Black Genealogy

Execution Appointed for Hughson

The day of execution appointed for Hughson, his wife, and Peggy was a solemn one, and almost the entire population turned out to witness it. The former had declared that some extraordinary appearance would take place at his execution, and every one gazed on him as he passed in a cart from the prison to the gallows. He was a tall, powerful man, being six feet high. He stood erect in the cart all the way, his piercing eye fixed steadily on the distance, and his right hand raised high as his fetters would permit, and beckoning as though he … Read more

Fourth Day of Riots

Only the principal disturbances of the third day were given, and of these the accounts were very succinct. The movements of the mobs and the conflicts with them were so similar in character, that a detailed description of them would be a mere repetition of what had gone before. After the police force, and the troops under General Brown had become organized so as to move and act together, each fight with the rioters was almost a repetition of its predecessor. Having adopted a plan of procedure, they seldom deviated from it, and the story of one fight became the … Read more

Draft Riots of 1863

The ostensible cause of the riots of 1863 was hostility to the draft, because it was a tyrannical, despotic, unjust measure an act which has distinguished tyrants the world over, and should never be tolerated by a free people. Open hostility to oppression was more than once hinted in a portion of the press as not only a right, but a duty. Even the London Times said, “It would have been strange, indeed, if the American people had submitted to a measure which is a distinctive mark of the most despotic governments of the Continent.” As if the fact that … Read more

Closing Scenes

This week of horrors a week unparalleled in the history of New York was drawing to a close. It had been one of terror and dismay to the inhabitants, who thought only of the immediate effects on themselves of the triumph of the mob. A great city laid in ashes, given, up to robbers and cut throats, is at any time a terrible spectacle; but New York in ruins at this time was a republic gone a nation, uncrowned and left desolate; but the battle, both for the nation and city, had been nobly fought and won; and Friday, the … Read more

Colored Victims of the Riots

The following were colored victims of the 1863 draft riots. William Henry Nichols (colored). Nichols resided at No. 147 East Twenty-eighth Street. Mrs. Staat, his mother, was visiting him. On Wednesday, July 15th, at 3 o’clock, the house was attacked by a mob with showers of bricks and stones. In one of the rooms was a woman with a child but three days old. The rioters broke open the door with axes and rushed in. Nichols and his mother fled to the basement; in a few moments the babe referred to was dashed by the rioters from the upper window … Read more

Commencement of the Mob

Meanwhile, events were assuming an alarming aspect in the western part of the city. Early in the morning men began to assemble here in separate groups, as if in accordance with a previous arrangement, and at last moved quietly north along the various avenues. Women, also, like camp followers, took the same direction in crowds. They were thus divided into separate gangs, apparently to take each avenue in their progress, and make a clean sweep. The factories and workshops were visited, and the men compelled to knock off work and join them, while the proprietors were threatened with the destruction … Read more

Soldiers Beaten by the Mob

In the meantime, the mob that stood watching the spreading conflagration in Third Avenue increased rapidly, fed by tributaries from the tenement houses, slums, and workshops in that vicinity. But they were soon startled from their state of comparative quietness, by the cry of “the soldiers are coming.” The Invalid Corps, a small body sent from the Park, was approaching. As it came up, the soldiers fired, either blank cartridges, or over the heads of the crowd, doubtless thinking a single discharge would disperse it. The folly of such a course was instantly shown, for the mob, roused into sudden … Read more

North Carolina African American Genealogy

African American Genealogy online research is much more difficult due to the scant nature of record keeping for African American’s prior to the Civil War. This is the reason for creating a separate section for African Americans much like we have for Native Americans who’s research can also be hampered by the available records. The links below provide an accurate reflection of what is available to be searched for African American genealogy. Conducting successful African American genealogical research can be a challenging adventure. In recent years, the challenge has been lessened and the adventure heightened by the growing body of … Read more

North Carolina African American Cemeteries

Cemeteries provide us with a unique link to our past. While many cemeteries contain a few African American graves, some are comprised of only African Americans. The following list shows  African American Cemeteries in North Carolina.  You should also check AccessGenealogy Cemeteries for additional listings. Hosted at Ancestry.com The First African Baptist Church of North America $$ Bertie County First Baptist Church of Colerain (hosted at Bertie County, NC Digital Library) Hosted at North Carolina USGenWeb Archives First Baptist Church of Colerain First Baptist Church Bazemore-Speight Cemetery Hexelena Road Cemetery Holley African Cemetery Saint Elmo Baptist Church Cemetery Taylor Family … Read more

North Carolina African American Census Records

North Carolina Census online research should begin with what is available online for free. If this proves fruitful then congratulations! If not, then I would suggest signing up for the online census images (links to the right) where you can access all the available online Florida census information directly from your computer at home. You should also check AccessGenealogy’s Census Records Hosted at Ancestry.com 1870 US Fed Census $$ Alamance County Hosted at Alamance County NCGenWeb 1850 Federal Census Mortality Schedules 1860 Federal Census Mortality Schedules 1870 Federal Census Mortality Schedules 1880 Federal Census Mortality Schedules Alleghany County 1860 Federal … Read more

