by Dee Palmer Woodtor
ISBN 0-375-40595-x]
History Guides Genealogy
(from pg 56):
"If you know your history, your research problems will diminish in proportion to the history that you know. There is one catch to this dictum. You should know local and regional history: the history of settlement, agriculture, folkways, ethnic groups, and migration patterns in the area where your Ancestors lived. Therefore, you will need to read:
A good history of your county, city or town, state and region
A history of slavery in your state of research
A history of Reconstruction in your state of research
A general history of the African American experience
Even the history of rivers, as in the case of the Mississippi, will prove important in your research. Do not make the mistake of assuming that histories of local towns and counties in the South are not relevant to the Black experience.
Local histories published prior to the 1960s will rarely mention Blacks, but you will need to know about the movements of slave owners to clarify what happened to your Ancestors during slavery."
To keep your research on track and reduce the time staring at those brick walls, heed Woodtor's advice.
