| African American research can be very | | | | individual can do is sharing their |
| challenging. Most families are sitting | | | | finds. See if there is a county website |
| on a wealth of information and don't | | | | for your family's residence and send |
| even realize it. Reunions are something | | | | them a copy of your family records |
| most African American families are | | | | (leaving off personal notes and |
| passionate about. Every two years most | | | | information on the living). Donate your |
| families unite, take pictures and share | | | | records to the local library and post to |
| many stories related to their family. | | | | the internet. As a side note, ALWAYS |
| Some families make a book with this | | | | remember to document your sources. |
| information. | | | | Sources are where you found your facts, |
| Information gathered at these reunions | | | | whether positive or negative. This will |
| can be a great starting point to do an | | | | save you endless time in reviewing |
| individual's family history. Families | | | | information. |
| tended to live near each other and | | | | These are the records that you should |
| assist each other where needed. Tracking | | | | look for among all family members: |
| the families via the census can help | | | | • Family Bibles |
| document their families from 1930 to the | | | | • Birth, Marriage and Death |
| 1870 census. Previous to the 1870 | | | | Certificates |
| census, only the free black and their | | | | • Divorce Records |
| families were listed on the 1860 and | | | | • Wills |
| 1850 census, etc. But, even tracing to | | | | • Deeds to Property |
| the 1870's, where some ancestors births | | | | • Old Letters |
| are recorded in the late 1790's, can be | | | | • Photographs |
| a great find! | | | | • Plaques, Awards, Honors and other |
| A great website for African American | | | | Memorabilia |
| research is AfriGeneas is a site | | | | • School Certificates |
| devoted to African American genealogy, | | | | • Insurance Papers |
| to researching African Ancestry in the | | | | • Funeral Programs |
| Americas in particular and to | | | | • Obituaries |
| genealogical research and resources in | | | | • Funeral Programs |
| general. It is also an African Ancestry | | | | • Membership Cards |
| research community featuring the | | | | • Anniversary Programs for |
| AfriGeneas mail list, the AfriGeneas | | | | Organizations and Churches |
| message boards and daily and weekly | | | | • School and College Yearbooks |
| genealogy chats. | | | | • Military Discharge Papers |
| Many descendants of slave owners are | | | | • Any other sources with names and |
| realizing the importance of slave | | | | dates |
| records in helping African American's | | | | These sources, if they exist, will help |
| doing their own family research. These | | | | you to complete your first charts and |
| descendants are sharing documentation to | | | | guide you to finding additional records. |
| the public and posting on the internet | | | | Make sure you make copies of everything |
| the slavery records that show families | | | | that you find, including photographs. As |
| and other important genealogical | | | | African American families do their |
| information. Race barriers are more | | | | genealogy and share with their |
| quickly broken in the genealogy research | | | | descendants, this knowledge will be |
| as we all desire to help each other. We | | | | handed down to future generations. This |
| tend to understand the importance of | | | | will give an added knowledge and |
| learning our family heritage and respect | | | | strength as they learn about their |
| all cultures. | | | | ancestor's struggles and |
| One of the most important helps an | | | | accomplishments. |