Be curious in ancestry research

When genealogists hear that researching African-American ancestors is difficult, many who are tracing them begin to expect some degree of failure. They may even decide that whatever information is recorded about those ancestors will be found in federal censuses, city directories and one or two other sources.

But that's no way to research ancestors. Not African-American ancestors, nor any others.

Ancestors should be researched by genealogists who are curious, adventurous and always open to enjoying the research process. Genealogists do their best work when thinking like a detective and ferreting out clues that signal family relationships.

The family historian who has low expectations is practically guaranteed to have a lower level of results.

Genealogists must be open to searching through an untold number of records if they are to fill in many blanks on their family trees. It does not make sense to assume that African-American ancestors will not be found in land, tax, probate and other records.

Researching those records can feel unfamiliar. Images of them are unlikely to be found on the Web, but at courthouses and in archives. Some records on microfilm also can be rented through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' family history center at 1519 Sam Rittenberg Blvd.

There also are sets of records, including those of African-American institutions, the Freedman's Savings and Trust Co. and the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands that can be something of a gold mine when conducting late 19th-century research on African-Americans.

In addition, case studies are being published in books and scholarly journals that show pathways for tracing African-American ancestors back into slavery.

Is it time for you to branch out and learn more about your ancestors?

Perhaps you can move ahead by using death certificates or funeral home and cemetery records. Or ask the regional offices of your ancestors' religious denominations where their church records are preserved and consult those.

Read additional columns by Wevonneda Minis

But first, visit the public library for a genealogy guide such as 'Black Roots: A Beginner's Guide to Tracing the African American Family Tree' by Tony Burroughs or 'A Genealogist's Guide to Discovering Your African-American Ancestors' by Franklin Carter Smith and Emily Anne Croom. Use guides to learn which records you are ready to research, where to find them and what information can be found in them.

Our collective history is made up of family histories. It's Black History Month. What role did your ancestors play?

Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com.