Recommended Reading & Viewing
Ancestry Academy Videos
These video courses and individual video lessons are available with both a paid or FREE subscription to Ancestry.com. A free subscription to Ancestry.com does not require you to purchase any type of subscription.
- (Video Course) Needles and Threads: Piecing Together African American FamiliesThrough examples and case studies, we'll explore the many areas of African American research you may be overlooking and provide some answers to puzzles you may have in your own family history. This course is longer than many on Ancestry Academy, but well worth watching. Just take it one lesson at a time and you'll learn unique methods to locating your slave ancestors, as well as freemen of color. Taught by Deborah A. Abbott, PhD.
- (Video Tutorial) Finding Your African American Ancestors on AncestryThis short tutorial is 40 seconds in length.
Legacy Family Tree Webinars
Legacy Family Tree Webinars produces a regular series of quality educational webinars on a variety of genealogy topics, for all levels of experience. Live webinars are available free to the public. However, a subscription membership provides on-demand access to their robust library of previously recorded webinars and a copy of the presentation handout.
- Monthly by Month Membership: $9.95/month
- Annual Membership: $49.95/year
- Single purchase (digital download): $9.95
- (LFTW) African American Genealogy WebinarsFind upcoming live webinars, and watch archived recordings of past webinars that focus on African American research. Live webinars are available for free. Archived webinars require a subscription.
- (LFTW) Freedmen's Bureau WebinarsFind upcoming live webinars, and watch archived recordings of past webinars that focus on researching Freedmen's Bureau records. Live webinars are available for free. Archived webinars require a subscription.
- (LFTW) African Diaspora WebinarsFind upcoming live webinars, and watch archived recordings of past webinars that focus on researching the African diasapora. Live webinars are available for free. Archived webinars require a subscription.
Recommended Blogs
- Nicka SmithNicka Smith is a professional photographer, speaker, host, and documentarian with more than 18 years of experience as a genealogist. She has extensive experience in African ancestored genealogy, reverse genealogy, and family reunion planning and execution. She is also an expert in genealogical research in the Northeastern Louisiana area, sharing genealogy with youth, documenting the ancestral journey, and employing the use of new technology in genealogy and family history research.
- Reclaiming KinPublished by Robyn N. Smith. This is what Reclaiming Kin is all about:
* to document family history research in a way that teaches and engages the reader,
* to share discoveries, finds, approaches and tools that further research,
* to provide ways to make our research exciting for others by adding social history,
* to shine a light on resources, repositories, websites and other sources, and
* to highlight and discuss the many challenges of slavery and slave research. - Roots RevealedPublished by Melvin J. Collier. I've been conducting historical and genealogical research since I was 19. It is a lifelong journey. This blog combines my passion for writing and genealogical research. I am currently the author of three books, Ealy Family Heritage: Documenting Our Legacy (2016), Mississippi to Africa: A Journey of Discovery (2008) and 150 Years Later: Broken Ties Mended (2011).
- The Root | Tracing Your RootsThe Root is a digital magazine that provides thought-provoking commentary and news from a variety of black perspectives. The Tracing Your Roots articles are written by Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Recommended Books
A Genealogist's Guide to Discovering Your African-American Ancestors by ISBN: 0806317884Publication Date: 2008-09-01Tracing one's African-American ancestry can be uniquely challenging. This guide helps overcome the obstacles and pitfalls of specialized research by offering a proven, three-part approach.
Black Roots by ISBN: 0684847043Publication Date: 2001-02-06Trace, document, record, and write your family's history with this easy-to-read, step-by-step authoritative guide. Finally, here is the fun, easy-to-use guide that African Americans have been waiting for since Alex Haley published Roots more than twenty-five years ago. Written by the leading African American professional genealogist in the United States who teaches and lectures widely, Black Roots highlights some of the special problems, solutions, and sources unique to African Americans. Based on solid genealogical principles and designed for those who have little or no experience researching their family's past, but valuable to any genealogist, this book explains everything you need to get started, including: where to search close to home, where to write for records, how to make the best use of libraries and the Internet, and how to organize research, analyze historical documents, and write the family history. THIS GUIDE ALSO INCLUDES: real case histories that illustrate the unique challenges posed to African Americans and how they were solved more than 100 illustrations and photographs of actual documents and records you're likely to encounter when tracing your family tree samples of all the worksheets and forms you'll need to keep your research in order a list of the traps even experienced researchers often fall into that hamper their research
Finding Oprah's Roots by ISBN: 9780307382382Publication Date: 2007-01-23Finding Oprah's Roots will not only endow readers with a new appreciation for the key contributions made by history’s unsung but also equip them with the tools to connect to pivotal figures in their own past. A roadmap through the intricacies of public documents and online databases, the book also highlights genetic testing resources that can make it possible to know one’s distant tribal roots in Africa. For Oprah, the path back to the past was emotion-filled and profoundly illuminating, connecting the narrative of her family to the larger American narrative and “anchoring” her in a way not previously possible. For the reader, Finding Oprah’s Roots offers the possibility of an equally rewarding experience.
