African American Resources for Alabama: Difference between revisions

Resources for African American research fall into two periods: pre-and post-Civil War. Post-Civil War research consists of consulting the same record types you would use to research non–African Americans. Pre-Civil War records consist of slave importation declarations, plantation records, emancipation records, apprenticeship bonds for freedmen, Alabama hiring practices, census records, plantation owners’ family records, church and cemetery records, military records, and Alabama court records.  

*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1307888?collectionNameFilter=false Alabama Deaths 1908-1974]

*[http://archives.state.al.us/ Alabama Department of Archives and History]  

*Samford University: [http://samford.libguides.com/content.php?pid=48940&sid=360072 Primary Sources/Websites]

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20160116031559/http://africanaheritage.com:80/Larrys_Alabama_Archive.asp Larry's Alabama Archive] - Larry E. Caver Jr's Collection of Alabama records

*Access Genealogy: [http://www.accessgenealogy.com/african/alabama/ Alabama African American Records]

The records for Alabama can be found in the FamilySearch Catalog Subject Search under: FREEDMEN - ALABAMA

*[http://books.google.com/books?id=GhHb4IspnsgC&printsec=frontcover&dq=African-American+genealogy&lr=#v=onepage&q=&f=false ''Researching African American Genealogy in Alabama''] by Frazine K. Taylor (Google Books)

*Taylor, Frazine K.''Researching African American Genealogy in Alabama A Resource Guide.''Montgomery, Alabama: New South Books. 2008.

For a comprehensive history of slavery in Alabama, see:

*Sellers, James Benson. Slavery in Alabama. Tuscaloosa, Alabama: University of Alabama Press, 1950, 1994. (Available at the Family History Library, call no. 976.1 F2s) This 426 page book includes a bibliography, on pages 399–409.

To learn more about the Reconstruction Era (1868-1877), visit:

*Reconstruction in Alabama: [http://lestweforget.hamptonu.edu/page.cfm?uuid=9FEC4EC4-9F99-064D-99109BD6B7AE7CB1 Alabama's First Lawmakers]  

To learn more about the Jim Crow Era (1859-1964), visit:

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120303021441/http://www.jimcrowhistory.org/scripts/jimcrow/insidesouth.cgi?state=Alabama Jim Crow Laws: Alabama]  

*''Black Biographical Dictionaries, 1790–1950''. Alexandria, Virginia: Chadwyck-Healy, 1980. {{FHL|509200|item|disp=FHL fiche 6049870 (first of 1070 films.)}} This publication is sometimes referred to as "The Black Biography Project." Three of the sources included in this collection are:

*Bothe, Charles Octavius. ''The Cyclopedia of the Colored Baptists of Alabama: Their Leaders and Their Work''. Birmingham, Alabama: Birmingham Alabama Publishing, 1895. {{FHL|509200|item|disp=FHL fiche 6078965}} [set of 3]. This book contains biographies, birth dates, parents’ names, and sometimes pictures. It also provides information on associations and state conventions.

 

*Mixon, Winfield Henri. ''History of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Alabama, with Biographical Sketches.'' Selma, Alabama: A.M.E. Church Sunday School Union, 1902. (Family History Library {{FHL|509200|item|disp=FHL fiche 6079113}} [set of 3]. This book provides pictures, church minutes and history, and speeches. There is no index.

*Moorman, Joseph H. and E. L. Barrett. ''Leaders of the Colored Race in Alabama''. Mobile, Alabama: News Publishing, [198–?]. {{FHL|509200|item|disp=FHL fiche 6079115}} [set of 2]. This source contains biographical sketches with birth dates, educational information, a history of each minister’s service, and a history of churches. It includes an index.

 

To learn more about historic African American churches in Alabama, see ''The Cyclopedia of the Colored Baptists of Alabama: Their leaders and their work.'' Booth, Charles Octavius. Birmingham: Alabama Pub. Co., 1895. (available on [https://archive.org/details/cyclopediaofcolo00boot Archive.org])

 

*[http://www.blackpast.org/aah/st-bartley-primitive-baptist-church-huntsville-alabama-1808 St.Bartley Primitive Baptist Church Huntsville (1808- )]

*[http://www.blackpast.org/aah/dexter-avenue-baptist-church-montgomery-alabama Dexter Avenue Baptist Church Montgomery (1883- )]  

 

*Stampp, Kenneth M., ed. ''A Guide to Records of Antebellum Southern Plantations from the Revolution through the Civil War: Series A–M, Selections from the Manuscript Department, Duke University Library''. Frederick, Maryland: University Publications of America, 1986. {{FHL|1162175|item|disp=FHL book 975 H2sm.}} The Family History Library has microfilms of most of the records described in the guide. Alabama plantation records are scattered throughout.

