Enduring Connections is a database with thousands of abstracted and transcribed resources that document the people, places, and events in Delmarva's Black history. In order to make meaningful discoveries about ancestors or other research interests, use simple search terms.
General Tips
- Using date, location, and other filters may help improve searches.
- Try alternative spellings to ensure the best search results.
- Data have been transcribed true to sources, including all misspellings and variations.
- Click Details on search results to view all fields in a record.
Searching for People
- Search using surnames in conjunction with the filters (Location, Occupation, Age Group, Gender, Race).
- First and last names can be searched together (using quotation marks for an exact phrase is not necessary and will limit results).
- Attempting different spelling variations may be helpful, even within a single search (for example, Charlotte Lotty will provide results for Charlotte and Lotty).
- Some names and surnames were spelled phonetically, so spelling first and last names in different ways will sometimes produce results. Consulting resources on name variations may help.
When You Find a Match
- Cross reference the data for age, location, or occupation (as applicable) to ensure the information is accurate for that person.
- Look for other resources that may contain information regarding that individual.
- Re-search the database using the new information that you've gathered from the matching source.
Next Steps
- Take notes on identifying genealogical information. See links below for useful note-taking resources.
- Use other resources to find more background information; other resources may hold information that can expand your discovery.
Searching for Keywords
- Using the filters refines the results.
- The Advanced Search search bar will not allow you to use dates along with names. For example: Moses Wise 1850 would not work, but Moses Wise with 1850 input into the Earliest Year field would give you 2 results
- Results can also be refined in your search with the “Excluded” and “Optional Words” fields
Records can be “pinned” and accessed later through Cookies used to save your search data in your browser. When looking through records, spreadsheets of the original data can be downloaded from the “View Records” tab. To download this data, click the “Download Original Dataset” button.
An interactive map showcasing the various communities of the Delmarva peninsula displays the number of resources connected to a specific location. To view these sources, click the “View Records” button to access records from their corresponding category.
For more resources to search African American genealogy explore the following:
Family Search - African American Genealogy Guide
National Archives - African American Heritage Database