Research Leaflets

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Interested in doing research on African American history, art, and culture?  Unsure where to start? Our guides for research, African American genealogy, and exploring archival resources are designed to offer practical guidance and actionable steps to meet a diversity of African American heritage centered goals.  They are written by expert genealogists and archivists from across the state and country.

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Archival resources are also known as primary sources or manuscripts, and they come in a wide variety of formats. These sources are original, unique, and rare items that we can use to understand the past, document the present, and invent the future. This guide will talk about why these materials are important, how to identify and preserve these items, and share resources about institutions that may be able to support your preservation goals.

Author

  • Chaitra Powell, MLS, CA; Sarah Graham Kenan Curator of the Southern Historical Collection (UNC-Chapel Hill)

Where do I begin?  This guide details the "golden rules" of tracing your family's genealogy, useful website, resources, and more!

Author

  • Lamar DeLoatch, President, North Carolina Afro-American Historical & Genealogical Society, Inc.

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Family and community history research are integral parts of understanding ourselves, our communities, and the places and people that shape us. For African Americans, this search can feel more pressing and sometimes more frustrating, as many of our ancestors were kidnapped and brought to a new continent, enslaved, under-documented, and often treated as less than human.  This guide discusses how to get ready for research, the basics of genealogy research, the "1870 Brick Wall", and more!

Author

  • Hannah Scruggs, Public Historian