Virginia, African-American Funeral Programs - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
The collection consists of images of programs from the Virginia Historical Society in Richmond. These programs are arranged alphabetically by the names of persons collecting and donating the programs and not alphabetically by the names of those in the programs. Obituaries may be included. The collection covers the years 1920 to 2009.

Record Content
The records may contain:


 * Name of the deceased
 * Age
 * Birth date and place
 * Death date and place
 * Names of parents, spouse or other relatives
 * Obituaries may also include the name of newspaper, date and place of publication

How to Use the Record
To begin your search you will need to know the following:


 * Name of deceased
 * Identifying formation such as death date

Search the Collection
To search the collection: ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒ Select the "Name Range" category which takes you to the images.

Look at the images one by one comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:


 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s obituary, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These records are often brief so it can be easy to confuse individuals. Compare what information is given with what you already know about your ancestor to make sure it is the correct person.

Next, look at the pieces of information given in the obituary for new information. Add any new information to your records of each family. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors. For example:


 * Use the birth date or year to search for birth records.
 * Use the birth date along with relative’s names to find the family in census records.
 * Use the locality and relative’s names to locate church and land records.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Information in these records is brief so it is easy to confuse individuals.
 * The name of the undertaker or mortuary could lead you to funeral and cemetery records, which often include the names and residences of other family members.
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives of the deceased who may have been buried in the same cemetery or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for nicknames and abbreviated names.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby localities, funeral homes and cemeteries.

Related Websites

 * Funeral Programs Project
 * African American Funeral Programs - Virginia

Related Wiki Articles
Virginia

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the information published in FamilySearch.org Historical Record collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher, and archive for the original records.