Index to Records of Ante-Bellum Southern Plantations by ISBN: 9780786439904Publication Date: 2009-09-09Designed for both professional and amateur genealogists and other researchers, this index provides a detailed guide to materials available in the extensive Records of Ante-Bellum Southern Plantations microfilm set. By using this index to identify specific collections in which materials pertinent to a specific family name, plantation name, or location may be found, and then reviewing the details in the appropriate Guides (see Preface), the researcher may pinpoint the location of desired materials. The items indexed include deeds, wills, estate papers, genealogies, personal and business correspondence, account books, slave lists, and many other types of records. This new edition also includes a list of all of the manuscript collections included in the microfilm set.
- (Webcast) BlackProGenNicka Sewell-Smith is a nationally recognized speaker specializing in African American research. She, along with her Crew of panelists, host a monthly YouTube Live show that focuses on genealogy from a Black and people of color perspective. Each show is archived and available on-demand on YouTube.
- (Web Show) Genealogy Quick StartShamele Jordon is a nationally recognized expert on African American genealogy. Her show focuses on all things genealogy, and how to get started quickly, but it also often emphasizes African American research. The webcast is broadcast live every other Thursday, and archived recordings are available on YouTube.
- (Postcast) Research at the National Archives and BeyondBernice Bennett is a nationally recognized speaker with expertise in African American research. Her twice-monthly podcast covers all aspects of genealogy, however, it includes a strong focus on African American research.
- (Podcast) The African Roots PodcastAngela Walton-Raji is a nationally recognized speaker, specializing in African American research, including African-Native American research. Although the podcast has not been active since 2019, the archived episodes are available.
Many conferences and institutes now include regular educational programming focusing on African American research.
Genealogy Institutes
Research institutes are much more immersive experiences than a conference. Unlike conferences, institutes offer in-depth courses on a single topic that generally run one-week long, with all-day sessions. Institute courses are each taught by a team of instructors who specialize in that particular topic, and each session over the week builds in progression. These are not geared towards beginner genealogists.
- Midwest African American Genealogy Institute (MAAGI)The purpose of MAAGI is to educate and train those persons who have an interest in studying and documenting the history of African American families. Persons of all background are welcome to participate. The goal is to highlight those research techniques and strategies that are unique to family history of Americans of African Ancestry.
- Texas Institute of Genealogical Research (TIGR)The Texas State Genealogical Society’s institute, TIGR, promotes learning in an instructional classroom atmosphere, taking each attendee’s skills to another level. Course coordinators and instructors lead students for five days through a progression of topics on the same subject. TIGR is held every other year. It used to be held in Austin, Texas, but has remained all-virtual since the pandemic.
- Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP)GRIP provides intermediate and advanced level weeklong courses on a variety of genealogy topics, typically over two different weeks in June and July. GRIP is held annually. It went all-virtual during the pandemic, but has recently started offering a week of in-person courses, and a separate schedule of all-virtual courses.
- The Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR)IGHR is an annual week-long educational institute for genealogists. IGHR is not just for individuals whose research involves Georgia or southern ancestry. The institute is for genealogists of all backgrounds and skill levels from beginning to advanced. IGHR is held annually, and to be held in Athens, Georgia. IGHR has remained all-virtual since the pandemic.
- Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG)SLIG offers high-intermediate to advanced education and includes courses on methodology, standards, regional or ethnic group research, and research tools like DNA. All courses assume a working knowledge at an intermediate level or above. SLIG has remained all-virtual since the pandemic. However, it now offers institute courses year-round.
Genealogy Conferences
Conferences are generally multi-day events that offer a breadth of lectures and workshop on different topics. These focus on every learning level, from beginner to advanced experience.
- Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society (AAHGS) Annual ConferenceAAHGS focuses on African American history and genealogy. It hosts an annual conference.
- National Genealogical Society (NGS) Annual ConferenceNGS hosts an annual conference, which includes sessions that focus on American American research. The conference is generally held in May at a different U.S. location each year.
- RootsTechRootsTech is an annual conference hosted by FamilySearch, which regularly offers sessions on African American research. RootsTech usually takes place in late February and/or early March, and now describes itself as a virtual event with an in-person component in Salt Lake City, Utah.
- Texas State Genealogical Society (TxSGS) Annual Family History ConferenceTxSGS hosts an annual family history conference that regularly offers African American sessions. It is usually scheduled for October or November, and since the pandemic has been held as an all-virtual conference.
- Ohio Genealogical Society (OGS) Annual ConferenceOGS hosts an annual conference that regularly provides African American sessions. The conference is usually held in April or May, and rotates each year to a different Ohio major city.
Recommended Strategies for Researching Formerly Enslaved Ancestors
How to Trace Your Ancestors as Slaves
Professional Genealogist and Black ProGen LIVE host Nicka Smith explains why the following collections are so critical to researching your formerly enslaved ancestors: Civil War pensions, the 1870 U.S. Census, deeds, probate files, and Freedmen's Bureau records.
Researching Enslaved People and Free People of Color
Although this video highlights collections at the Library of Virginia, the types of records discussed are relevant to researching enslaved ancestors and free black ancestors from anywhere in the U.S. It is important to note that while more of these important collections are becoming digitized and made available online, many are still only available on microfilm, and others are sill only available in paper format.
Documenting Enslaved Family Networks in Your Online Tree
Documenting and tracking formerly enslaved individuals can be challenging, because you need to research the slaveholder and their family, as well as your enslaved ancestors. Genealogy databases and online trees do not handle that challenge well out-of-the-box. The Beyond Kin Project has developed a way to accomplish this need. The examples shown in the following use an Ancestry Tree.
How to Create a Beyond Kin Family Tree
This video tutorial explains why and how to set up what is called a Beyond Kin family tree in your online tree or genealogy software. It uses a fugitive slave ad as the instruction example.
How to Add Slave Schedule Information to a Beyond Kin Tree
This video tutorial demonstrates how to add information from a U.S. Census slave schedule to a Beyond Kin online tree.
Recommended Speakers
There are many genealogy speakers who have expertise in African American research. Following is a list of those who appear nationally, and whose sessions I regularly attend anytime I can, whether virtually or in-person.
- Ari WilkinsAri maintains a current speaking calendar on her website. She regularly coordinates and/or serves as faculty for courses at the GRIP, IGHR, SLIG, and TxSGS research institutes
- NIcka SmithNicka's website provides a current speaking calendar. She regularly serve as faculty at the MAAGI research institute. Her archived webinars can also be found on Legacy Family Tree Webinars.
- Deborah A. Abbott, PhDDebbie does not have a speaking calendar online, but Google her name to find her upcoming appearances. She is a frequent coordinator and/or faculty instructor at the GRIP, IGHR, SLIG, and TIGR research institutes. Debbie has an archived course available on Ancestry Academy.
- LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson, JDLaBrenda has a current speaking calendar available on her website. She is also a frequent coordinator and/or faculty instructor at the GRIP, IGHR, and SLIG research institutes. LaBrenda's archives webinars can be found on Legacy Family Tree Webinars.
- Renate Yarborough SandersRenata's blog has a current calendar of her speaking engagements.
- Tim PinnickTim's website does not have a current speaking calendar available, but Google his name to find his upcoming appearances. Tim can be found serving as faculty at the GRIP, IGHR, and TIGR research institues.
- Janice Lovelace, PhDJanice does not have a website, but you can Google her name to find upcoming speaking events. She serves as faculty at the MAAGI research institute, and you can find her archived webinars on Legacy Family Tree Webinars.
- Tony Burroughs, FUGATony's speaking calendar on his website has not been updated yet for 2021. Google his name to discover upcoming speaking events.
- J. Mark Lowe, CG, FUGAMark does not have a speaking calendar on his website, but Google his name to find his upcoming events. He has frequently coordinated and/or served as faculty at the GRIP, IGHR, SLIG, and TIGR institutes. His archived webinars can be found on Ancestry Academy and Legacy Family Tree Webinars.
