By Lillian Williams

We loved those family stories that our mothers whispered in our ears. Years later, those stories gave us solace in times of need. They clarified our identities. They provided platforms of strength in the face of unexpected storms.

Understand that we can preserve those stories, and our broader family histories, for future generations. Though not always easy, steps to preserve those histories are well worth the effort.

Make A Lasting Record

Here’s the deal. In addition to oral histories, government and historical records may help you to document your ancestry. Make certain that you maintain a list of all the sources used in your research, including the name, title and date of publications. Sources might include census tracts, newspaper or journal articles, Freedmen’s Bureau records, county estate filings, and personal records. In my storytelling, for example, I will point to 1870 and 1880 census records, among other data, to establish my family’s ancestral trail.

Your finished product could take many forms: an article; a book; an online family history tree; a newsletter; a reunion booklet with photographs and text, or a documentary.

Do younger generations in your family express an interest in genealogy? If not, decades from now they might inquire about the family history. Leave a copy of your research findings with local institutions where they might later find your work. A family in my hometown, for example, donated personal papers to a local college, making the documents easily accessible for future generations.

Where To Donate Family History Research

Among other places, the U.S. Library of Congress accepts family history books for its vast library collection. Also, some local libraries, and historical societies, accept family history manuscripts. One family historian donated a research manuscript to her family’s Mississippi hometown library. Check with The Society of American Archivists for additional ways to donate, and preserve, copies of your family records.

Below is a list of genealogy websites with resources, including birth, death, marriage, census, slave databases, and more. To jumpstart your research journey, however, here’s another key step.

Family First

Interview your family members about their remembrances. We often overlook those right around us.

Start with the oldest family members. Use the names, places, and events gathered from these interviews as leads for your database research. Record these interviews. Later, you might want to use information from these interviews for a book, article, documentary, or in other ways.

Questions for Your Family Members

See “Steps to Creating Your Genealogy,” an article by genealogist Ann Lawthers. The article suggests questions for family history interviews. Tailor the questions to fit your research needs.

Check out the following genealogy websites:

FamilySearch.org

Afrigeneas.com

Chroniclingamerica.loc.gov

FamilyTreeMagazine.com

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