Slave Narratives – Memorandum

Memorandum June 9, 1937 To: State Directors of The Federal Writers’ Project From: Henry G. Alsberg, Director In connection with the stories of ex-slaves, please send in to this office copies of State, county, or city laws affecting the conduct of slaves, free Negroes, overseers, patrollers, or any person or custom affecting the institution of slavery. It will, of course, not be necessary to send more than one copy of the laws that were common throughout the state, although any special law passed by a particular city would constitute worthwhile material. In addition, we should like to have you collect … Read more

Slave Narratives – Modification of Instructions

Memorandum July 30, 1937. To: State Directors Of The Federal Writers’ Project From: Henry G. Alsberg, Director The following general suggestions are being sent to all the States where there are ex-slaves still living. They will not apply in to your State as they represent general conclusions reached after reading the mass of ex-slave material already submitted. However, they will, I hope, prove helpful as an indication, along broad lines, of what we want. General Suggestions: 1. Instead of attempting to interview a large number of ex-slaves the workers should now concentrate on one or two of the more interesting … Read more

Slave Narratives – Negro Dialect Suggestions

Sent to: North and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, Oklahoma. April 14, 1937 Mr. Edwin Bjorkman State Director, Federal Writers’ Project Works Progress Administration City Hall, Fifth Floor Asheville, North Carolina Dear Mr. Bjorkman: We have received more stories of ex-slaves and are gratified by the quality and interest of the narratives. Some of these stories have been accompanied by photographs of the subjects. We would like to have portraits wherever they can be secured, but we urge your photographers to make the studies as simple, natural, and “unposed” as possible. Let the background, … Read more

Selected Records, Bearing on the History of the Slave Narratives

From the correspondence and memoranda files of the Washington office of the Federal Writers’ Project the following instructions and criticisms relative to the slave narrative collection, issued from April 1 to September 8, 1937, have been selected. They throw light on the progress of the work, the development of materials and methods, and some of the problems encountered. Copy of Memorandum from George Cronyn to Mrs. Eudora R. Richardson. April 1, 1937. Autograph Memorandum from John A. Lomax to George Cronyn. April 9, 1937. [Handwritten version, Typewritten version’] Copy of Memorandum from George Cronyn to Edwin Bjorkman, enclosing a Memorandum … Read more

Stories told in the Language of the Ex-Slaves

Notes by an editor on dialect usage in accounts by interviews with ex-slaves. (To be used in conjunction with Supplementary Instructions 9E.) Simplicity in recording the dialect is to be desired in order to hold the interest and attention of the readers. It seems to me that readers are repelled by pages sprinkled with misspellings, commas and apostrophes. The value of exact phonetic transcription is, of course, a great one. But few artists attempt this completely. Thomas Nelson Page was meticulous in his dialect; Joel Chandler Harris less meticulous but in my opinion even more accurate. But the values they … Read more

Slave Narratives – Supplementary Instructions

Works Progress Administration Federal Writers’ Project 1500 Eye St. N.W. Washington, D.C. Supplementary Instructions #9-E To The American Guide Manual Folklore Stories From Ex-Slaves Note: In some states it may be possible to locate only a very few ex-slaves, but an attempt should be made in every state. Interesting ex-slave data has recently been reported from Rhode Island, for instance. April 22, 1937 Stories From Ex-Slaves The main purpose of these detailed and homely questions is to get the Negro interested in talking about the days of slavery. If he will talk freely, he should be encouraged to say what … Read more

WPA Slave Narratives

James Boyd

Slave narratives are stories of surviving slaves told in their own words and ways. Unique, colorful, and authentic, these slave narratives provide a look at the culture of the South during slavery which heretofore had not been told.

Missouri African American Genealogy

African American Genealogy online research is much more difficult due to the scant nature of record keeping for African American’s prior to the Civil War. This is the reason for creating a separate section for African Americans much like we have for Native Americans who’s research can also be hampered by the available records. The links below provide an accurate reflection of what is available to be searched for African American genealogy. Conducting successful African American genealogical research can be a challenging adventure. In recent years, the challenge has been lessened and the adventure heightened by the growing body of … Read more

Mississippi African American Genealogy

African American Genealogy online research is much more difficult due to the scant nature of record keeping for African American’s prior to the Civil War. This is the reason for creating a separate section for African Americans much like we have for Native Americans who’s research can also be hampered by the available records. The links below provide an accurate reflection of what is available to be searched for African American genealogy. Conducting successful African American genealogical research can be a challenging adventure. In recent years, the challenge has been lessened and the adventure heightened by the growing body of … Read more

Mississippi African American Cemeteries

Cemeteries provide us with a unique link to our past. While many cemeteries contain a few African American graves, some are comprised of only African Americans. The following list shows  African American Cemeteries in Florida.  You should also check AccessGenealogy Cemeteries for additional listings. Hosted at African American Cemeteries Online Monroe County Blair Cemetery Simpson County Camper Cemetery, James Chapel Cemetery Mt. Zion Colored  Cemetery New Zion MB Church Cemetery Pilgrim’s Rest Cemetery Rose Hill Cemetery Springhill Cemetery Unidentified Cemetery Stone County Old Slave Cemetery (hosted at African American Cemeteries Online) Hosted at Stone County Mississippi Cemeteries and History of … Read more