Juneteenth is a great occasion to think about African American genealogy. Finding records documenting Black ancestors can be very challenging!
In early times and before Emancipation, the identities of Black persons were not recorded or written in documents without longevity.  Names could be inconsistent. When an enslaved person was sold to a new slave owner, the owner might rename the individual out of personal preference. Relocation could be frequent, and enslaved people were often separated from their families.

One technique to research an enslaved individual is to research the slave owner. Census records called Slave Schedules were taken in 1850 and 1860, but the names of enslaved individuals are not recorded.  The number, gender, and age of enslaved people are recorded under the listing of the slave owner in his or her Civil District in the county and state of residence.  

Will, probate, and chancery court records are often more specific. Wills often name slaves left to heirs as property.  Government records usually have more stability, but there are no guarantees of finding a document with an identifiable reference. 
         Other sources of genealogy information include diaries, letters, family papers, and family business paperwork. Madison County resident Robert Cartmell kept a diary from 1849-1915. 

In his diary, Madison County planter Robert H. Cartmell talks about formerly enslaved persons making their own decisions as to whether they will stay with the farm for pay, or if they will leave.  His commentary on the drastic changes in post-war society: ". . . it is amazing beyond description."   

Some helpful resources to further African American genealogy research are:
The National Museum of African American Culture's Freedmen's Bureau Search Portal
Click Here

Wanted: Last Seen, Finding Family After Slavery
This database searches advertisements placed in newspapers to find family members who had been separated from them. Click Here

Black Craftspeople Digital Archive
The BCDA tracks skilled tradesmen and craftspeople whose abilities were respected and whose products were highly valued.
Click Here