Resources for African American Genealogy

1. Documenting African-American Ancestors
African American Monument,
The State House, Columbia, SC

2. Robin Foster
Heritage Makers Independent Consultant
Columbia Ethnic Community Examiner
Columbia Social Media Examiner
My blogs: Saving Stories
Sharing the Legacy
Strong Branches
Follow me on Twitter: @savingstories
Twitter page: twitter.com/savingstories

4. Jus with a baby tsunami
By slingshots+meo remalante

5. Make sure you have
done your homework.
• Get back to basics
• Identify: ancestor
time period
location
• Identify what you want to learn.
• Find out what resources exist.
• Get comfortable with current technologies.
• Find out where to access resources.
• Find out where to go for help.
How do you prepare for a
Tsunami of records?

6. You must be able to tell where you have been in order to
determine where you are going.

7. Beginning Steps....
1. Gather all you have on your ancestor
and put in a box. Organize what you have.
2. Complete a Pedigree Chart
3. Prepare a Family Group Record
4. Start a Research Log to track your
findings.
5. Interview your closest living relatives.
Transcribe the interview.
6. Create a biographical outline of events in
the life of your ancestor.
7. Start a family history database and keep
it up to date.
Otis E. Tucker Vance
(1905-1996)
For more information:
Visit Saving Stories

9. What do you know already?
Complete the following forms using information you already
know about your ancestor.
1. Pedigree Chart
Dates: Day, Month, Year
6 April 1870
Places: City, County, State, Country
Columbia, Richland, South Carolina, USA
2. Two Family Group Records
(one with your ancestor as a child and one as a parent)
3. Biographical Outline

10. Use a family history database
to record information about your family
Download PAF 5.2 free
familysearch.org

11. Use a family history database
to record information about your family
Download PAF 5.2 free
familysearch.org

12. Use a family history database
to record information about your family
Download PAF 5.2 free
familysearch.org

13. Use a family history database
to record information about your family
Download PAF 5.2 free
familysearch.org

14. Use a family history database
to record information about your family
Download PAF 5.2 free
familysearch.org

15. Use a family history database
to record information about your family
Download PAF 5.2 free
familysearch.org

17. Identify what you want to learn about your ancestor and
which record types document that specific information.
1. Your personal knowledge.
2. Your personal papers.
3. Your photographs.
4. Parents, Grandparents, and other relatives.
5. Family bible
6. Funeral programs, obituaries
7. Family papers
8. Family photographs
9. Birth records
10. Marriage records
11. Death records
Develop your research declaration: “Beverly Vance was born about 1832,
according to the 1870 US Census. He was living in Abbeville District, SC
in Cokesbury. I want to know who his parents were.”

18. Locate different resources to
document your ancestor
12. Census records
13. Church records
14. School records
15. Newspapers
16. Journals
17. Local Histories
18. Genealogical societies
19. Voter’s records
20. Military records
21. Probate records
22. Land and property records
23. Biographies
24. Family Histories
25. Immigration/emigration
26. Tax records
27. Directories

19. Locate different resources to
document your ancestor
28. Naturalization/citizenship
29. Funeral homes
30. Hospitals
31. Employers
32. Fraternities/sororities
33. Slave narratives
34. Freedman’s Bureau Records
35. Periodicals
36. Cohabitation Records
37. Manumissions
38. Bill of sale

21. Try it today!
Beta.FamilySearch.org
beta.familysearch.org will soon
take the place of
the current familysearch.org site

22. Historical Records Collection

23. Historical Records Collection

24. Historical Records Collection

25. Historical Records Collection
South Carolina Deaths,
1915-1943

26. Historical Records Collection
Search for:
Jane McCoy
Greenville County, South Carolina
d. 1919

27. Historical Records Collection
Click here
Jane McCoy
Greenville County, South Carolina
d. 1919

28. Historical Records Collection
Click here
Index for Jane McCoy
Greenville County, South Carolina
d. 1919

29. Historical Records Collection
Death cert. for Jane McCoy
Greenville County, South Carolina
d. 1919
Click Full Screen

30. Death cert. for Jane McCoy
Greenville County, South Carolina
d. 1919
Exit Full Screen, Rotate, Invert, Save, Print
Zoom in +
Zoom out -

32. FamilySearch Wiki
Also wiki.familysearch.org

33. FamilySearch Wiki

34. FamilySearch Wiki
(Search county/parish/state or topic)

35. FamilySearch Wiki

36. Charleston County, South Carolina

37. Charleston County, South Carolina

38. African American Research on FS Wiki

39. African American Research on FS Wiki

40. African American Research on FS Wiki

41. African American Research on FS Wiki

42. What if you did not see a resource that
would help you on FamilySearch Wiki?

44. Ask For Free Research Assistance
Also forums.familysearch.org

45. Ask For Free Research Assistance
Also forums.familysearch.org

46. Ask For Free Research Assistance
Also forums.familysearch.org
Register Here
Check your email immediately
after you register.

