One of genealogy research’s ultimate brick walls has long been African American ancestry. The dark years of segregation, coupled with the darker days of slavery, have proven to be huge obstacles for individuals digging into their African American ancestral lines. Many have simply given up, happy to get as far back as they can, while others press on, digging into records that can stir many emotions.

If you haven’t even started such a project yet, you can benefit from the jumpstart the website afrigeneas.com offers. Online for nearly eight years, the site has steadily grown to become the premier web location for digging into African American ancestry.

The site’s Getting Started section contains an excellent tutorial that answers questions like “What the Internet Can Do To Help You,” and “What the Internet Can Not Do To Help You,” along with areas titled “Telling the African American Family’s Story,” and “The Future of African American Genealogy on the Internet.”

In the afrigeneas.com Records section, you’ll find everything from Census Records and Slave Data Collection, to an area that allows you to Submit Data of your own and help their impressive databases grow.

Another extremely helpful area of afrigeneas.com is its Forums, with areas of interest like Surnames & Family Research, Slave Research, Free Persons of Color, African-Native Research, Caribbean Research, and Underground Railroad.

Afrigeneas.com is the work of many dedicated individuals you’ll find profiled on the site. They should all be commended for putting together an outstanding resource that will inspire many for years to come.