October African American Ancestry

Did you know that Civil War General William T. Sherman coined the phrase "40 acres" about the fiscal reparations he ordered from the battlefield? The “mule” as in “40 acres and a mule” reference came later when Sherman also suggested that the U.S. Army lend its mules to the formerly enslaved to assist them in their new lives. There is a lot to learn about our ancestors in researching the truth about our past. It provides us with a historic framework that we may press forward in the future. Join us this month as you learn what valuable information is available in the U.S. Census and Freedmen’s Bureau Records. There are easy ways to unlock the intricate web of information that is freely available.