African American Family History Research

The owner of this website has been researching collective and individual African American family histories in the upper Yadkin Valley, North Carolina for over a decade. The geographical area of on-going primary study encompasses the following eleven counties:

Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Guilford, Iredell, Rockingham, Rowan, Stokes, Surry, Wilkes, and Yadkin.

Portions of Alexander and Caswell Counties are also in the study area.

As most persons of African descent were enslaved in this country, the process of researching African American family history requires a somewhat different strategy.  For example, free heads of households were enumerated with the first U. S. census in 1790 and every ten years since then.  It would be another four generations, in 1870,  before most African descendants  would be listed in census records.  Additionally, enslaved persons did not own real property and were not legally allowed to marry. Some individuals unfamiliar with African American geneology think that not having access to census, property tax, and marriage records presents insurmountable obstacles to doing this type work.  That is far from the truth.  Some church and plantation/farm records give excellent "vitals" information on enslaved persons such as birth, marriage (yes! marriage), and death.  However, beyond these sources are a wide array of public records that give glimpses into the existence and trials of African American ancestors before 1870.  Admittedly, it takes more time and more effort, but like the pearl hidden within the oyster, diligence and determination will unveil their presence for the whole world to see.  

I welcome the opportunity to assist you with researching your ancestral roots in the upper Yadkin Valley region.

I further welcome the opportunity to exchange information with families within the above counties.

I am available for on-the-ground research for those persons with roots in the area who now reside elsewhere.

Family Reunion Planning Assistance

African American family reunions are greatly enhanced by computer generated reports designed to inform, gather data, and entertain. 

• In addition to the family photograph sharing at most reunions, I have found that individuals love seeing a list of how they individually relate to all their cousins. It also provides yet another means of verifying and correcting family history.  A good geneology program and an experienced operator can make this an important and enjoyable part of your reunion.
• Family history timelines provide another source of information and entertainment for reunions. This information is very helpful to the younger cousins who sometimes wonder what all the fuss is about.  As they move deeper into the creation of their own histories they will come to realize the importance of the history of the entire clan. 
• Do you have some cousins a little uneasy about publicizing some of the family intrigues?   Again, a good computer program allows for certain facts to be "hidden" in certain reports without changing the facts.  Personally, as painful as some truths can be at times, I feel all family truisms should be revealed at some point.
• Many of our families have a habit of tracing only the paternal line of their past.  Well, I was born of a mother and a father and knowing about both of their family histories is very important to me and I feel should also be important to you.  This ties in to ladies getting married and dropping their maiden names. Ladies, you are giving your own family history to your children as well as that which they will receive from their father's side so stop dropping your maiden names!  We are products of two, not one.  My mother is Annie Mae (maiden name) White, not merely Annie Mae White.

If you feel some more input of this aspect your family reunion planning would be useful, feel free to contact me.