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| Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society | |
|---|---|
| Name | Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society |
| Abbreviation | AAHGS |
| Formation | 1977 |
| Type | Nonprofit |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. |
| Region served | United States |
Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society is a nonprofit organization dedicated to African American genealogy and family history research. Founded in 1977 amid scholarly work by figures linked to Ancestry.com-era researchers, the organization connected practitioners associated with Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, archival initiatives at the Library of Congress, and community efforts near the National Archives and Records Administration. Its formation followed civil rights era scholarship exemplified by projects at Howard University, collaborations with historians from Howard Zinn-influenced circles, and genealogists tied to Black History Month celebrations initiated by Carter G. Woodson-inspired societies.
The society originated in 1977 when activists, librarians, and genealogists influenced by work at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, the Library of Congress, and the National Archives and Records Administration convened with leaders from Howard University, the NAACP, and the Association for the Study of African American Life and History to address gaps revealed by researchers such as Alex Haley, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Carter G. Woodson. Early initiatives drew on methodologies promoted by archivists from the Smithsonian Institution, legal records used in cases like Brown v. Board of Education, and oral history projects modeled after efforts at the Federal Writers' Project and scholars connected to John Hope Franklin. Expansion through the 1980s and 1990s involved partnerships with state historical societies in Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia, and collaboration with genealogical publishers like Ancestry.com and FamilySearch affiliates.
The national body operates with an executive board modeled on nonprofit governance similar to the Smithsonian Institution boards and regional chapters patterned after organizations in New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Officers have included advisors who worked with archives at the Library of Congress, curators from the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and academics from Howard University and Spelman College. Committees coordinate with partners such as the National Archives and Records Administration, state archives in South Carolina and Massachusetts, and genealogical societies like the New England Historic Genealogical Society.
The society issues newsletters and journals that cite collections from the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, census records from the United States Census Bureau, and manuscripts from the Library of Congress. Publications have featured work referencing authors and genealogists associated with Alex Haley, historians like Lerone Bennett Jr. and John Hope Franklin, and legal scholarship linked to cases including Dred Scott v. Sandford in historical context. Programmatic offerings have included workshops on records such as the Freedmen's Bureau archives, probate files from state archives in Virginia and Maryland, and methodology sessions inspired by projects at Howard University and the National Archives and Records Administration.
Annual conferences draw speakers from institutions including the Library of Congress, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and university programs at Howard University, Spelman College, and Morehouse College. Past keynote speakers have been scholars whose work aligns with John Hope Franklin, Henry Louis Gates Jr., and historians publishing with presses tied to Oxford University Press and University of North Carolina Press. Regional meetings have convened in cities such as Atlanta, Detroit, Philadelphia, and Houston, often coordinating with exhibits at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
The society promotes use of primary sources including the Freedmen's Bureau records, the United States Census Bureau enumeration schedules, military pension files from the National Archives and Records Administration, and church registers housed at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Members consult legal documents such as deeds filed in county courthouses in South Carolina and Louisiana, passenger lists from ports like New Orleans and Charleston, South Carolina, and oral histories recorded using techniques associated with the Federal Writers' Project and archives at the Library of Congress. Collaborative digitization projects have involved partners such as Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, and university libraries at Howard University and Yale University.
The organization advanced public understanding of lineage and identity in contexts connected to scholarship by Alex Haley, Henry Louis Gates Jr., and John Hope Franklin, and supported preservation efforts at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and regional state archives in Georgia and Alabama. Its advocacy facilitated greater access to records at the National Archives and Records Administration, influenced archival practice akin to reforms promoted at the Library of Congress, and supported museum exhibitions at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Contributions include assisting researchers in cases that intersect with civil rights history, genealogical restitution projects, and curricula at institutions like Howard University and Spelman College.
Membership comprises amateur and professional genealogists, archivists, historians, and librarians affiliated with entities such as the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, the Library of Congress, and university programs at Howard University and Morehouse College. Chapters operate across states including New York, Florida, Texas, Georgia, and California, often coordinating with local historical societies like the New York Historical Society and state archives in North Carolina and Virginia. Membership benefits mirror offerings from genealogical organizations such as the New England Historic Genealogical Society and include access to conferences, publications, and workshops in partnership with repositories like the National Archives and Records Administration and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.
Category:African American genealogy