For example, the booklet for Series F describes records of many plantations in Alabama and other states of the Deep South:

*''Records of Ante-bellum Southern Plantations from the Revolution Through the Civil War: Series F, Selections from the Manuscript Department'', Duke University Library. Frederick, Maryland: University Publications of America, 1986–1987. {{FHL|564185|item|disp=FHL films beginning with 1549774 (first of 84 films.}}

'''Civil War'''<br>

Over 10,000 Alabama freedmen served as Union Soldiers as well as in the Confederate Army.  

*Alabama. Department of Archives and History. Negroes in the Confederate Army, 1860–1907. (Family History Library [https://www.familysearch.org/s/catalog/show?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fcatalog.familysearch.org%3A8080%2Fwww-catalogapi-webservice%2Fitem%2F522854&hash=HloWXpZgU9zB10k5M56iYku8TUc%253D film 1653243 item 4].) This source lists the name of the soldier and his duty. It may indicate the name of the slave owner, the date of pay, master’s place of residence, where the soldier served in the military, and his military expenses.

*''Combat Connected Naval Causalities, World War II, by States.'' Two Volumes. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1946. {{FHL|287905|item|disp=FHL book 973 M3dc}} This source is alphabetically arranged by state, then within the state by dead, missing, wounded, Prisoner of War (POW), died or killed while a POW, and POWs released.  

The Tuskegee Airmen were America's first black military aviator group and served in the U.S. army between 1941 and 1946.<ref>Nancy Henderson, "Tuskegee Airmen," on ''American Profile'', http://americanprofile.com/articles/tuskegee-airmen/, accessed 11 May 2018.</ref>

*[http://tuskegeeairmen.org/explore-tai/a-brief-history/ Tuskegee Airmen] - An estimated 16,000 to 19,000 airmen including mechanics, parachute riggers, and support staff were involved.  

*For photos of Tuskegee Airmen visit [http://www.americanprofile.com/articles/tuskegee-airmen/ American Profile - Tuskegee Airmen]

See also [[Alabama Military Records|"Alabama Military Records"]]  

 

Slaves are sometimes mentioned in wills (see "[[Alabama Probate Records|Probate Records]]").

 

An excellent source is the Freedman’s Savings and Trust Company (visit this [[African American Freedman's Savings and Trust Company Records|wiki page]] to learn more). This company was created to assist African-American soldiers of the Civil War and freed slaves. 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 master or mistress 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.<br>  

*Freedman’s Savings and Trust Company (Huntsville, Alabama), ''Registers of Signatures of Depositors, 1865–1874''. National Archives Microfilm Publications, M0816. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1969. {{FHL|709429|item|disp=Family History Library film 928571}}

*Freedman’s Savings and Trust Company (Mobile, Alabama). ''Registers of Signatures of Depositors, 1867–1874.'' National Archives Microfilm Publications, M0816. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1969. {{FHL|133425|item|disp=Family History Library film 928572}}

 

 

The records are also available online at Familysearch.org - [https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1417695 United States, Freedman's Bank Records, 1865-1874]

 

The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands was created by the US government in 1865 to assist former slaves 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 masters and plantations, and current residences.<ref>"African American Records: Freedmen's Bureau," "African American Heritage," ''National Archives'', accessed 11 May 2018. </ref> 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 former slaves. These films do not appear to contain the names of former slaves. 

 

*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/2427901 ''United States, Freedmen's Bureau, Records of the Assistant Commissioner, 1865-1872''] Images only. National Archives Microfilm Publications, RG 105. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1969. Microfilms of the originals are available at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. This collection can also be viewed [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/362692?availability=Family%20History%20Library here].  These reports primarily contain statistical and historical information. 

 

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

 

Visit this [[African American Freedmen's Bureau Records|wiki page]] to learn more about utilizing these records.<br>

Records of African-Americans may be listed as "colored" in birth, marriage and death records. See [[Alabama Birth, Marriage, and Death Records|Alabama Birth, Marriage, and Death Records]] for those records  

 

{{African American|African American}}  

{{Alabama|Alabama}}