Why Afro-American genealogy through AntiRacistAF? 

It is time to bring our anti-racist activism to our Afro-American families by reclaiming our stolen history and honoring our Black ancestors. It is a challenge to track down our ancestors, given how hard society has worked to keep our past from us. Our stories have all but been erased, and I believe it is time to meet as many ancestors as we can. This is an opportunity to take a go back and retrieve our history for our ancestors, so we can go forward and pass on our stories to our successors.

Genealogy gives us a beam of light to help us bring light to the oral history many of have had passed down to us. 

 

It is through the Afro-American tradition of storytelling that we have

been able to hold on to some of our family history.  We've passed on

the stories of our people from generation to generation, and with each telling some of those details get lost or changed. Let's take a trip through your family stories through genealogy research, and reclaim those roots that shape who we are today.  

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This is an opportunity to add to our great legacy of storytelling, with documents, records, and DNA to help bring your history to life. 

 

The goal of this anti-racist storytelling project is to:

• Trace your ancestors back as far as possible, within the time allowed for your genealogical storytelling project.

• Identify who your Afro-American ancestors were and where they lived during the Reconstruction Era.

• Uncover truths or untruths shared with you through your family’s oral traditions.

• Connect with other descendants of your ancestors. 

 

Afro-American Basic Search  $50.00

 

Reclaiming Our Afro-American Ancestors can vary from person to person. What we expect and what resulting story will be found can differ. Every effort is made to conduct your family research charging reasonable genealogical fees, and will include advice regarding other possible charges and expenses. 

The process begins with receiving some information from you allowing for a low-cost, 4 hour, basic search to determine if the information that you are able to provide will result in the possibility for further research. You can expect to receive an answer to this basic search within 72 hours of your initial email (excludes weekends and holidays). No further research will be conducted without further permission. 

 *This is non-refundable, and required before continuing on to the Afro-American Storytelling Research Project. 

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Afro-American Storytelling Research Project  $550.00

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Includes:

• 20-hour dive into reclaiming your roots 

• Documenting each of your family lines as far back as possible, with the goal of tracing your lineage to the Reconstruction era.

• Solving family mysteries.

• Analyzing your DNA test and the test of your DNA matches to help build your story with documented proof.​

• A PDF version of your family lineage charted in an easy to read and easy to share spreadsheet.

• One DNA test kit. 

• An online editable family tree on a major genealogy website.

• The time required to review previous research, interact with you by email, telephone or mail (email is preferred).

• Research, locating documents, analysis of records and DNA, creating your family tree, documenting your story via spreadsheet.

• We strive to accomplish all research goals within the 20 hour time frame, but sometimes an end goal can exceed what can be accomplished in this fixed amount of time. If that happens, I will reach to ask if you want to purchase additional hours ($25/hour, minimum 4 hours), or end the research project.

• If your research project is able to trace your Afro-American family back to 1865, I will look for your ancestors' names in public records, including: slave schedules, property, estate, and court records. 

• If I hit a brick wall on one branch of your family tree, I will move to another with the goal of telling your story.

Most Reclaiming Our Roots genealogy projects will be completed within three to six months from the time of purchase. The timeline can vary depending on when your DNA results are in. It is recommended, but not required, that you take at least one or two DNA tests. DNA tests can and do help with getting through brick walls caused by common names, lost records, relationships. 

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