Pre-1870 Challenges Ahead
Searching for African American families prior to 1870 can be a challenging task. But before you go further, make sure you have taken all the steps outlined in the the first Family Research page. Unfortunately, the care that was used to preserve the history of American whites was not extended to the history of African Americans. For that reason, many people believe their ancestors are lost forever to the morass of American slavery. But that is not true. In most cases, with a little luck and some determined research you can retrieve your ancestors from the America’s shameful history. Family Research II can help you find them.
National Archives Records
The National Archives has many sources of information on America’s slave history. They have even put together lists of resources specifically for African Americans. There’s a helpful PDF that gives the researcher a thoughtful explanation of what is available. They also now how an index on what Freedman’s Bureau records are available. When you go to the page, make sure to check out the links in the left hand column.
Family Research II Memo
Follow the suggestions in the memo. It highlights some of the difficulties of doing research for this period, but it also has plenty of suggestions on places to look for your ancestors. It will be a little frustrating, but they are out there waiting for you to find them. Best of luck.