African American Resources for Wisconsin

Many African Americans settled in Wisconsin. They were trappers and boatmen in the 1700s. Settlers from the Southern states brought enslaved persons with them. There were many free African Americans in Wisconsin also. For more information, you may wish to contact:

Helpful sources for learning about African Americans in Wisconsin is:

Zachary Cooper, Black Settlers in Rural Wisconsin (Madison, Wisconsin: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 1997; FS Library book 977.5 A1 no. 51).

Cooper, Zachary. Black Settlers in Rural Wisconsin. - Madison: State Historical Society of Wisconsin. 1977. - E185.93.W58 C66 FS Library book 977.5 Al #51

Negro Business Directory of the State of Wisconsin. - [Milwaukee: S.n., 1950/51-1953.54] 2 vol. E185.93W58 N4

Slave Movement During the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries

The few enslaved persons that may have been in Wisconsin before the Civil War may be listed in the United States Census Slave Schedules. Wisconsin was not highly populated before the Civil War but after the War movement brought all groups, including African Americans. See also:

Resources[edit | edit source]

Biographies[edit | edit source]

Cemeteries[edit | edit source]

African American Cemeteries Online

Census Records[edit | edit source]

Church Records[edit | edit source]

Emancipation Records[edit | edit source]

Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]

CAAGS Obituary and Funeral Home Collection at California African American Genealogical Society - index & images

Genealogies[edit | edit source]

Land and Property[edit | edit source]

Plantation[edit | edit source]

Obituaries[edit | edit source]

CAAGS Obituary and Funeral Home Collection at California African American Genealogical Society - index & images

Oral Histories[edit | edit source]

Other Records[edit | edit source]

Military Records[edit | edit source]

Many of those involved in the Civil War moved after the War.

Newspapers[edit | edit source]

Probate Records[edit | edit source]

Reconstruction Records[edit | edit source]

Freedman’s Bank[edit | edit source]

An excellent source is the Freedman’s Savings and Trust Company (visit the African American Freedman's Savings and Trust Company Records page to learn more). This company was created to assist African American soldiers of the Civil War and Freedmen. Freedman’s Savings and Trust Company signature cards or registers from 3 March 1865 to 25 July 1874 may list the name of the depositor, date of entry, age, birthplace, residence, complexion, name of employer or occupation, wife or husband’s name, death information, children’s names, name of father and mother, brothers’ and sisters’ names, remarks, and signature. Early books sometimes contained the name of the former slaveholder and the name of the plantation. Copies of death certificates were sometimes attached to the entries. The collection is organized alphabetically by state, then city where the bank was located, then date the account was established, then account number.

Online collections of Freedman's Bank records:

Freedmen's Bureau[edit | edit source]

The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands was created by the US government in 1865 until 1872 to assist formerly enslaved persons in the southern United States. The Bureau created a wide variety of records extremely valuable to genealogists. Such documents include censuses, marriage records, and medical records. These records often include full names, former slaveholders and plantations, and current residences.^[1] For 1865 and 1866, the section on abandoned and confiscated lands includes the names of the owners of the plantations or homes that were abandoned, confiscated, or leased. It gives the county and location, a description of the house, the number of acres owned, and the number of cabins of enslaved persons. These films do not appear to contain the names of the enslaved.

To find Freedmen's Bureau records:

DiscoverFreedmen - the search on this site will utilize all of the Freedmen's Bureau records on FamilySearch, including:

Other FamilySearch collections not included:
- United States Freedmen's Bureau Miscellaneous Records,1865-1872 - How to Use this Collection
- United States Freedmen's Bureau, Records of Freedmen, 1865-1872 - How to Use this Collection
- United States, Freedmen's Bureau, Records of the Assistant Commissioner, 1865-1872 Images only. These reports primarily contain statistical and historical information. - How to Use this Collection

More collections are available in the FamilySearch Catalog. Search for "FREEDMEN - WISCONSIN" in the Subjects search bar to find.

Visit the African American Freedmen's Bureau Records page to learn more about utilizing these records.

School Records[edit | edit source]

Slavery Records[edit | edit source]

Vital Records[edit | edit source]

Birth[edit | edit source]

Marriage[edit | edit source]

The Freedmen's Bureau (1865-1872) was created by the US government to assist formerly enslaved persons in the southern United States. One of their responsibilities was to record the marriages (past and present) of the formerly enslaved couples. These records can be found in the collections below and include the lists of marriages that occurred previously, marriage certificates, and marriage licenses. The information contained on the records may include the name of the husband and wife/groom and bride, age, occupation, residence, year or date of marriage, by whom, number of children, and remarks.