Description
Tracing African American Family HistoryA vital research companion for anyone exploring African American family history-linking genealogy, historical context, and cultural connection across all 50 U.S. states.Tracing African American Family History: A Practical Guide to Reconstructing Roots Through Records, Oral History, and DNA is a practical and empowering guide for tracing Black family history across the United States. Written by Paul Crooks-renowned for pioneering African Caribbean genealogy research-this book bridges genealogy with cultural history to support individual researchers, educators, librarians, and community-based genealogy programs.Drawing on years of experience responding to questions from African American audiences at online events, Crooks developed this resource to meet a long-standing gap: a guide that maps out the records, archives, and historical context unique to each U.S. state while offering insight into the shared African diasporic experience.With a strong emphasis on encouraging discovery rooted in strength and resilience, this guide is grounded in the West African principle of Sankofa-reclaiming the past to inform and strengthen the present.Ideal for public libraries, genealogy educators, historical societies, and independent researchers, this guide offers:State-by-state breakdowns of key genealogical resourcesTools for tracing African American ancestry through slavery, emancipation, and migrationExplanations of record types, including Freedmen’s Bureau, military pensions, census data, and moreReflections that frame genealogy as both personal and cultural historyA supportive approach to exploring ancestry with dignity and purposeTracing African American Family History is more than a research guide-it is a tool for remembrance, resilience, and reclaiming legacy.
