Full Description
Trace, document, record, and write your family's history with this easy-to-read, step-by-step authoritative guide.
Finally, here is the fun, easy-to-use guide that African Americans have been waiting for since Alex Haley published Roots more than twenty-five years ago. Written by the leading African American professional genealogist in the United States who teaches and lectures widely, Black Roots highlights some of the special problems, solutions, and sources unique to African Americans. Based on solid genealogical principles and designed for those who have little or no experience researching their family's past, but valuable to any genealogist, this book explains everything you need to get started, including: where to search close to home, where to write for records, how to make the best use of libraries and the Internet, and how to organize research, analyze historical documents, and write the family history.
THIS GUIDE ALSO INCLUDES:
real case histories that illustrate the unique challenges posed to African Americans and how they were solved
more than 100 illustrations and photographs of actual documents and records you're likely to encounter when tracing your family tree
samples of all the worksheets and forms you'll need to keep your research in order
a list of the traps even experienced researchers often fall into that hamper their research
Contents
Contents
Preface: Why a Need for This Book?
Introduction
Part I: Preparing to Research
What Is Genealogy?
Why Research Genealogy?
Fundamentals: The Building Blocks of African American Genealogy
Organizing Before It Gets Messy
Preserving the Past and the Present
Managing Your Research
Part II: Beginning Steps
Oral History -- The Most Important Thing You Can Do
The Family Archives -- Researching Family Records
Family Group Sheets
The Pedigree Chart
Records in Cemeteries
Records in Funeral Homes
Vital Records
Going to the Library
Social Security Records
U.S. Census Records
Part III: Stepping into the Future
Electronic Genealogy: Computers and the Internet
Writing the Family History
I Can't Stop Now: Continuing the Search
Putting It All Together
Appendixes
Glossary
Acronyms
Biography of Robert Elliott Burroughs
Traps
Directory of Sources
Bibliography
Index