Free Getting-Started Guide
Could You Be a Descendant?
Begin exploring your family's possible connection to an African American Revolutionary War Patriot or Civil War soldier.
Every family story begins with a clue. This free getting-started guide will help you organize what you know, recognize possible signs of military service, and conduct a preliminary search. It is designed to help you begin—not to complete a lineage determination.
A Getting-Started Guide • PDF
"This guide helps you begin the search. DHF helps you continue the journey."
Continuing the Journey
Your Family Story May Be Part of a Larger History
You don’t need to have all the answers before beginning. Many family histories are uncovered one name, one document, and one story at a time.
DHF exists to encourage that discovery while preserving the histories that connect families to the broader African American experience.
Still Exploring Your Family History?
Join DHF as a Heritage Member and become part of a community committed to genealogy, preservation, and African American history while you continue your research.
Explore Heritage MembershipHave You Identified a Qualifying Ancestor?
Learn about DHF’s Verified Lineage process and how documented descent from an eligible ancestor can become part of the DHF lineage record.
Learn About Verified Lineage