Who Were “Felix Richards' Slaves”?: Identifying Enslaved People Photographed During the Civil War
Amy Bertsch
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About this webinar
Nine African Americans — two women and seven children — were posed amid a laundry day setting in a rare Civil War-era photograph. The handwritten caption identified them only as “Felix Richards Slaves” and the location as Volusia, near Alexandria, Va. Could their true identities be established? In this case study, historian and genealogist Amy Bertsch discusses a variety of sources, including probate records, a chancery suit, Civil War pension applications, and the former enslaver’s federal compensation claim, she used to identify the individuals in the photo, which is now at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. She explores how these records can yield new discoveries for family historians and she also demonstrates the importance of researching the enslaver’s family when conducting African American family research.
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Comments (50)
Fantastic!
Absolutely excellent presentation
Great presentation! I had no idea how someone would go about identifying people in old photos.
It was terrific!
Amazing.
Such wonderful research
I consider myself new to the genealogy research. I have been researching my family for the past 5 years and have gotten as far back as 1780 on my mother's branch. My father's family has lead me to many barriers. Today's webinar gives me hope and a new direct for researching the possibilities.
Excellent presentation! I'm amazed at the information she found and how she was able to identify the people in the photo.