FBA Digital Archive
FBA Genealogy & Lineage Center
Research your family's roots. Connect your lineage to the broader Foundational Black American story. Every family has a history worth preserving.
Our Research Standard
Genealogical evidence should be evaluated using documented historical records and multiple independent sources whenever possible. The FBA Genealogy Center prioritizes primary source documentation — original records created at or near the time of the event — over family tradition, secondary accounts, or undocumented claims. We encourage researchers to cite their sources, acknowledge gaps in the record, and distinguish between what is documented and what is inferred.
The official repository of U.S. federal records, including census records, military records, Freedmen's Bureau records, and naturalization records.
Digitized historical newspapers, photographs, maps, manuscripts, and other primary sources.
Free genealogical database with billions of historical records, including U.S. census records, vital records, and international collections.
Records of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands (1865–1872), including labor contracts, marriage records, ration records, and claims.
Subscription-based database with U.S. census records, vital records, military records, and digitized historical documents.
Getting Started
Begin your research with a clear methodology. Document what you know, identify what you need to find, and build your research plan from the present backward into the past.
- Start with yourself and work backward through living relatives
- Collect birth certificates, death certificates, marriage licenses, and military discharge papers from family members
- Record oral family history — names, places, dates, and stories — before they are lost
- Create a research log to track what you have searched and what you have found
- Distinguish between what is documented and what is family tradition
1870 Census Research
The 1870 U.S. Census is the first federal census in which formerly enslaved people appear by name. It is often the critical bridge connecting post-Civil War families to their pre-war origins.
- The 1870 census lists all household members by name, age, birthplace, and occupation
- Look for clusters of families with the same surname — formerly enslaved people often settled near each other after emancipation
- Compare 1870 entries with 1880 census records to track family movement
- Note the birthplaces of parents listed for children — this can indicate migration patterns
- The 1870 Slave Schedule from 1860 lists enslaved people by age and sex only — no names — but can help identify enslavers
Freedmen's Bureau Records
The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands (1865–1872) created extensive records of formerly enslaved people, including labor contracts, marriage registers, ration records, hospital records, and claims.
- Freedmen's Bureau records are organized by state and sub-office
- Marriage registers often record the names of enslaved spouses and their former enslavers
- Labor contracts name formerly enslaved workers and their employers
- Hospital and medical records can provide birth dates and physical descriptions
- Many Freedmen's Bureau records are digitized and searchable at FamilySearch.org and NARA
Slave Schedules
The 1850 and 1860 U.S. Census Slave Schedules list enslaved people by age, sex, and color — but not by name. They are listed under the name of the enslaver. These records can help identify the enslaving household.
- Slave Schedules are organized by county and then by enslaver name
- Match the age and description of an enslaved person in the Slave Schedule to a person appearing by name in the 1870 census
- Note the names of neighboring enslavers — enslaved people were sometimes sold to or hired out to neighbors
- Cross-reference with estate inventories, wills, and probate records that may name enslaved people
- The 1870 census birthplace column can help identify the state of origin for formerly enslaved people
Military Records
Military records are among the richest genealogical sources for FBA research, covering service from the Revolutionary War through the present. Records include enlistment papers, pension files, and service records.
- United States Colored Troops (USCT) records from the Civil War are available at NARA and Fold3
- Pension files often contain detailed personal information including physical descriptions, family relationships, and post-war residences
- WWI and WWII draft registration cards list name, address, age, birthdate, birthplace, employer, and physical description
- The Buffalo Soldiers and other post-Civil War Black regiments have extensive records at NARA
- Discharge papers (DD-214 for modern veterans) are essential documents to obtain from family members
Land & Property Records
Land records document property ownership and can establish long-term family presence in a community. For FBA researchers, land records from the Reconstruction era are particularly significant.
- Deed books are held at county courthouses and often digitized by state archives
- The Southern Homestead Act of 1866 opened federal land to Black families — records are at NARA
- Tax records list property owners and can track family wealth over time
- Plat maps show the location of land parcels and can identify neighboring families
- Land records often predate vital records and can establish family presence in a community
Birth, Marriage & Death Records
Vital records — birth, marriage, and death certificates — are the foundation of genealogical research. Availability varies significantly by state and time period.
- Most states did not require vital registration until the late 19th or early 20th century
- Church records often predate civil registration and may record births, marriages, and deaths
- Death certificates list the deceased's parents, birthplace, and cause of death — valuable for tracing earlier generations
- Marriage records often list the ages and birthplaces of both parties
- State archives and county courthouses hold vital records; many are digitized at FamilySearch and Ancestry
Wills & Probate
Wills and probate records can name enslaved people, document family relationships, and establish property ownership. For FBA researchers, the wills of enslavers may name enslaved ancestors.
