African American Resources for West Virginia

Tips and resources for researching African American ancestors who lived in West Virginia. Maryland has had a diverse ethnically since it's founding.Political and religious refugees have formed a large part of Maryland's immigration.

Keys to success in African American Research
You will find the most success researching African American ancestors if you begin with yourself, and follow oral history as well as historical records such as birth, marriage, and death certificates to document the previous generations.

Use the US Census to research your family groups. Many times, you may have difficulty in documenting an ancestor. If you research the collateral lines (aunts, uncles, siblings, and cousins), you will discover more about your common ancestor and have a wealth of resources to explore.See United States Basic Search Strategies.

See the wiki pages Virginia African Americans and United States African American Research. See alsoQuick Guide to African American Records See also Finding Records of Your Ancestors 1870-Present in the FamilySearch Learning Center.

Online Resources

 * Join the Facebook and Skype African American Genealogy Research Community.
 * History of the American Negro, West Virginia Edition
 * West Virginia State Archives
 * African-American Genealogy-West Virginia
 * West Virginia Death Records
 * Newberry Library Resources: West Virginia