SANKOFA'S TREASURE TROVE
 Note: Many of the online records here are abstracts of the original records. Although very informative, they are just abstracts. Contact the contributor or source for copies of original records

CENSUS RECORDS! These are the census records that I have transcribed.

Slave Schedules

AFRIKAN-AMERICAN FAMILY BIBLE RECORDS
A Family Bible is a (usually very large) Bible that includes, along with the scriptures, pages where the family can record BIRTHS, CHRISTENINGS, MARRAIGES, and DEATHS. It's like the Christian's version of a memory/scrap book. Often life and death events of friends of family are included....so even if your family does not have one, your family could be mentioned in someone else's Bible!

AFRIKAN-AMERICAN FAMILY TREES ONLINE

My family tree.........

And Others on the web..........

AFRIKAN-AMERICAN OBITUARIES

ESTATE AND PROBATE RECORDS of slave owners
These records are organized by State, county, and slave owner's last name.

Inventories: Lists of slaves by name, and sometimes age and color

Slave Hire Reports: when an owner sent slaves to work elsewhere sometimes he/she kept a written record

Guardianship Reports/"Returns": In many white families, an adult (guardian, person in trust) would take legal responsibility of a child who had inherited slaves. The child's slave was considered the legal property of the guardian until the child heir was old enough to legally own the slave(s). In this case the adult guardian had to submit reports/"returns" of how the slaves were utilized (ie. slave hires)

Transactions: When the ownership of a slave changed (death of owner, division of estate, etc.), the "transaction" was often recorded. If you suspect your ancestor had more than one owner, these records may be helpful.

WILLS of slave owners