- Probate records are held at county courthouses
- Wills sometimes name enslaved people individually, especially those bequeathed to specific heirs
- Estate inventories list all property including enslaved people with ages and sometimes names
- Freedmen's Bureau records sometimes reference wills and estate disputes involving formerly enslaved people
- Look for wills of neighbors and relatives of enslavers — enslaved people were sometimes mentioned in multiple estates
Historical Newspapers
Historical newspapers are an underused genealogical resource. Black newspapers in particular documented community life, births, deaths, marriages, church news, and social events.
- The Library of Congress Chronicling America database has digitized historical newspapers
- Black newspapers including the Chicago Defender, Pittsburgh Courier, and Baltimore Afro-American documented Black community life
- Obituaries often contain detailed family information
- Legal notices, property sales, and court records were published in local newspapers
- Newspapers.com and GenealogyBank offer subscription access to digitized historical newspapers
Church Records
Black churches were the center of community life and often maintained records of births, baptisms, marriages, deaths, and membership that predate civil registration.
- Contact the church directly — many historic Black churches still hold their original records
- The AME Church, AME Zion Church, and Baptist associations maintained records at the denominational level
- Church minutes sometimes record the names of members and their family relationships
- Missionary society records and church anniversary publications often contain historical information
- State archives and historical societies sometimes hold records of defunct churches
Family Bibles
Family Bibles often contain handwritten records of births, marriages, and deaths spanning multiple generations. They are among the most personal and valuable genealogical documents.
- Ask older family members if a family Bible exists
- Photograph every page of the Bible, not just the record pages
- Note the publication date of the Bible — entries made before that date were recorded later from memory
- Family Bibles can be submitted to state archives or historical societies for preservation
- The Daughters of the American Revolution has a collection of family Bible records
Oral Histories
Oral history — the stories passed from generation to generation — is an essential source for FBA genealogy. Record family stories before they are lost.
- Interview the oldest living family members as soon as possible
- Ask about names, places, occupations, migrations, and family stories
- Record interviews with audio or video and transcribe them
- Oral history is a starting point for research, not a substitute for documentation
- The Smithsonian and many universities have oral history collections that may include FBA families
DNA Research
DNA testing can confirm family relationships, identify unknown relatives, and provide information about geographic origins. It is a powerful complement to documentary research.
- Autosomal DNA tests (AncestryDNA, 23andMe, MyHeritage) identify relatives across all family lines
- Y-DNA tests trace the direct paternal line; mitochondrial DNA traces the direct maternal line
- DNA results should be interpreted alongside documentary evidence, not as a substitute for it
- African American DNA results often reflect the complex history of slavery, including non-consensual relationships
- The African Ancestry company specializes in tracing African lineage for people of African descent
Native & Indigenous Ancestry Research
Many Foundational Black Americans have Indigenous or Native ancestry. Researching this lineage requires specialized sources and an understanding of tribal enrollment requirements.
- The Five Civilized Tribes (Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, Seminole) held enslaved Black people and the Dawes Rolls (1898–1914) document tribal members and Freedmen
- The Bureau of Indian Affairs records are held at NARA
- Tribal enrollment is determined by each tribe's own criteria — DNA alone does not establish tribal membership
- The Seminole-Negro Indian Scouts and other mixed communities have specialized records
- University archives and tribal historic preservation offices are important resources
Building a Family Tree
A well-documented family tree is the foundation of genealogical research. Build it carefully, cite your sources, and distinguish between documented facts and inferences.
- Use genealogy software (Gramps, RootsMagic, MacFamilyTree) or online platforms (FamilySearch, Ancestry) to organize your research
- Cite every source for every fact — record the repository, collection, document type, and date accessed
- Use source citations to distinguish between primary sources, secondary sources, and family tradition
- Share your research with family members and other researchers — collaboration accelerates discovery
- Consider donating your documented family history to a historical society or university archive
Preserving Family Documents
Original family documents — photographs, letters, certificates, military records — are irreplaceable. Preserve them for future generations.
- Store original documents in acid-free folders and boxes away from heat, humidity, and light
- Digitize photographs and documents at high resolution (600 dpi minimum for documents, 1200 dpi for photographs)
- Store digital files in multiple locations — external hard drive, cloud storage, and with family members
- Label photographs with names, dates, and locations before memories fade
- Consider donating copies of significant documents to a historical society, university archive, or the National Museum of African American History and Culture