Early African American Newspapers, Tell So Much

A collection of America's Earliest Afr. Newspapers

These papers are searchable on Accessible Archives

Last week, I mentioned a website that had caught my attention and I mentioned it on my weekly podcast.  The site was Accessible Archives, on that site they have an impressive collection of early African American Newspapers. Since that broadcast, I heard from the owners of the website who offered me a complimentary introductory subscription to explore the site.Well, having a strong interest in African American history, I accepted their offer and I am quite pleased  that I did as I have had a new door opened for me in terms of research and learning.

Early newspapers tell so many stories and I was excited to find a neat story right away, about a young boy who was an unsung Civil War hero. This young lad helped to make the Union Army move on Roanoke Island successful. The story appeared in the August 1862 issue of  Douglass Monthly  a publication by abolitionist Frederick Douglass. And what a wonderful story it was about a young man, an escapee from bondage--a freedom seeker. He was embraced by General Ambrose Burnside and this courageous young man became a hero who led Burnside and his army to victory at Roanoke Island. I researched it further, and I told the story of young Thomas Robinson on my Civil War Blog.

So today, in quest of more gems from these newspaper---I began to truly explore the site itself. I noticed that by typing in a keyword, such as "contraband", or "slavery" many articles come up. One can simply choose to read a transcription of the article, and if desired, an original image of the entire issue appears and one can view it as it appeared first in print. There are seven publications in the African American collection. 

Image of Douglass Monthly on of Frederick Douglass Publications

Source of This Image: Cornell University Library

Being curious about other publications that I had never had the chance to examine before, I found some of the most moving articles appeared as short entries in what I shall simply call "Wanted" columns.  

The writers of these articles are neither seeking jobs, nor offering them. They are seeking their loved ones. In an issue published in 1894, I was stunned to find such moving articles and letters in "The Christian Recorder" a publication of the AME Church. Families were seeking their loved ones thirty years after freedom. The genealogical value of these posts is evident.

A Query From Arkansas

Source: The Christian Recorder, September 6, 1894 p. 7

Image accessed through Accessible Archives

These ads are sobering, indeed. 

We all know how families were separated during slavery and also during the years of the Civil War. Many seeking freedom never returned to their place of enslavement, and became contrabands--refugeed slaves taken to new places. 

These freed people later began new lives for themselves. Decades later, time had not healed what slavery and war had ripped apart. They still longed for their loved ones so much.

A Query From Fayette County Texas

Source: The Christian Recorder, September 6, 1894 p. 7

Image accessed through Accessible Archives

I shall occasionally post these wanted articles--they tell so many stories and thanks to the ability to see them now online, from such historic publications, I hope to bring more of these to the genealogical community. 

Perhaps during this Civil War sesquicentennial season, some families might be re-united.