These research guides, created by our librarians and specialists in genealogy resources, provide information and tools to help navigate your way through researching local history and genealogy collections.
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Local History and Genealogy Guides
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Research GuideAfrican American Family Histories and Genealogies: A Resource Guide The Library of Congress collections include a wide variety of family histories, genealogies, and electronic resources useful when researching the African American experience. This guide provides alphabetical and subject indexes to these materials.- Date: 2020-06-24
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Research GuideAfrican American Genealogical Research Millions of African Americans are descended from slaves, making genealogical research challenging prior to 1870, the date of the first census to include all free people. This guide provides published resources and case studies to aid in your research.- Date: 2020-06-24
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Research GuideAlabama: Local History & Genealogy Resource Guide Compiled by reference specialists at the Library of Congress, this guide identifies key print and online resources for pursuing family history, as well as state, county and municipal historical research, for the state of Alabama.- Date: 2024-07-12
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Research GuideAlaska: Local History & Genealogy Resource Guide Compiled by reference specialists at the Library of Congress, this guide identifies key print and online resources for pursuing family history, as well as state, county and municipal historical research, for the state of Alaska.- Date: 2024-03-05
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Research GuideAmerican Samoa: Local History & Genealogy Resource Guide Compiled by reference specialists at the Library of Congress, this guide identifies key print and online resources for pursuing family history, as well as state, county and municipal historical research, for the territory of American Samoa.- Date: 2026-01-24
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Research GuideArizona: Local History & Genealogy Resource Guide Compiled by reference specialists at the Library of Congress, this guide identifies key print and online resources for pursuing family history, as well as state, county and municipal historical research, for the state of Arizona.- Date: 2024-12-20
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Research GuideBahamas: Genealogy Resource Guide Compiled by reference specialists at the Library of Congress, this guide identifies key print and online resources for pursuing family history, as well as district and regional historical research for the country of the Bahamas.- Date: 2024-06-04
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Research GuideBarbados: Genealogy Resource Guide Compiled by reference specialists at the Library of Congress, this guide identifies key print and online resources for pursuing family history, as well as parish and regional historical research, for the country of Barbados.- Date: 2023-11-15
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Research GuideBuchanan Estate Scam: Detecting and Navigating Genealogical Hoaxes Fabricated family trees are an obstacle to genealogical research. Using the real-life example of the Buchanan Estate Scam material, this guide demonstrates how to recognize similar fake lineages that could derail your research.- Date: 2020-03-30
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Research GuideCalifornia: Local History & Genealogy Resource Guide Compiled by reference specialists at the Library of Congress, this guide identifies key print and online resources for pursuing family history, as well as state, county and municipal historical research, for the state of California.- Date: 2022-06-28
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Research GuideChurch and Synagogue Records for Genealogy Baptisms, marriages, and burials are recorded in religious records and can be used to verify or substitute for missing genealogical data. This guide provides search strategies for finding these records along with selected online resources.- Date: 2019-09-11
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Research GuideCivil War Era Black Washington: A Resource Guide This guide highlights resources relating to African American experiences in the District of Columbia from just before, through, during, and just after the Civil War.- Date: 2025-12-19
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Research GuideColorado: Local History & Genealogy Resource Guide Compiled by reference specialists at the Library of Congress, this guide identifies key print and online resources for pursuing family history, as well as state, county and municipal historical research, for the state of Colorado.- Date: 2024-07-22
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Research GuideConnecticut: Local History & Genealogy Resource Guide Compiled by reference specialists at the Library of Congress, this guide identifies key print and online resources for pursuing family history, as well as state, county and municipal historical research, for the State of Connecticut.- Date: 2023-07-26
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Research GuideDelaware: Local History & Genealogy Resource Guide Compiled by reference specialists at the Library of Congress, this guide identifies key print and online resources for pursuing family history, as well as state, county and municipal historical research, for the state of Delaware.- Date: 2023-12-18
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Research GuideDistrict of Columbia: Local History & Genealogy Resource Guide Compiled by reference specialists at the Library of Congress, this guide identifies key print and online resources for pursuing family history, as well as state, county and municipal historical research, for the District of Columbia.- Date: 2021-05-27
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Research GuideDominican Republic: Genealogy Resource Guide Compiled by reference specialists at the Library of Congress, this guide identifies key print and online resources for pursuing family history, as well as provincial and regional historical research, for the country of the Dominican Republic.- Date: 2023-12-18
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Research GuideFamily History for Kids This guide shares activities and inspirations for engaging younger generations with local and family history research.- Date: 2021-03-24
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Research GuideFamily Secrets: Emotional Fallout from Genealogical Research This guide provides support for genealogists who discover sensitive scenarios in the course of family history research. Open minds and being prepared for the unexpected are required perspectives for delving into this unpredictable field of human history.- Date: 2020-09-24
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Research GuideFemale Ancestors: Finding Women in Local History and Genealogy This guide provides resources and strategies for discovering the women in local history and family trees. Library of Congress print and digital collections, as well as state, county, and community archives can help to find elusive female ancestors.- Date: 2022-02-01
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Research GuideFinding Ancestors in the Anti-Slavery Movement and Underground Railroad The effort to abolish slavery in the United States spanned centuries and was powered by thousands of ordinary people. This guide provides sources and strategies to search for your ancestors in all this activity.- Date: 2020-11-06
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Research GuideFlorida: Local History & Genealogy Resource Guide Compiled by reference specialists at the Library of Congress, this guide identifies key print and online resources for pursuing family history, as well as state, county, and municipal historical research for the state of Florida.- Date: 2025-05-06
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Research GuideGenealogy and Family History Research: A Guide to Online Resources While not all materials useful in genealogical research are available for at-home research, the number of online resources continues to grow. This guide connects you with Library of Congress digitized collections and external websites to get you started.- Date: 2020-08-20
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Research GuideGenealogy Fiction: Entertainment and Inspiration Family historians have the opportunity to both enjoy and learn from their own specialized genre of fictional creativity. This guide provides reading lists and perspectives for indulging in literature with a local history and genealogy spin.- Date: 2023-02-06
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Research GuideGeorgia: Local History & Genealogy Resource Guide Compiled by reference specialists at the Library of Congress, this guide identifies key print and online resources for pursuing family history, as well as state, county and municipal historical research, for the state of Georgia.- Date: 2021-10-29