| How to Create a Research Plan for Freedmen's Bureau Records |
| The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands, usually just called the "Freedman's Bureau," was created by Congress on March 3, 1865 and it operated until June 30th, 1872. The goal was to provide relief assistance after the Civil War to the newly freed slaves (referenced as freedmen) and refugees (referenced as whites). It was under the management of the military and field offices were set up throughout communities in the South. For those of you conducting African American genealogical research, this is a key collection to review as it provides information before 1870 including names, ages, locations, marriages, transportation records and more. With so much information to explore, where do you begin? Here are a few simple steps to orient you to the Bureau. |
| Step 1: Make a list of who you want to research. If you have ancestors who were alive during the Civil War era, regardless of their race, the Bureau is worth exploring. Ask yourself, were your ancestors free or enslaved between 1865 to 1872? Have you made it back to the 1870 population census? Step 2: Set a specific research goal. This will help keep you focused on specifically what you are looking for as you sift through the many records the Bureau has to offer. Step 3: Get to know the Bureau. Understand the Bureau's history, how it was organized and what services they provided. For example, the field office records are typically at the local level and have more genealogy information that might link to your research. Step 4: Locate the pamphlet for the state you are researching. The National Archives has developed descriptive pamphlets that guide you to the records that are on the microfilm. Step 5: Learn how to access the Bureau. The microfilms of each state can be accessed through Ancestry, the National Archives, and FamilySearch. FamilySearch led an indexing project a few years ago Step 6: Determine what records you need to search for first. First, remember to read the descriptive pamphlet. Look at the rolls, what information are you looking for? Locate your state and the field office where your ancestor lived, then proceed to browse the images. Your ultimate goal is to gather as much information during a specific timeframe as you can. Using the Bureau is a great way to research your ancestor during a tumultuous time. Remember, you are looking at a community that was in chaos since the war had ended. Have patience, share their story and good luck! |
