African American Genealogy 101

African American Genealogy 101 exists to provide information concerning researching genealogy as it relates to African Americans. Our genealogy is very important and it varies from the research of other races and ethnic groups. Much of the research from 1930 back to 1870 is similar to that of other Americans however the names during the late 1800s and early 1900s may change or be spelled in various ways. We must remember that 80-85% of African Americans were enslaved until the Civil War and did not offficially have last names, so they had to give themselves last names, sometimes the names of the slave owners and other times names of famous persons or names that they liked.