In honor of Black History Month and in keeping with our 2019 theme of family history education, I am offering this brief tutorial on African American Genealogy.
First, please understand that I AM NOT AN EXPERT in this field.
Understood? Good!
Start your research the same way as any other genealogy research, with yourself. Work back through each generation using vital records, census records, oral family histories and newspapers. Those techniques are being highlighted once a month in this blog, but are also available in many, many places, both online and in books.
While not impossible, as Henry Louis Gates Jr. has proved time and again on his popular television shows, Faces of America and Finding Your Roots, African American genealogy presents unique challenges. Such as:
- The brick wall of slavery. Prior to emancipation, slaves were not given surnames and not listed by name in typical records, such as census and vital records (births, deaths & marriages).
- The use of nicknames. So will the record be under a nickname or given name? You will need to check under both.
- Surname changes, particularly after the Civil War when the newly freed people had to pick a surname for the first time. Often, they chose the name of a previous slave owner, or someone they really admired like Lincoln or Washington. Later, people would change their surname to reflect major changes in their life. Like when Cassius Clay became Muhammad Ali to reflect his religious conviction.
- Reticence to talk about bad times. While not unique to the Black community, it is more prevalent. Painful memories can deter relatives from talking about their ancestors.
- For various reasons, African Americans have been under-documented in official records. That means that even when there should be a record, sometimes there isn't one.
- Many southern states didn't start requiring registration of vital records until after 1900.
- Enslaved people were not listed by name in pre-emancipation census records.
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| An unidentified African American Civil War soldier poses with his family in this ambrotype from the Library of Congress. |
The following are special records that can aid in researching African American ancestry:
- Freedman's Bureau was set up after the Civil War to help the recently freed people with food, housing and education as the acclimated to their new status as free people. These papers are available on the Library database Heritage Quest Online.
- Southern Claims Commison whose purpose was to reimburse southern Loyalists whose property was confiscated by the Union Army. Neighbors of all classes were questioned in these claims. Some can be accessed on Ancestry, the Family History Centers and Fold3.
- American Slave Narratives - besides the personal accounts written by or about people who had been slaves, the Federal Government commissioned out of work writers to interview ex-slaves during the depression. They are available on the Library of Congress web site.
- Property and probate records of slave owners - available in local court records.
- African American newspapers - for example the Cleveland Public Library has a database that covers the Cleveland paper, The Call and Post for members with a card from the Cleveland Library. Also, after emancipation people would put notices in local newspapers trying to locate missing family members. Check the area newspapers for the time period.
- Cohabitation Records – Records found in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, were created to legalize marriages and legitimize children for people who had been enslaved. Found in local courthouses, state libraries, state archives, or county historical societies.
- Free Negro Registries – Prior to Emancipation, free African Americans were required to register proof of their free status in many states, such as Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia/West Virginia. These records are sometimes found in a separate book called “Registry of Free Negroes and Mulattoes” or in the county Minutes Books (court records). Some registers are published by the county and available for sale or found in libraries. Most are available by microfilm at state libraries or archives. Some county registers are also available online.
- Alabama 1866 State Census – The first count of all inhabitants of a state after the Civil War. Everyone in neighboring households may not necessarily be related, despite sharing the same surname. Available on Ancestry Library Edition
- African American Heritage database allows you to search records, books, serials, and other historical records specific to African Americans to trace your genealogy or to do research. Available from the Library's list of databases.
The Medina Library has these books to help your search:
- A Genealogist's Guide to Discovering Your African-American Ancestors : How to Find and Record Your Unique Heritage - 929.1089 SMI by Franklin Carter Smith.
- Finding Oprah's Roots Finding Your Own - 929.1071 GAT by Henry Louis Gates Jr.
Lastly, these web sites should be helpful:
- Access Genealogy
- African American Genealogy from the New England Historic and Genealogical Society
- African American links on Cyndi's List
- African American Research from the National Archives
- Afrigeneas Slave Data
- Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society
- Center for African American Genealogical Research
- Guide to Finding African American Ancestors
- The Genealogy Page from BlackPast.org
- Where Do I Begin African American Research from FamilySearch.org
As always, good luck in your research!
