* African American Resources
* Family History Lesson Resources
* Jewish Resources

 FAMILY HISTORY RESOURCES


African American
  Family History
    Resources

   

Records and Databases

1880 U.S. Census
The 1880 U.S. Census includes names, dates, and places for nearly 6 million African Americans.

Family History Library Catalog
The Family History Library Catalog contains a large collection of national, state, county, and local records that are available on microfilm through your local Family History Center.

Freedman's Bank Records
The Freedman's Bank Records includes information for nearly 500,000 African Americans from the post-Civil War era. Records are available for free at your local Family History Center or online with our beta Record Search.

FamilySearch Indexing Projects

FamilySearch Indexing
FamilySearch Indexing is volunteer-based effort to index billions of records from around the world. The indexes will then be made freely available online. Current projects include censuses, vital records, and various historical documents. Find out more...

African American Genealogy Presentations

Many presentations from the 2006 AAHGS Conference (Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society) are now available to download and view for free. These are large files (200-400 MB each) and must be downloaded before viewing. Files are optimized for viewing with the free Quicktime media player available at http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download. To download a presentation, please right click the link and select 'Save Target As' or 'Save Link As'.

Presentations include:

  1. Dr. Quintard Taylor, Jr., Author and Professor of American History, University of Washington
    Presentation: Roots West: African American History in the Trans-Mississippi West
    http://broadcast.lds.org/familysearch/aahgs/AAHGS_Feb2007_QuintardTaylor.mp4
     
  2. Mary Hill, Author and accredited genealogist for Southern and Eastern States
    Presentation: Finding Records of Your Ancestors: 1870 to Present
    http://broadcast.lds.org/familysearch/aahgs/AAHGS_Feb2007_MaryHill.mp4
     
  3. Beth Wilson, Reference librarian for land records, African-American genealogy, and documentation research
    Presentation: Trails Back: Tracing Ancestors in Slavery through Census, Probate, and Land Research
    http://broadcast.lds.org/familysearch/aahgs/AAHGS_Feb2007_BethWilson.mp4
     
  4. Dr. Spencer Crew, Director of the National Museum of American History, Washington, D.C.
    Presentation: National Underground Railroad Freedom Center: Activities and Accomplishments
    http://broadcast.lds.org/familysearch/aahgs/AAHGS_Feb2007_SpencerCrew.mp4
     
  5. Angela Walton Raji, Author and avid African–Native American genealogist
    Presentation: Beyond the Dawes Rolls: Black Indian Ancestry East of the Mississippi
    http://broadcast.lds.org/familysearch/aahgs/AAHGS_Feb2007_AngelaWaltonRaji.mp4
     
  6. Adele Marcum, Professional genealogist and content specialist
    Presentation: Where Should I Start? Beginning Research on Ancestry.com
    http://broadcast.lds.org/familysearch/aahgs/AAHGS_Feb2007_AdeleMarcum.mp4
     
  7. Howard Dodson, Chief, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture at the New York Public Library
    Presentation: Beyond Victimization: The Triumph Over Slavery
    http://broadcast.lds.org/familysearch/aahgs/AAHGS_Feb2007_HowardDodson.mp4

Help Near You

Family History Center
Find a family history center near your home. Local staff can offer you free personal help and access to many other services. Find a center...

Genealogy Software

PAF v5.2 (Personal Ancestral File)
PAF is free genealogy software that allows you to quickly and easily collect, organize, and share your family history information.

Helpful Guides

How Do I Start?
Simple steps to begin your family history.

Finding African American Records
In-depth guide to finding records from 1870 to the present.

Quick Guide To African American Research
Helpful guide to researching family history.

State Research Guides
Individual guides to finding records and indexes in each U.S. state.

Forms

Family Pedigree Worksheet (Family Tree)
Family Group Worksheet


 

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