The PBS show FINDING YOUR ROOTS with Dr. Henry Louis Gates sparked a new interest in genealogy. But, you don’t need a team of professionals to find out about your family’s history. Your family history is important to know for many reasons and can help you make important decisions about your affairs. We did a show on Heirs Property in 2021. We discussed how Black people in the South are losing their land because of the problems with how inherited property is passed on. Doing your family research can help you keep track of Heirs Property.
On a more emotional level, we all want to know where we come from. That’s a challenging puzzle for African Americans who are descendants of enslaved Black people. But, it’s not impossible. With some disciplined research and a commitment to follow the leads, you can learn about your families.
Here are two memos and an instruction sheet from the National Archives on how to do your research. The memos are just to get you started and to familiarize you with the type of information that is available for you to use in your research. Have fun!
Getting Started