African American Genealogy Archives - African American Genealogy & Heritage Travel

Hands arranging family photographs beside a handwritten family tree and research notes on a table.

The Family Tree Isn’t the Point: What Are We Really Searching for When We Search for Our Ancestors?

A family tree organizes names and relationships. What are we really seeking when we research our ancestors, and what do we do with what we learn?...

28 September, 2026

Vintage family photographs, handwritten records, a magnifying glass, and research notes arranged on a desk for African American genealogy research.

Why African American Genealogy Gets Harder Before 1870—and Where to Look Next

If you have been researching your African American family for any length of time, you have probably heard about the 1870 brick wall. You find your family in the 1900 census. Then 1880. Then, if you are fortunate, there they are in 1870. And then everything changes. The...

26 September, 2026