Countless African-Americans lost track of their ancestral roots when the slave trade split families apart, but a Long Island couple is now helping to track down the missing branches of some family trees.The mission of the African-Atlantic Genealogical Society of Hempstead is to help others trace their roots. The society was founded by Julius Pearse and his wife, Joysetta, both former private investigators-turned-genealogical sleuths. Since 1992, the Pearses have helped people trace their roots through census information and birth, death and immigration records. Old military and slave records are also a big help. Sharrie Squires, of Brooklyn, got help in tracking down her lineage from the Pearses. She found a goldmine of information on her long lost great-grandfather and says she also found a new sense of family pride.News 12 Series: Black History MonthLIer turns home into African-American history museum