Black History Month – Ancestry Initiatives to Honor Black Heritage

• Start with What You Know: Begin your journey by documenting the information you already have about your family. Reach out to relatives to fill in gaps and organize your findings by creating a free family tree on Ancestry.
• Talk to Your Extended Family: Your relatives can be treasure troves of information. They may have new information or family archives such as funeral programs, wills, deeds, and other documents that can validate relationships and guide your online searches.
• Name Variations: Be aware that the spelling of names can vary across records. Familiarize yourself with different spellings and nicknames to improve your search results.
• Location Matters: Understand the historical context of locations, including changes in names and boundaries over time. This knowledge can be crucial when searching for records.
• Newspaper Research: Newspapers can provide valuable insights into the daily lives of ancestors. If there’s no newspaper from your ancestor’s town, check nearby areas for coverage.

Ready to explore specific topics related to African American history? Check out the Ancestry Family History Learning Hub for articles that take a closer look at subjects like the Buffalo Soldiers and the Freedmen's Bureau Records & Freedman's Bank Records. 

See more detailed information about researching your African American ancestors.

What’s New from Ancestry

• Free Access to Newspapers.com Black History Collection: Explore over 350 newspapers with more than 2 million pages chronicling Black history from the early 1800s to today. This collection includes prominent publications like The Baltimore Afro-American, New York Age, California Eagle, and Louisiana Weekly and Chicago Defender, offering insights into the struggles and achievements of Black Americans.
• Articles of Enslavement Collection: Discover a collection of 38,000 newspaper articles related to over 183,000 formerly enslaved people in the U.S. This resource is available for free and aims to help descendants make family history discoveries.
• AncestryDNA Advancements: Our latest update connects DNA customers to over 3,000 places and populations worldwide, including 8 new ancestral regions in Africa. This provides detailed insights into 63 ethnic groups across Africa, offering a deeper understanding of your heritage.

Upcoming Events

Join us for a series of educational events led by Nicka Sewell-Smith:

• Beginning African American Research on Ancestry^® Virtual Event: Wednesday, February 5, 2025, at 10:00 am PT.
• Facebook Live Session: Tuesday, February 11, 2025, at 11:00 am PT.
• Researching the Enslaved on Ancestry^® Virtual Event:Wednesday, February 19, 2025, at 10:00 am PT.

This Black History Month, Ancestry is dedicated to providing resources and support to help you explore and celebrate your Black heritage. We invite you to take advantage of our collections, tools, and events to uncover the stories of your ancestors and honor their legacy. Join us in this journey of discovery and celebration.