence. In 1879, Rufus bought land next to the plantation where he had once been enslaved, and raised 11 children with resilience and purpose.

Reflecting on the experience, accomplished television writer, producer, and University of Virginia graduate Halsted Sullivan—Dr. Sullivan’s son—told us:

“To see my family’s history that I never knew existed before makes me feel more complete and more connected to both the land, this country, and most importantly, my lineage. It has stirred emotions in me that I didn’t know existed—and I feel that it was literally life-changing.”

That reaction captures exactly why I started Black Ancestries. We were profoundly honored to uncover and help tell this powerful story—and we look forward to doing the same for many more families.

What We Offer

Black Ancestries offers a range of services, including dedicated genealogical research conducted by a skilled research team, dynamic speaking engagements, and educational workshops conducted in culturally significant locations. Our mission is to become a global leader in African diaspora genealogy—helping clients uncover their family history, celebrate their heritage, and preserve their legacy.

Start your journey today! Visit www.blackancestries.com to learn more or email us at connect@blackancestries.com to get started.”

Dr. Louis Sullivan, Morehouse Class of ‘54, and Hobbs, Morehouse Class of ‘94, on campus during Reunion Weekend back in 2014