Jump to content

Quick Guide to African American Records: Difference between revisions

Quick Guide to African American Records (view source)

Revision as of 09:21, 7 February 2010

27 bytes added ,  7 February 2010
format
VisualWikitext
(t)
(format)
Line 1: Line 1:
''[[Portal:United States of America|United States ]] > [[African American Research|African American Research ]] > [[Quick Guide to African American Records|Search Strategies]]''  
''[[Portal:United States of America|United States ]] > [[African American Research|African American Research ]] > [[Quick_Guide_to_African_American_Records|Search Strategies]]''  


This ''Search Strategies'' section describes:  
This ''Search Strategies'' section describes:  
Line 111: Line 111:
= Searching Transition Records from Slavery to Freedom  =
= Searching Transition Records from Slavery to Freedom  =


'''Records of the Underground Railroad'''
=== Records of the Underground Railroad ===


Many slaves "stole" themselves. See:  
Many slaves "stole" themselves. See:  
Line 133: Line 133:
=== Sources for identifying the slave owner:  ===
=== Sources for identifying the slave owner:  ===


'''Military Records'''
==== Military Records ====


Civil War Colored Troops Service and Pension Records. These records list the date and place of birth of the soldier and may name the last slave owner.  
Civil War Colored Troops Service and Pension Records. These records list the date and place of birth of the soldier and may name the last slave owner.  
Line 139: Line 139:
Other useful military records:  
Other useful military records:  


**Buffalo Soldiers (Indian wars)  
:*Buffalo Soldiers (Indian wars)  
**Philippine Insurrection (1898)  
:*Philippine Insurrection (1898)  
**Spanish-American War (1899–1901)  
:*Spanish-American War (1899–1901)  
**Mexican border disputes (1905–1907)  
:*Mexican border disputes (1905–1907)  
**World War I (1917–1918)
:*World War I (1917–1918)


For information on the above records, see:  
For information on the above records, see:  


**U.S. Military Records Research Outline available at this site.  
:*U.S. Military Records Research Outline available at this site.  
**Research outlines for the states where your ancestors lived - available on this site.
:*Research outlines for the states where your ancestors lived - available on this site.


'''Freedman’s Savings and Trust Records'''
==== Freedman’s Savings and Trust Records ====


Registers of Signatures of Depositors in Branches of the Freedman's Savings and Trust Company, 1865–1874. National Archives Microfilm Publications, M0816. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1969. (FHL films 0928571–91.)  
Registers of Signatures of Depositors in Branches of the Freedman's Savings and Trust Company, 1865–1874. National Archives Microfilm Publications, M0816. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1969. (FHL films 0928571–91.)  


**Information includes birthplace, place brought up, residence, age, complexion, name of employer or occupation, spouse, children, father, mother, brothers and sisters, remarks, and signature.  
:*Information includes birthplace, place brought up, residence, age, complexion, name of employer or occupation, spouse, children, father, mother, brothers and sisters, remarks, and signature.  
**Early books give the name of the former master or mistress and the name of the plantation.  
:*Early books give the name of the former master or mistress and the name of the plantation.  
**The Freedman's Bank records are part of National Archives Record Group 101, Records of the Comptroller of the Currency. For more information, see: [http://www.rstl.com/freedman.htm www.rstl.com/freedman.htm]
:*The Freedman's Bank records are part of National Archives Record Group 101, Records of the Comptroller of the Currency. For more information, see: [http://www.rstl.com/freedman.htm www.rstl.com/freedman.htm]


Note: Do not confuse records of the Freedman’s Savings and Trust Company with records of the Freedmen's Bureau listed below. When the trust company closed, the Freedmen’s Bureau tried to recover the money. Freedmen’s Bureau records are part of National Archives Record Group 105.  
Note: Do not confuse records of the Freedman’s Savings and Trust Company with records of the Freedmen's Bureau listed below. When the trust company closed, the Freedmen’s Bureau tried to recover the money. Freedmen’s Bureau records are part of National Archives Record Group 105.  


'''Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned ''''''Lands (Freedmen’s Bureau)'''
==== Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands (Freedmen’s Bureau) ====


There are two sets in this collection: commissioner’s records and field office records. The field office records are the most useful, but can be searched only at the National Archives.  
There are two sets in this collection: commissioner’s records and field office records. The field office records are the most useful, but can be searched only at the National Archives.  
Line 170: Line 170:
The records are divided as follows:  
The records are divided as follows:  


**Part 1, Alabama–Louisiana  
:*Part 1, Alabama–Louisiana  
**Part 2, Maryland–South Carolina  
:*Part 2, Maryland–South Carolina  
**Part 3, Tennessee–Virginia and Records of the Field Offices of the Freedmen's Branch, Office of the Adjutant General, 1872–78
:*Part 3, Tennessee–Virginia and Records of the Field Offices of the Freedmen's Branch, Office of the Adjutant General, 1872–78


More information on the Freedmen's Bureau is available at that wiki.  
More information on the Freedmen's Bureau is available at that wiki.  


'''Southern Claims Commission Records'''
==== Southern Claims Commission Records ====


United States. House of Representatives. Commissioners of Claims. Records of the Commissioners of Claims 1871–1880. National Archives Microfilm Publications, M0087. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1945. (FHL film 1463963–76.)  
United States. House of Representatives. Commissioners of Claims. Records of the Commissioners of Claims 1871–1880. National Archives Microfilm Publications, M0087. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1945. (FHL film 1463963–76.)  


