Black History Month in the United States can trace its roots nearly 100 years back to a 1926 celebration of Black history held on the second week in February, which coincided with the birth dates of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. Although the names and dates of the recognition have evolved over the past century, the purpose remains to honor the important contributions of the Black community in American history.
Genealogical advances and the larger availability of records
that were difficult or impossible to access in the past make this the best time
in history to research African American heritage.
If you’re looking for help getting started, check out ConferenceKeeper.org for upcoming
events that relate to African
American research. This month there are many events spotlighting the
importance and the how-tos of Black genealogy.
Below are some resources that can help with family history
research.
- African American Genealogy (FamilySearch Wiki)
- African American category (Cyndi’s List)
- 10 Million Names (Collaborative project dedicated to remembering the estimated 10 million enslaved individuals in the US)
- African American Newspapers (Chronicling America, Library of Congress)
- Freedman’s Bank Records, 1865-1874 (FamilySearch)
- Southern Claims Commission (FamilySearch guide to the records with links to some online available records.)
- Mapping the Freedmen’s Bureau
- Freedmen’s Bureau Records on FamilySearch
- Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database (National Parks Service)
- African American Heritage (National Archives and Records Administration)
- Also see the NARA blog, Rediscovering Black History
- Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society (AAHGS). Also look for local chapters through this website of the national organization.
- National Museum of African American History & Culture (Smithsonian)
- International African American Museum: Center for Family History (Charleston, South Carolina)
This list represents a fraction of what you can find for
African American family history research. Be sure to search for more
collections on both the state and local
levels, as these more and more records become available.
