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African American Genealogy: Databases

This guide provides a beginner's introduction to African American Genealogy research, as well as an overview of available resources at the New York Public Library and beyond.

Genealogy Databases Available at the New York Public Library

Ancestry Library Edition: Access billions of names in thousands of genealogical databases including Census and Vital Records, birth, marriage and death notices, the Social Security Death Index, Passenger lists and naturalizations, Military and Holocaust Records, City Directories, New York Emigrant Savings Bank records, and African American and Native American Records. Library version of Ancestry.com.   Access to this resource has been temporarily expanded to NYPL cardholders working from home, courtesy of ProQuest and its partner Ancestry.

Fold3: Historical primary documents featuring U.S. city directories, naturalization records, and Revolutionary War Pensions. Collections include: History and Genealogy Archives, African American Archives, Native American Archives, Revolutionary War Archives, US Bureau of Investigation Case File Archives, and World War II Archives. Formerly known as Footnote.com.

Find My Past (On-Site Access Only): Find My Past includes genealogicial records from the United States, along with England, Ireland, New Zealand, and other smaller record sets from around the globe. Researchers can also access the PERiodical Source Index (PERSI) via this database.  PERSI provides access to millions of entries from historical and genealogical publications. Keep in mind that the 1939 registers and the newspaper packages on FMP are not included in library subscriptions. For access to newspapers, please browse NYPL's collection of historical titles. 

ProQuest Historical African American Newspapers: African American historical newspapers throughout the United States. Collections include the Atlanta Daily World 1931-2003, Baltimore Afro-American 1893-1988, Chicago Defender 1910-1975, Cleveland Call and Post 1934-1991, Los Angeles Sentinel 1934-2005, Michigan Chronicle 1939-2010, New York Amsterdam News 1922-1993, Norfolk Journal and Guide 1921-2003, Philadelphia Tribune 1912-2001, and Pittsburgh Courier 1911-2002.

HeritageQuest (On-Site Access Only): This genealogical database allows researchers to search U.S. Federal Census records, digitized family and local history books, Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application Files and the Freedman's Bank Records (1865-1874), maps, and a wealth of other historical collections and research guides.

African American Newspapers, 1827-1998 (Readex): Hundreds of U.S. newspapers chronicling a century and a half of the African American experience from more than 35 states. A collection feature of America's Historical Newspapers. 

African American Newspapers: The 19th Century: Searchable full-text of the major African-American newspapers published in the United States during the 19th century.