African American Genealogy for Beginning Researchers

BLACK ROOTS :  A Beginner's Guide to Tracing the African American Family Tree by Tony Burroughs is a very good help guide for researchers of African American Genealogy. It gives step-by-step searching tips for African American as well as general American researching. The author also talks about organizing your work and where to search for slaves in the nineteenth century.

An internationally known genealogist who teaches and lectures on genealogy throughout the United States, Burroughs bases his book on his own experiences and that of other professional genealogists. In his Introduction, he states that his book:

• takes a step-by-step approach 
• emphasizes method 
• gives real-life examples 
• illustrates and analyzes documents 
• illustrates live charts 
• integrates black history with black genealogy 
• points out traps 

The book is divided into three parts, starting with Preparing to Research, then Beginning steps, and finally Stepping into the Future which includes computers and the internet. It also includes a glossary, bibliographic references, and an index.

Mr. Burroughs has written a book which is easy to read and also packed with information for both the beginning and more advanced genealogist.

Published by: Simon & Schuster (2001)

Paperback: 464 pages

Call number: 973 D27bt 2001

Contributed by: Nona Johnson