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Black Roots: A Beginners Guide To Tracing The African American Family Tree
Trace, document, record, and write your family's history with this easy-to-read, step-by-step authoritative guide.
Finally, here is the fun, easy-to-use guide that African Americans have been waiting for since Alex Haley published Roots more than twenty-five years ago. Written by the leading African American professional genealogist in the United States who teaches and lectures widely, Black Roots highlights some of the special problems, solutions, and sources unique to African Americans. Based on solid genealogical principles and designed for those who have little or no experience researching their family's past, but valuable to any genealogist, this book explains everything you need to get started, where to search close to home, where to write for records, how to make the best use of libraries and the Internet, and how to organize research, analyze historical documents, and write the family history.
This guide also
-real case histories that illustrate the unique challenges posed to African Americans and how they were solved
-more than 100 illustrations and photographs of actual documents and records you're likely to encounter when tracing your family tree
-samples of all the worksheets and forms you'll need to keep your research in order
-a list of the traps even experienced researchers often fall into that hamper their research
And more.
Finally, here is the fun, easy-to-use guide that African Americans have been waiting for since Alex Haley published Roots more than twenty-five years ago. Written by the leading African American professional genealogist in the United States who teaches and lectures widely, Black Roots highlights some of the special problems, solutions, and sources unique to African Americans. Based on solid genealogical principles and designed for those who have little or no experience researching their family's past, but valuable to any genealogist, this book explains everything you need to get started, where to search close to home, where to write for records, how to make the best use of libraries and the Internet, and how to organize research, analyze historical documents, and write the family history.
This guide also
-real case histories that illustrate the unique challenges posed to African Americans and how they were solved
-more than 100 illustrations and photographs of actual documents and records you're likely to encounter when tracing your family tree
-samples of all the worksheets and forms you'll need to keep your research in order
-a list of the traps even experienced researchers often fall into that hamper their research
And more.
464 pages, Paperback
First published February 6, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
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May 31, 2011One of my ground breaking reads. For years I felt this guide was a exceptional today it needs to be updated for those who are coming into family history. Tony is by far a leader in African American family history. Here is info from his web site.Tony Burroughs is an internationally known genealogist, author, teacher and lecturer. He teaches genealogy at Chicago State University and is the president of Black Roots. Mr. Burroughs appeared as the African American genealogy expert in the public television series, Ancestors (February 1997). In 1996, he received the Distinguished Service Award from the National Genealogical Society and co-authored the African-American Genealogical Source book (Gale Research 1995).
I now find his works short on DNA testing as well as the Captive records on board of slave ships. Mr. Burroughs would simply say that this is not beginning family history. A point well taken , however ground work ought to be established. What are your thoughts on this matter? Mr. Burroughs has been practicing genealogy for twenty years, having traced two family lines back seven generations. I still find Tony Burroughs interesting a great speaker and relevant for all of today's research for family history. The collaborator Burroughs worked for Oprah Winfrey and Al Sharpton family tree. There is usually a small fee to attend his lectures. This paperback book has 464 pages Publisher: Fireside; Original edition (February 6, 2001) Language: English # ISBN-10: 0684847043 # ISBN-13: 978-0684847047
I now find his works short on DNA testing as well as the Captive records on board of slave ships. Mr. Burroughs would simply say that this is not beginning family history. A point well taken , however ground work ought to be established. What are your thoughts on this matter? Mr. Burroughs has been practicing genealogy for twenty years, having traced two family lines back seven generations. I still find Tony Burroughs interesting a great speaker and relevant for all of today's research for family history. The collaborator Burroughs worked for Oprah Winfrey and Al Sharpton family tree. There is usually a small fee to attend his lectures. This paperback book has 464 pages Publisher: Fireside; Original edition (February 6, 2001) Language: English # ISBN-10: 0684847043 # ISBN-13: 978-0684847047
Read
December 31, 2022An excellent step-by-step guide to genealogical research. This is my second reading. It created a to-do list of all the steps I need to retrace in my research. During a recent webinar, it was announced that a new edition is on the horizon. I can't wait!!! I guess this means I should complete my to-do-list soon so I will be ready for Black Roots 2.0
February 8, 2014
Tony Burroughs is one of the foremost experts on African American genealogical research. In this book he describes six phases of doing African American genealogy, which range from scouring your family sources at home to tracing your ancestors all the way back to Africa. However, he primarily focuses on research methods and how to trace your family back to the 1870 federal census. While his organizational tips and strategies for conducting oral history interviews will be invaluable to any genealogy researcher, this book is an essential tool for anyone beginning their own African American family history research. I would love to see it updated with more internet resources but I am aware of how futile that can be with how many genealogy websites are constantly appearing and disappearing.
October 26, 2008
This is a perfect beginner's guide for those of you who are serious about researching your roots.
August 29, 2014
A great book to have in the library of any novice, intermediate, or professional genealogist.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews