Black American Family History Research Compass

1. Identify the ancestor you would like to focus on and begin a family tree with this person.
2. Review any oral history notes to use as a guide for researching records related to your ancestor.
3. Access federal, state and county census records at the National Archives and online at Family Search or Ancestry
   
4. Free African Americans are in every federal census. The 1870 census, starts to include records on former slaves.
   
5. Key Records: Freedmen's Bureau & Bank, Civil War Service & Pension File, Free Negro Registers.