Secondary Sources Church and cemetery records are an important source of information on African American families as the African American church has served as a focal point of African American family life. Where the records survive, they can provide valuable information about African American ancestors. Many of the larger cities have exclusively African American churches and cemeteries. Even early pioneer church records include in their minutes lists of their African American members. Finally, the deeds for African American cemeteries can be found in county deed books in the same manner as those for whites.
Newspapers are an often overlooked source of material for African American families.
There are newspapers exclusively for an African American readers. And mainstream papers often have society columns which cover activities of churches, voluntary associations and clubs as well as philanthropic groups. Many local libraries have indexed vital events such as births, marriages, and deaths. But check to ensure that the news items and columns covering African American activities are included in the index. Roseann Reinemuth Hogan, Ph.D., has been researching her family since 1978.