Nationwide — James Dorsey, an African American great-grandfather from Houston, Texas, continues to pursue a birth certificate he says was never issued. At 94 years old, he is still working to document his identity through official records.
Dorsey says he was born on Aug. 14, 1931, on Ellerbe Plantation in Shreveport, Louisiana. He describes growing up deep within the plantation grounds where Black families lived and worked during that period. He recalls a childhood shaped by hard labor. By around 8 years old, he was already in the fields picking cotton alongside his family, working long hours under harsh conditions.
Dorsey says no official record was created at the time of his birth. He explains that a midwife delivered him, which he says was common then, but no formal documentation followed. As he got older, Dorsey says the lack of a birth record made it difficult to confirm his identity through official systems. He says he visited offices over the years but never found any record tied to his birth.
In 1956, he moved from Louisiana to Houston, Texas. Over time, he managed to obtain documents such as a Social Security card and a driver’s license, but he still does not have a birth certificate.
“Oh, Lord. I don’t know. A lot of people go crazy (laugh),” he told ABC 13. “That sure would be something because I missed out on so much.”
His daughter, Barbara Dorsey Curry, later helped file an application through Louisiana’s vital records process. She says the family turned to help after years of uncertainty about where to start. A spokesperson for the Louisiana Department of Health said applicants must follow the standard procedure for requesting records. The department gave no timeline for when Dorsey might receive a result.
Dorsey says the document means more than paperwork. “I couldn’t even pronounce what it would mean,” he said.