You may think RootsTech 2022 is over but the truth is, it’s just beginning. Those sessions did not go away on the last day of the conference, They are still there for you to go back and watch and learn from.

If you didn’t know, there are over 1500 sessions in 30 languages available for you to add to your playlist. That means there’s literally something available for everyone. There’s an especially good number of videos focused on African American research.

I know it can get overwhelming and you might not know where to start. Well, we’ve decided to share the best 5 sessions that we think will help you get started.

Below is our list and the links that go along with each session.

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African American Genealogy Challenges - Dr. Shelley Viola Murphy
https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/session/african-american-genealogy-challenges

This is a great place to start when searching African American genealogy. She shares easy to follow tips and advice as you begin your research. This class is for beginners but may be a good refresher for those of us who have been researching for a while.

A Look Inside the Freedmen's Bureau at Ancestry: What's in the records | Ancestry® - Nicka Sewell Smith
https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/session/a-look-inside-the-freedmens-bureau-at-ancestry-whats-in-the-records-ancestry

As you're doing your research you may run into a need to research your family in the Freedmen's Bureau. Nicka is a great person to get more information from. She had a good extensive knowledge of the Freedmen's Bureau. One of the things I found interesting was that Delaware is a part of the Freedmen's Bureau information. To learm more, click the link and watch.

Best Foot Forward: Preserving Ancestors' Photos - Maureen Taylor & Nancy Lora Desmond
https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/series/preserving-ancestors-photos

This one is a 2 part series explaining how to keep your family photos organized and safe for generations to come. I especially liked the session on digitizing. As you know, technology is a big deal and as we morph into a more paperless society, having your family documents and photos is going to be even more important.

What To Do When There's "Nothing" To Do! - Renate Yarborough Sanders
https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/session/what-to-do-when-theres-nothing-to-do

We all deal with brick walls when researching. Renate explains how to take a break from it and what to do instead. And it just doesn't have to be when you run into brick walls. You can just stop and take a break when you're tired or mentally frustrated. Both Trisha and I just took a long break off. I wish we had this information during our break. But we do now, so the next time we break from researching, we'll know what to do.

African American Genealogy: Getting Past the 1870 Brick Wall - Janice Gilyard
https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/session/african-american-genealogy-getting-past-the-1870-brick-wall

Janice did a good job telling you how you can find your African American ancestors beyond 1870. She used examples of her own story and it was very helpful to see how she was able to find her ancestors.

These are the sessions we enjoyed but there are so many more sessions you can find that fit your particular interest. You can still register and have access to sessions throughout the year. Just search and add them to your playlist.

We hope you enjoy them and learn a lot.