47. Ask For Free Research Assistance
Also forums.familysearch.org
Register Here
Check your email immediately
after you register.
From now on
log in here

48. Ask For Free Research Assistance
Logged in:
Choose the locality

49. Ask For Free Research Assistance
Choose the locality

50. Ask For Free Research Assistance
Choose the locality
Scroll down

51. Ask For Free Research Assistance
Click New Thread

52. Ask For Free Research Assistance
1. Select State 2. Enter Title
3. Enter question
4. Tag name and locality
5. Preview6. Click Submit New Thread

53. Ask For Free Research Assistance
Click New Thread
Question is posted.
Check back periodically
for an answer.
Also, look for email.

54. Ask For Free Research Assistance
Click New Thread
Question is posted.
Check back periodically
for an answer.
Also, look for email.
Email response

55. Ask For Free Research Assistance
Click New Thread
Question is posted.
Check back periodically
for an answer.
Also, look for email.
Forums response

56. Join the African-American Social Group at
http://forums.familysearch.org/en/group.php?groupid=45
Social Groups

57. Join the African-American Social Group at
http://forums.familysearch.org/en/group.php?groupid=45
Social Groups1. Enter African American
2. Click Go

58. Join the African-American Social Group at
http://forums.familysearch.org/en/group.php?groupid=45
Select African-American Resources

59. Join the African-American Social Group at
http://forums.familysearch.org/en/group.php?groupid=45
Look for Join This Group

63. Slave Narratives

65. Download .PDF

66. Download .PDF
Click to download

67. Download .PDF
Click to download

68. Slave Narrative
Click to download

69. Download .PDF
Click to download

70. Download .PDF
Click to download

71. Download .PDF
Click to download

72. Download .PDF
Click to download

73. Need additional help?
Visit your local
Family History Center
support@familysearch.org
(866) 406-1830
Family History Centers in South Carolina, United States
Beaufort South Carolina
703 Parris Island Gateway
Beaufort, Beaufort, South Carolina, United States
Phone: 843-525-1823
Hours: By appointment only.
Charleston South Carolina
1519 Sam Rittenburg Blvd
Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina, United States
Phone: 843-766-6017
Hours: T-Th 10am-9pm; F-Sat 10am-2pm
Closed: Jan 1, 2, 30, Apr 3, Jul 1,2,3, Oct 2,23, Nov 23-27, Dec 21-31
Georgetown South Carolina
Pringle Ferry Rd
Georgetown, Georgetown, South Carolina
Phone: 834-527-2921
Attention: Does not have film circulation.
Heritage Library Foundation
32 Office Park Rd, Suite 300
Hilton Head Island, Beaufort, South Carolina
Phone: 843-686-6560
Hours: Mon, Thur, Fri, Sat 10am-3pm
Closed: On Saturday in July and August

74. Moncks Corner South Carolina
319 West Main St
Moncks Corner, Berkeley, South Carolina, United States
Phone: 843-761-8671
Hours: W-Th 6pm-9pm; Sat 10am-2pm
Orangeburg South Carolina
2740 Broughton St
Orangeburg, Orangeburg, South Carolina, United States
Phone: 803-531-5531
Hours: By appointment only.
Closed: Call listed telephone number for an appointment.
Ridgeland South Carolina
Grays HWY (278 West)
Ridgeland, Jasper, South Carolina, United States
Phone: 843-726-8241
Hours: Monday - Saturday by appt. Wed. evening 6-8PM
Sumter South Carolina
1770 Highway 15 S
Sumter, Sumter, South Carolina, United States
Phone: 803-481-8300
Hours: Hours vary. Call ahead.

75. Gather
Discover
Share
Preserve
Gather
what you have on hand.
Discover
more about an ancestor
you choose.
Share
what you discover with
your family.
Preserve
Photographs, history
and stories for future
generations.