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Quick Guide to African American Records (view source)
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For step-by-step instructions for finding African American families in recent U.S. records, see ''Finding Records of Your Ancestors, Part A: African American, 1870 to Present.'' | For step-by-step instructions for finding African American families in recent U.S. records, see ''Finding Records of Your Ancestors, Part A: African American, 1870 to Present.'' | ||
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===== General U. S. Records ===== | ===== General U. S. Records ===== | ||
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==== Making the Slave Connection ==== | ==== Making the Slave Connection ==== | ||
You must first identify the slave owner, and then study the owner’s records for clues to your family. Correctly identifying your ancestor in slave records is difficult. Even professional researchers are successful only about 50 percent of the time. | [[Image:James Hopkinsons Plantation Slaves Planting Sweet Potatoes.jpg|right|300px|James Hopkinsons Plantation Slaves Planting Sweet Potatoes.jpg]]You must first identify the slave owner, and then study the owner’s records for clues to your family. Correctly identifying your ancestor in slave records is difficult. Even professional researchers are successful only about 50 percent of the time. | ||
Keep in mind that only about 15 percent of former slaves took their last slave owner’s surname. Some took the surname of people they admired, such as Lincoln or Washington, and some took a surname they had been using for many years without the knowledge of the slave owner. | Keep in mind that only about 15 percent of former slaves took their last slave owner’s surname. Some took the surname of people they admired, such as Lincoln or Washington, and some took a surname they had been using for many years without the knowledge of the slave owner. | ||
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Slavery began in 1620 in the colonies. The following are key dates for emancipation: | Slavery began in 1620 in the colonies. The following are key dates for emancipation: | ||
:1777 Vermont is the first colony to abolish slavery. | :1777 Vermont is the first colony to abolish slavery. | ||
:1780 Pennsylvania passes a gradual emancipation law. | :1780 Pennsylvania passes a gradual emancipation law. | ||
:1783 Massachusetts prohibits slavery. | :1783 Massachusetts prohibits slavery. | ||
:1783 New Hampshire prohibits slavery. | :1783 New Hampshire prohibits slavery. | ||
:1784 Connecticut bars slavery. | :1784 Connecticut bars slavery. | ||
:1784 Rhode Island bans slavery. | :1784 Rhode Island bans slavery. | ||
:1790 Boston becomes the first U.S. city without slaves. | :1790 Boston becomes the first U.S. city without slaves. | ||
:1799 New York begins gradual emancipation. | :1799 New York begins gradual emancipation. | ||
:1804 New Jersey begins gradual emancipation. | :1804 New Jersey begins gradual emancipation. | ||
:1807 The U.S. Congress bans the slave trade by prohibiting "the importation of slaves into the United States or the territories thereof" after 1 January 1808. | :1807 The U.S. Congress bans the slave trade by prohibiting "the importation of slaves into the United States or the territories thereof" after 1 January 1808. | ||
:1863 The Emancipation Proclamation frees only slaves in states in rebellion against the Union. | :1863 The Emancipation Proclamation frees only slaves in states in rebellion against the Union. | ||
:1865 Last slaves in America freed on 19 June. | :1865 Last slaves in America freed on 19 June. | ||
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:*[[United States Freedmen’s Bureau Letters (FamilySearch Historical Records)]] | :*[[United States Freedmen’s Bureau Letters (FamilySearch Historical Records)]] | ||
{{African American|African American}} | {{African American|African American}}{{-}} | ||
[[Category:African_Americans]] [[Category:Melungeons]] [[Category:Ethnic,_Political,_or_Religious_Groups]] </div> | |||
[[Category:African_Americans]] [[Category:Melungeons]] [[Category:Ethnic,_Political,_or_Religious_Groups]] | |||