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California African American Genealogical Society

California African American Genealogical Society

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How To Begin Your Genealogy

1. Go from the known to the unknown. Prepare a pedigree chart and record the information you know.  Start with yourself and work back to your ancestors. (Pedigree Chart)

2. Consult continuously with members of your family who are still living, especially the older ones. Be sure to write names, dates and locations. Consult them several times since memory often fails them.

3. Search homes for Bibles, letters, old dated pictures, obituaries, receipts, insurance policies and newspapers for records. If possible, get pages copied and certified.

4. Visit family cemeteries to secure dates from tombstones, also photograph the tombstones.

5. Read old family letters to determine whether or not names, dates and locations of your ancestors can be found.

6. Visit courthouses or write the Clerks of Court in parishes or counties where your ancestors lived: wills, marriage licenses, deeds, court proceedings.

7. Consult state bureaus of vital statistics to secure birth and death records.

8. Church records will reveal baptismal and marriage dates and names.

9. Consult military records within the state or the National Archives, Washington, D.C.

10. Submit queries to genealogical publications.

11. Check all census records for the period of time on your ancestors.

12. Remember, genealogical practice makes perfect.

Join a local genealogy society or group, network and collaborate with others.

Attend genealogy classes and conferences when possible.

Document, document, document

Share what you learn with other family members.

TIME,  PATIENCE,  AND PERSISTENCE

 

 

SUPPORT CAAGS TODAY!

Please consider making a donation to help CAAGS continue its work. Your donation will allow us to further our genealogical research, educational classes, conferences & seminars, and publication of research.

You can use the DONATE button to make a safe secure donation online.  Thank you very much for your time and consideration.



Join / Contact Us

Meetings:
Beginners/intermediate Classes
General Membership Meetings
Third Saturday monthly (dark July and August)

Meeting Location
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
10625 South San Pedro
Los Angeles, CA 90003

(IN PERSON MEETINGS Currently Suspended Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic Crisis)

Mailing Address:
California African American Genealogical Society, Inc (CAAGS)
P.O. Box 8442
Los Angeles, CA 90008-0442
(323) 806-5634

Information:

Email: info@caags.org

Media Contact: Edna Briggs

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