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Black History is
American History.
Black History is American History.
Curious about the ancestors who paved the way for you? Whether you want go back
centuries, or explore your more recent history, it’s easy with family tree features, DNA
tools, and more.
Top tips for making meaningful discoveries.
Top tips for making meaningful discoveries.
Here are a few tips from Ancestry expert Nicka Sewell-Smith for researching your African American family history. Want more? Watch the full video or check out our research guide.
- Start with yourself.
You know a lot, including names, dates, and locations. Start with that and go from there.
- Talk with extended family.
Ask aunts, uncles, and cousins if they can share names or stories you may not know.
- Consider alternate spellings.
It sounds simple, but even common first and last names can be easily misspelled.
Choose a path to start your
family history journey.
Choose a path to start your
family history journey.
1950 U.S. Census
Search the most recently released U.S. census to learn details about your ancestors like where they lived, jobs they held, and so much more.
Family Tree
Create your family tree with the help of Ancestry Hints and over 70 billion records that you can search to find your ancestors.
AncestryDNA
Find your DNA matches with AncestryDNA. Explore 3,600+ places around the world and 63 African ethnic groups to discover your roots.
Search for your family’s story.
Search for your family’s story.
With StoryScout, you can quickly reveal fascinating details about specific ancestors. To give it a try, just enter a grandparent’s info as your starting point, then see what discoveries await.
With StoryScout, you can quickly reveal fascinating details about specific ancestors. To give it a try, just enter a grandparent’s info as your starting point, then see what discoveries await.
A free Ancestry® account is required to access your stories.
Find out how your ancestors
helped shape the nation.
Find out how your ancestors helped shape the nation.
Search our record
collections.
The U.S. census as been taken every ten years since 1790, and these records can hold significant details about your ancestors’ lives. You may find personal information like names of household members, birthplaces, occupations, and more.
Do you have any military heroes in your family tree? Search Military records to find ancestors who served in the U.S. Armed Forces including 350,000 Black servicemen and women who fought in WWI, and over one million who served in WWII.
FREE COLLECTION
The Freedmen's Bureau records are one of the most important collections of Black family history and can provide details of your ancestors’ lives before 1870—including their personal letters, where they settled after the Civil War, and much more.
FREE COLLECTION
The Articles of Enslavement is a first-of-its-kind collection of newspaper articles that offers a glimpse into the lives of formerly enslaved people, including names, ages, and physical descriptions that could lead to key research breakthroughs.
EXPLORE YOUR ORIGINS
AncestryDNA provides a detailed view of your African roots.
AncestryDNA provides a detailed view of your African roots.
Discover your origins from over 3,600 places around the world—including 22 distinct regions and 63 ethnic groups across Africa. By connecting you to the places your ancestors once lived, AncestryDNA can help you grow your family tree and provide a more complete picture of your past.