Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture: Genealogy

The Family History Center is a branch of the Family History Library of Salt Lake City, UT. We have a wide variety of tools to help you identify your ancestors. Everyone is welcome to come in and use the Family History Center resources.

The IAAM Center for Family history is a one of a kind research center dedicated to African American genealogy. The center will be a part of the International African American Museum, scheduled to open in 2020.

Genealogy tips and resources held at the Charleston County Public Library. Library also has access to Ancestry.com

Lowcountry Africana, sponsored by the Magnolia Plantation Foundation of Charleston, South Carolina, is a free website dedicated to African American genealogy and history in South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, home to the rich Gullah-Geechee cultural heritage.

With 350 years of state history comprised in rare books, manuscripts, and visual materials, the South Carolina Historical Society is the state’s largest and oldest private archive as well as a modern historical museum.

Founded in 1855, the organization’s preservation, exploration, and interpretation of the state’s historical legacy continues to benefit generations of learners. Its mission is “to expand, preserve and make accessible our collection; to improve knowledge of and encourage focus, interest and pride in the history of our state.”

The Special Collections Department of the College of Charleston was founded to support the teaching and learning mission of the College of Charleston and to promote scholarship on the South Carolina Lowcountry and the broader Atlantic World. It is located on the third floor of the Marlene and Nathan Addlestone Library. Its holdings include over 600 manuscript collections related to the history and culture of the South Carolina Lowcountry, the archives of the College of Charleston, the Spoleto Festival Archives, and more than 40,000 rare books and pamphlets.

Welcome to the official web page of the South Carolina Genealogical Society. We are here to provide you with helpful information on the SCGS, as well as provide you with links to information on our individual chapters, other genealogical web sites, research, histories, publications, and much more.

Broad purposes of which would be to foster and encourage historical and genealogical studies of families of all ethnic groups, with special emphasis upon Afro-Americans.

The Avery Normal Institute was established by the American Missionary Association (AMA) in Charleston, South Carolina in 1865. The Institute originally served as a school for former slaves and free persons of color, providing normal (or, teacher) training to students pursuing careers in education. The school eventually became known just as Avery Institute, operating as a high school with financial support from the AMA until 1947, when it became part of Charleston's segregated public school system. The school closed in 1954.

From 1949 to the late 1970s, Walter N. Boags (1917-1997) owned and operated Boags Modern Arts Photography Studio, one of the few African American photography studios in Charleston, South Carolina. During the 1980s, Boags continued to operate as a freelance photographer.
The collection consists mostly of black-and-white and color negatives, with some prints and proofs, taken by Walter Boags from 1945 through the 1980s. Boags' work focused on African Americans, African American groups, and architecture related to African American education, worship, and business in the Charleston area.

The Brown Fellowship Society was a benevolent society of free African-American and racially mixed men, affiliated with the St. Philip's Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina.

Centenary Methodist Episcopal Church, an African-American church, formed after the Civil War with the withdrawal of African-American members from Trinity United Methodist Church. In 1866, the congregation purchased its current building at 60 Wentworth Street, Charleston, South Carolina.

Online resource that has message boards, family trees, and tips

Fold3 features premier collections of original military records. These records include the stories, photos, and personal documents of the men and women who served in the military. Many of the records come from the U.S. National archives, The National Archives of the U.K. and other international records.