{"id":1898,"date":"2023-03-28T04:06:24","date_gmt":"2023-03-28T04:06:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/?p=1898"},"modified":"2023-04-03T11:20:50","modified_gmt":"2023-04-03T11:20:50","slug":"start-researching-african-american-family-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/start-researching-african-american-family-history\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Start Researching Your African American Family History"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>If you\u2019re just setting out on researching your family history, you have a fascinating but challenging journey ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ve put together the top ten areas to start with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_65 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/start-researching-african-american-family-history\/#Oral_History\" title=\"Oral History\">Oral History<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/start-researching-african-american-family-history\/#Vital_Records\" title=\"Vital Records\">Vital Records<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/start-researching-african-american-family-history\/#Census_Records\" title=\"Census Records\">Census Records<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/start-researching-african-american-family-history\/#Freedmens_Bureau_Records\" title=\"Freedmen&#8217;s Bureau Records\">Freedmen&#8217;s Bureau Records<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/start-researching-african-american-family-history\/#Military_Records\" title=\"Military Records\">Military Records<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/start-researching-african-american-family-history\/#Slave_Narratives\" title=\"Slave Narratives\">Slave Narratives<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/start-researching-african-american-family-history\/#Church_Records\" title=\"Church Records\">Church Records<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/start-researching-african-american-family-history\/#Newspaper_Archives\" title=\"Newspaper Archives\">Newspaper Archives<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/start-researching-african-american-family-history\/#Websites_And_Online_Resources\" title=\"Websites And Online Resources\">Websites And Online Resources<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/start-researching-african-american-family-history\/#DNA_Tests\" title=\"DNA Tests\">DNA Tests<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Oral_History\"><\/span>Oral History<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If possible, you should start your research by gathering information from family members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This can provide valuable insights into names, dates, and locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although this article has advice on using archives, the personal stories of your relatives may not be available in written records.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Vital_Records\"><\/span>Vital Records<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The term \u201cvital records\u201d refers to birth, marriage, and death certificates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These documents can provide essential details about your ancestors, such as full names, dates, and places of events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some records can have details about other relatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, parents may be recorded on marriage certificates. This can get you back a generation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The most convenient way to search historical vital records is through large online genealogy archives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/familysearch.org\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/familysearch.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">FamilySearch.org<\/a> is a free archive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/Ancestry.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ancestry.com<\/a> is a subscription site that gives free access to some collections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this case, the vital records are paid access. But some other collections I mention in this article ar available for free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Census_Records\"><\/span>Census Records<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Census records can reveal information about your ancestors&#8217; households, occupations, and birthplaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>African Americans have been enumerated in U.S. census records since 1870, the first census after emancipation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Prior to that, the 1850 and 1860 slave schedules can provide some information about enslaved individuals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, they usually list only the slave owner&#8217;s name and a description of the enslaved person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Historical census records are available for online search on FamilySearch.org and Ancestry.com (and elsewhere).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Freedmens_Bureau_Records\"><\/span>Freedmen&#8217;s Bureau Records<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Freedmen\u2019s Bureau was established after the Civil War to assist newly emancipated African Americans in various aspects of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The records can provide information about marriages, labor contracts, and other life events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I have lot more details in this article on <a href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/research-freedmens-bureau-records\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"1893\">researching Freedmen\u2019s Bureau records<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Military_Records\"><\/span>Military Records<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Black Americans have served in every major U.S. conflict since the Revolutionary War.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Researching military records can provide insight into your ancestor&#8217;s military service, including their rank, unit, and service dates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Slave_Narratives\"><\/span>Slave Narratives<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>An organization called the Works Progress Administration collected first-hand accounts of slavery collected during the late 1930s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These records can provide valuable insight into the lives of enslaved African Americans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I have a separate in-depth article on <a href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wpa-slave-narratives-genealogy\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"1896\">using the slave narratives for family research<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Church_Records\"><\/span>Church Records<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Churches often recorded baptisms, marriages, and burials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many African American churches also kept membership records and minutes of church meetings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Newspaper_Archives\"><\/span>Newspaper Archives<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Local newspapers may contain obituaries, marriage announcements, and other information about your ancestors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>African American newspapers, published in various cities, can provide unique insights into the lives of African Americans during specific time periods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Websites_And_Online_Resources\"><\/span>Websites And Online Resources<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are many online resources specifically for African American genealogy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This includes sites such as the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society (AAHGS) and the International African American Museum&#8217;s Center for Family History.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"DNA_Tests\"><\/span>DNA Tests<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>DNA testing can help you trace your genetic heritage. It can potentially connect you to living relatives or ancestral communities in Africa.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019re just setting out on researching your family history, you have a fascinating but challenging journey ahead. I\u2019ve put together the top ten areas to start with. Oral History If possible, you should start your research by gathering information from family members. This can provide valuable insights into names, dates, and locations. Although this &#8230; <a title=\"How To Start Researching Your African American Family History\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/start-researching-african-american-family-history\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about How To Start Researching Your African American Family History\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2035,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1898"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1898"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1898\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2036,"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1898\/revisions\/2036"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2035"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1898"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1898"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1898"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}