Tracing Your Ancestors - African American Research: A Practical Guide; Diane L. Richard; 2019; from Moorshead Magazines Ltd; 66 pp; Soft Cover; Saddle Stapled; ISBN: 978-1-926510-11-8; Item #: MM031

This guide is a concise easy-to-read and understand manual to African American genealogy research. Following the same pattern as previous Tracing Your Ancestors guides, the booklet promises to be a valuable addition to the collection of anyone undertaking the research of African American ancestors.

Titled Tracing Your Ancestors - African American Research: A Practical Guide, the 66-page booklet is written by Diane L Richard. The following is from the Table of Contents:

• Introduction: A brief overview of the focus, language and terminology covered in this issue
• Digital Library on American Slavery: A great resource for researching North Carolina, as well as all 15 slave states, including Washington D.C.
• Bills of Sale: A valuable resource when documenting the movements of enslaved persons from place to place
• 1867 Voter Registrations: We show you what you can learn from extant voter registrations
• Freedman's Bank Records: Records that can provide another piece in the puzzle when researching those previously enslaved
• Manumission: A look at how an enslaved ancestor may have finally been granted freedom
• Pre-Civil War Church Records: How to locate the relevant records that may reveal your ancestor's religious affiliations
• Free People of Color: We show you why it's important to understand the laws of the time and the locale you are researching
• 19th Century Newspaper Research: Locating escaped slave advertisements and finding lost relatives
• Mapping: Mapping resources help us visualize African American history
• Fraternal Organizations: Many African Americans belonged to fraternal organizations, but locating records can be a challenge
• Education History: We review the history and where you might find valuable records for your ancestor's schools
• The Green Book: A travel guide for the 20th century African American ancestors looking for welcoming destinations
• Funeral Programs: A source for genealogical information and a better understanding of your ancestor's community
• Photographic Collections: Image do speak a thousand words
• Manuscripts: Manuscripts are a valuable source for information when researching African American ancestors
• About the Author:

Diane L. Richard has M.E. and M.B.A. degrees from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). She has been doing genealogy since 1987, and since 204, professionally focused on the records of North Carolina and the Southern States. She has researched NC roots for the popular TV show Who Do You think You Are? and appeared on the Bryan Cranston episode.

Since 2006, she has authored over 300 articles on genealogy topics for numerous periodicals. From 2018-2017 she was the editor of Upfront with NGS, the blog of the National Genealogical Society. Diane is currently the editor of the NCGS Journal for the North Carolina Genealogical Society.

She has frequently researched, written on and spoken about topics specific to African American research.

Diane is the co-leader of Tar Heel Discoveries, www.tarheeldiscoveries.com, which offers guided North Carolina genealogical research programs providing participants targeted, focused, research assistance leading to new family discoveries. Learn more about Dian at MosiacRPM, www.mosaicrpm.com.