African American Sources
Iredell County has a large African American population and sometimes doing genealogy in this field can be challenging. After the Civil War and southern slaves were freed, many did not have their own identities. Many were given the surnames of the plantations on which they worked and those names stuck with them and their descendants. Freed slaves were not in the US Federal Census until 1870, although there are ways of tracing some of these people back through other records. Many slave cemeteries have been lost over the years. The library has lots of resources for tracing African American lineage and staff is always happy to assist when research road blocks are reached.
Online Resources
A simple Google search of "African American Genealogy" will provide a lot of results. Some require paid subscriptions like Ancestry.com, others are available for free with a library card. Ancestry and HeritageQuest are both available with an ICPL card. ProQuest and Credo Reference provide articles and general information on African American history which can be helpful in creating a context for your family history. Understanding what was going on in the world and the country at the time your ancestors lived is very important to learning how your family lived. Family Search has a wiki page for African American Genealogy that provides links to additional databases to help in your research.
Additional Online Resources
Digital Library on American Slavery- A huge digital collection of slave records, mostly from North Carolina but other states and Washington D.C. are included. Not only can you find transcribed information on this site, you can also view original documents that have been digitized.
Ancestry Databases
Access Ancestry Library Edition through the library's website, then search for the following databases.
1850 U.S. Federal Census, Slave Schedule
1860 U.S. Federal Census, Slave Schedule
U.S. African American Newspapers 1829-1947
African American Collection
U.S. Colored Troops Service Records 1863-1865
Indexes
Local History Subject Files- These files are located in the Local History Room. There are files for Black-owned businesses and churches that could be useful for research.
Local History Family Files- Many African American families are represented in the library's family files. These files contain a variety of documents, newspaper articles, and obituaries.
Index to Slave Deeds (1789-1867)- Provided free online by the Iredell County Register of Deeds
Videos
Books and Print Resources
Iredell County African Americans Who Have Served Their Country
Preserving Our Heritage: The History of African Americans in Statesville & Iredell County
Oakdale/Union Hill Cemetery, Salisbury, North Carolina: A History and Study of a Twentieth Century African American Cemetery
North Carolina Slaves and Free Persons of Color: Iredell County
African American Cemeteries- Available in the Local History Room
Images on this page are from the sources to which they are linked.