African American Genealogy Group

Who Am I?

What do you already know about your family history? Every genealogy “How to” will tell you to start with yourself and work your way back. Use a pedigree chart and Family Group sheet to fill in what you know. List your parents, your grandparents and so on until you can fill in as much information as possible. The more information you gather, the more complete your family history will be.

Prepare

Talk to relatives and family and friends to gather more information. Ask about their lives and all members of the family. Take notes and use a tape recorder, if possible for clarification when inserting information in your pedigree chart. Remember to ask permission first as some individuals may take offence. Bring a digital camera with you to collect old pictures and records, such as birth, death and marriage certificates, and anything that will have locations and dates.

Now that you have determined what you know, make a list of what you need to know. The records most frequently used by researchers are the Census and Vital Records.

The Internet is also a great resource for research material and helps connect you to libraries, archives, Family History Centers and other research facilities. It is the best source to prepare for offline visits to many of these research facilities.

Research

Fill in missing information on your pedigree chart. Learn about the area where your family resided. Decide which individuals you want to focus on. Send for vital records. Research the census. Federal Census records from 1790-1930 are available at the National Archives at Market and 9th Streets, in Philadelphia, PA.

You can learn additional information about researching your family history by attending AAGG meetings.