**Nearly 22,300 cases are filed by individuals, family groups, churches, and businesses.  
:*Nearly 22,300 cases are filed by individuals, family groups, churches, and businesses.  
**Case files include items such as family letters and Bibles, wills, probate records, personal accounts, property inventories, and other genealogical data.  
:*Case files include items such as family letters and Bibles, wills, probate records, personal accounts, property inventories, and other genealogical data.  
**These records can help you learn if an ancestor had been a slave.  
:*These records can help you learn if an ancestor had been a slave.  
**Records include testimony of neighbors, relatives, and former slaves to support a claimant’s assertion that he or she is due repayment for property taken during the Civil War because of loyalty to the Union.
:*Records include testimony of neighbors, relatives, and former slaves to support a claimant’s assertion that he or she is due repayment for property taken during the Civil War because of loyalty to the Union.


A master index to these case files is:  
A master index to these case files is:  
Line 189: Line 189:
Mills, Gary B. Southern Loyalists in the Civil War: The Southern Claims Commission. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing, 1994. (FHL book 975 M2s) Gives the name of the claimant, his or her county and state, the commission number, office and report numbers, and the year and status of the claim.  
Mills, Gary B. Southern Loyalists in the Civil War: The Southern Claims Commission. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing, 1994. (FHL book 975 M2s) Gives the name of the claimant, his or her county and state, the commission number, office and report numbers, and the year and status of the claim.  


'''American Slave Narratives'''
==== American Slave Narratives ====


In the 1930s the WPA Writers Project compiled over 3,500 typescript interviews of former American slaves. Access and indexes are available through:  
In the 1930s the WPA Writers Project compiled over 3,500 typescript interviews of former American slaves. Access and indexes are available through:  
Line 198: Line 198:
:*University of North Carolina's free site ''[http://docsouth.unc.edu/neh/ North American Slave Narratives]''.
:*University of North Carolina's free site ''[http://docsouth.unc.edu/neh/ North American Slave Narratives]''.


'''Apprenticeship and Orphans’ Records'''
==== Apprenticeship and Orphans’ Records ====


See both Freedmen’s Bureau and county court records for information on guardianship and apprentices. Former slave owners often became the legal guardians of infants and small children. Orphans old enough to work were also apprenticed to the former slave owner.  
See both Freedmen’s Bureau and county court records for information on guardianship and apprentices. Former slave owners often became the legal guardians of infants and small children. Orphans old enough to work were also apprenticed to the former slave owner.  


'''Another Way of Identifying the Slave Owner'''
=== Another Way of Identifying the Slave Owner ===


If the sources listed above do not help you identify a slave owner, try the following technique:  
If the sources listed above do not help you identify a slave owner, try the following technique:  
Line 218: Line 218:
When you know the slave owner’s name or if you have a list of possibilities:  
When you know the slave owner’s name or if you have a list of possibilities:  


1. Study the life and records of the slave owner and his family. Your ancestor’s life was inseparably connected with the slave owner. Your ancestor will be listed in records of the slave owner’s property.  
1. Study the life and records of the slave owner and his family. Your ancestor’s life was inseparably connected with the slave owner. Your ancestor will be listed in records of the slave owner’s property. 2. Look for the slave owner’s name in:  
 
2. Look for the slave owner’s name in:  


*Federal census schedules, 1850 and 1860. Slave schedules give the age and sex of each slave. For information on using slave schedules, see: [http://www.webarchaelogy.com/html/slavschd.htm www.webarchaelogy.com/html/slavschd.htm]  
*Federal census schedules, 1850 and 1860. Slave schedules give the age and sex of each slave. For information on using slave schedules, see: [http://www.webarchaelogy.com/html/slavschd.htm www.webarchaelogy.com/html/slavschd.htm]  
Line 232: Line 230:
See Family History Library Bibliography of African American Sources for the films and guide books for this collection. Whenever possible, these records are listed under the county or state where the plantation was located. They are then listed alphabetically by the name of the slave owner.  
See Family History Library Bibliography of African American Sources for the films and guide books for this collection. Whenever possible, these records are listed under the county or state where the plantation was located. They are then listed alphabetically by the name of the slave owner.  


'''Other Slave Owners'''
=== Other Slave Owners ===


Several large industries owned slaves. See:  
Several large industries owned slaves. See:  
Line 243: Line 241:
*[http://www.hometown.aol.com/angelaw859/index.html www.hometown.aol.com/angelaw859/index.html]
*[http://www.hometown.aol.com/angelaw859/index.html www.hometown.aol.com/angelaw859/index.html]


'''Emancipation Time Line'''
=== Emancipation Time Line ===


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:  
Line 273: Line 271:
= For More Information  =
= For More Information  =


'''Guidebooks and Histories'''
=== Guidebooks and Histories ===


Walker, James D. Black Genealogy: How to Begin. Athens, Ga.: University of Georgia, Center for Continuing Education, 1977. (FHL book 973 F27w.)  
Walker, James D. Black Genealogy: How to Begin. Athens, Ga.: University of Georgia, Center for Continuing Education, 1977. (FHL book 973 F27w.)  
Line 290: Line 288:
[http://www.il.proquest.com/products/pt-product-AfricanAmBio.shtml www.il.proquest.com/products/pt-product-AfricanAmBio.shtml]  
[http://www.il.proquest.com/products/pt-product-AfricanAmBio.shtml www.il.proquest.com/products/pt-product-AfricanAmBio.shtml]  


'''Internet Sites'''
=== Internet Sites ===


*[http://www.afrigeneas.com/ www.afrigeneas.com]
*[http://www.afrigeneas.com/ www.afrigeneas.com]
DiltsGD
73,385

edits

Retrieved from "https://integration-ru.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Special:MobileDiff/268745"