Some African American Resources

All the information I have found will be shared exactly as it was written, in the original records, with links to the original sources wherever possible. Words and phrases in the records will often be insensitive or offensive. Words such as “The colored marriage book”, or “The Free Negro Register”, or the person described as “yellow” or references to the enslaved “gifted” in deeds, and also sometimes “mortgaged” are words and phrases actually used in the records. I share this information because it shows where enslaved individuals moved to, which is critical information necessary to connect to earlier generations. My only intention is to show descendants how and where to find information about their ancestors in Mecklenburg.

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Enslaved individuals in the Mecklenburg, Virginia tree

The Virginia Gazette, Williamburg, VA, Thu 5 Aug 1773, pg 3

I took the information from the article above and added Juba to the Mecklenburg, Virginia tree. Juba was born about 1750, possibly at St. Vincent’s*, because she had recently arrived from there in 1773. No family members are known for Juba, so she’s currently unlinked in the tree. However, I did add a link to her enslaver, in case any family members of hers were with Mr. Banks, or in case Juba was in Mr. Banks estate records. Here’s how that looks on FamilySearch. (Link to Juba -free to view after logging in to FamilySearch)

*St. Vincent is the main island of the Grenadines, part of the eastern Carribean. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is sometimes abbreviated as SVG.

Helpful Resources and Websites:

AAHGS: Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society

Mapping the Freedmen’s Bureau

Finding Family After Slavery project of newspaper articles of people searching for their family.

Freedmen: Smithsonian record project

National Museum of African American History and Culture

FamilySearch wiki: African American genealogy

LVA (Library of Virginia) African American research guide to 1870

LVA chancery index (check box “enslaved persons”)

Mecklenburg Free Negroes Register (FamilySearch)

Virginia untold narratives and records

1860 map shows percentage of enslaved individuals per county. Mecklenburg County, VA population, 64.7% enslaved

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Public domain photo credits, top pf the page: 1) 1899 Hampton Institute, Hampton, Virginia. 2) 1899 S.J. Gilpen shoe store, Richmond, VA. 3) 1933 Civilian Convservation Corps, Third Corps area, Richmond, VA. Cabinet making glass at Armstrong Night School. 4) 1899 Thanksgiving Day lesson at Whittier. (A preparatory school in Phoebus, VA)