Historical Records

Following the Civil War, when nearly 200,000 African American men served, the U.S. Army established 4 African American infantry (later modified to 2) and 2 cavalry regiments in 1868. They initially served in the West but fought in the Spanish American War and the two World Wars in segregated units. It was not until 1948 that Executive Order 9981 integrated the military. What was life like for these soldiers? Where do you find service and pension records?

Using case studies the lecturer builds on his previous lectures relating to the Revolutionary War tracing soldier Joseph L. Harper from before the War until his death.

After Pearl Harbor was attacked in 1941, thousands of Japanese and Japanese Americans were incarcerated in “Internment Camps.” German, Italians, and Latin Americans were also interned. The various sites of confinement and the records created will be examined, covering the period of time immediately preceding World War II through resettlement and redress.

Corporal Joseph King born on July 4 1776 served during the War of 1812. This cases study follows King before, during, and long after the war ends to his death in 1877.

Organized in Chicago, IL in 1917 by citizens who believed the United States Department of Justice was understaffed and not up to the task of fighting against espionage. They grew to a volunteer force of more than 250,000 members. The APL was given absolute power to stop ordinary citizens in the streets by checking whether men were legally registered for draft, or were sympathetic to the Germans, or those unregistered aliens living in the United States. Long believed to be a pseudo-patriotic organization. The APL documented both members and their activities in rich genealogical and historical details at the time the United States entered World War I.

Organized in August 1862, the First Kansas Colored Infantry was the first Black unit recruited in the North, the first to see and die in battle in the Civil War. Made up of both free and enslaved men, including those from the Five Tribes, its exploits were legendary. Yet, the lives of its rank and file outside of their service were prolific and unsung.

Researching, remembering and commemorating those in our families who served. Michelle will explore ways family historians can research, remember and commemorate those in our families who served. The presentation will include tips about where to find service records and the gems of information that can be found within. Lest We Forget.

Using case studies the lecturer builds on his previous lectures relating to the Revolutionary War tracing soldier William Aaron from before the War until his death.

The history of the draft and conscripting men for military service in the United States dates back to the days of the Revolutionary War. Individual colonies were given the authority to draft men that were called up for militia service. It wasn’t until the Civil War that the first national legislation in 1862 was passed that would enact a national draft. Since then, several Selective Service Acts in 1917, 1940, 1948, and 1967 that have account for men who would serve their country in times of crisis or emergency.

Quand un généalogiste se lance dans des recherches sur un combattant français de la Seconde Guerre mondiale, il est souvent amené à travailler sur un profil de prisonnier de guerre. C’est presque une affaire de statistiques, avec plus de 1,8 million de soldats capturés par les forces allemandes entre mai et juin 1940 ! La recherche prend alors une tournure particulière. Ce moment de la vie du combattant stimule la curiosité de son descendant. Et, ce qui n’est pas le moindre paradoxe, le généalogiste a parfois connu l’ancien prisonnier de guerre. Il a écouté les récits de son père, de son grand-père, il en a collecté les anecdotes. Mais une fois que le principal témoin a disparu, il se rend compte qu’il lui manque des données précises pour documenter cette histoire individuelle transmise dans l’intimité familiale. Heureusement les archives existent. Elles permettent de compléter les précieux souvenirs. Ce webinaire a pour but de recenser les sources, qui sont variées. Et, à partir de cet inventaire, il s’agira d’envisager les méthodes de recherche, et les conditions de consultation, en fonction des configurations.

La Première Guerre mondiale a marqué la vie de nos ancêtres, mais a également laissé des traces dans de nombreuses sources d’archives. Découvrez dans ce webinaire comment rechercher et exploiter ces documents, afin de retracer le parcours de vos ancêtres durant la Grande Guerre, qu’ils soient militaires ou civils.

Tens of thousands of young men came together to serve in the vanguard of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal program. Discover some of your ancestors who may have worked and served in the Civilian Conservation Corps from 1933 to 1942. The New Deal era in American History has many great resources that have been untapped for years, and seldom used by genealogists and family historians.