African American Resources for Wisconsin



Introduction
A list of resources for African American research of ancestors who lived in Wisconsin.

Online Resources

 * Discover Freedmen - this site searches all of the Freedmen's Bureau record collections on FamilySearch altogether (and redirects there)
 * Freedman's Bank Records, 1865-1874
 * United States, Freedmen's Bureau Marriages, 1861-1872
 * U.S., Freedmen’s Bureau Marriage Records, 1846-1867 ($)
 * Kansas African American Genealogy

History
Many African Americans settled in Wisconsin. They were trappers and boatmen in the 1700s. Settlers from the Southern states brought slaves with them. There were many free African-Americans in Wisconsin also. For more information, you may wish to contact:

Helpful sources for learning about African-Americans in Wisconsin is:
 * Zachary Cooper, Black Settlers in Rural Wisconsin (Madison, Wisconsin: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 1997; Family History Library book ).
 * Cooper, Zachary. Black Settlers in Rural Wisconsin. - Madison: State Historical Society of Wisconsin. 1977. - E185.93.W58 C66 FHL book 977.5 Al #51
 * Negro Business Directory of the State of Wisconsin. - [Milwaukee: S.n., 1950/51-1953.54] 2 vol. E185.93W58 N4
 * Slave Movement During the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries

The few slaves that may have been in Wisconsin before the Civil War may be listed in the United States Census Slave Schedules. Wisconsin was not highly populated before the Civil War but after the War movement brought all groups, including African Americans.

See also:
 * Black settlers in rural Wisconsin
 * Exodusters : black migration to Kansas after reconstruction
 * Blacks in Topeka, Kansas, 1865-1915 : a social history
 * First Presbyterian Church records, Pleasanton, Kansas, 1869-1900
 * Black towns and profit : promotion and development in the Trans-Appalachian West, 1877-1915
 * Narratives of African Americans in Kansas, 1870-1992 : beyond the Exodust movement

Cemeteries

 * African American Cemeteries Online

Military Records
Many of those involved in the Civil War moved after the War.


 * Researching African American Soldiers of the Civil War
 * Military history of African Americans in the American Civil War
 * Military history of African Americans

Freedman’s Bank
An excellent source is the Freedman’s Savings and Trust Company (visit the African American Freedman's Savings and Trust Company Records page to learn more). This company was created to assist African American soldiers of the Civil War and freed slaves. Freedman’s Savings and Trust Company signature cards or registers from 3 March 1865 to 25 July 1874 may list the name of the depositor, date of entry, age, birthplace, residence, complexion, name of employer or occupation, wife or husband’s name, death information, children’s names, name of father and mother, brothers’ and sisters’ names, remarks, and signature. Early books sometimes contained the name of the former master or mistress and the name of the plantation. Copies of death certificates were sometimes attached to the entries. The collection is organized alphabetically by state, then city where the bank was located, then date the account was established, then account number.

Online collections of Freedman's Bank records:
 * United States, Freedman's Bank Records, 1865-1874
 * U.S., Freedman's Bank Records, 1865-1871 ($)

Freedmen's Bureau
The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands was created by the US government in 1865 until 1872 to assist former slaves in the southern United States. The Bureau created a wide variety of records extremely valuable to genealogists. Such documents include censuses, marriage records, and medical records. These records often include full names, former masters and plantations, and current residences. For 1865 and 1866, the section on abandoned and confiscated lands includes the names of the owners of the plantations or homes that were abandoned, confiscated, or leased. It gives the county and location, a description of the house, the number of acres owned, and the number of cabins of former slaves. These films do not appear to contain the names of former slaves.

To find Freedmen's Bureau records:

Other FamilySearch collections not included:
 * DiscoverFreedmen - the search on this site will utilize all of the Freedmen's Bureau records on FamilySearch, including:
 * Images only. These reports primarily contain statistical and historical information.
 * More collections are available in the FamilySearch Catalog. Search for "FREEDMEN - WISCONSIN" in the Subjects search bar to find.
 * Images only. These reports primarily contain statistical and historical information.
 * More collections are available in the FamilySearch Catalog. Search for "FREEDMEN - WISCONSIN" in the Subjects search bar to find.

Visit the African American Freedmen's Bureau Records page to learn more about utilizing these records.

Marriage
The Freedmen's Bureau (1865-1872) was created by the US government to assist former slaves in the southern United States. One of their responsibilities was to record the marriages (past and present) of the former slaves. These records can be found in the collections below and include the lists of marriages that occurred previously, marriage certificates, and marriage licenses. The information contained on the records may include the name of the husband and wife/groom and bride, age, occupation, residence, year or date of marriage, by whom, number of children, and remarks.
 * United States, Freedmen's Bureau Marriages, 1861-1872
 * U.S., Freedmen’s Bureau Marriage Records, 1846-1867

Archives and Libraries

 * Wisconsin Black Historical Society
 * Black History in Wisconsin by Wisconsin Historical Society
 * Kansas City Public Library Genealogy Link
 * Wisconsin Archives and Libraries

Societies

 * African-American-Genealogy-Society-Of-Milwaukee
 * Wisconsin Societies

Wisconsin Black Historical Society 2620 West Center Street Milwaukee, WI 53206 Phone: 414-372-7677 Email: info@wbhsm.org