Welcome to the Pre-Emancipation Lineage Community.
This work is about more than genealogy-it is about restoring lineage. We support individuals tracing ancestry connected to populations present in the United States prior to 1865, particularly where historical records have been inconsistent, incomplete, or altered over time. Through structured research, documentation, and community collaboration, we work to bring clarity to family histories and preserve them with accuracy, dignity, and purpose.
Community-Driven Ancestry Research
Roots and Boots NFP works with researchers, historians, and community members to help individuals trace their family lineage. Explore stories about ancestors and build your family legacy using our resources below.
EXPLORE NOWOur Four Pillars
The Four Pillars of Family Legacy
Every family deserves the opportunity to discover its history, understand its journey, preserve its records, and pass its legacy to future generations.
Discover
Identify your ancestors through historical records, family stories, and documented evidence.
Understand
Learn the historical context, laws, migrations, and events that shaped your family's history.
Preserve
Protect photographs, documents, oral histories, and family records for future generations.
Pass Forward
Share your family's legacy through education, storytelling, and community engagement.
Service Eligibility
Is Your Family Research Connected to the United States Before 1865?
Our specialized genealogy consultations, lineage-reconstruction programs, memberships, and research services focus on families whose ancestral lines were present within the United States before 1865.
The ancestor may have been recorded as American Indian, Indian, White, Black, Negro, Colored, Mulatto, Free Person of Color, Freedman, mixed, another classification, or without any racial classification.
Eligibility is based on the historical location and period of the family line being researched, not on a person's appearance or present-day racial identity.
Start the Family Discovery AssessmentPrimary Eligibility Requirement
The family lineage being researched must be documented or actively investigated within the United States before 1865.
Your research may involve:
- American Indian lineage and heritage
- Ancestors historically classified as White
- Ancestors historically classified as Black or Negro
- Free People of Color and mixed American communities
- Freedmen and Freedwomen family lines
- Changing or conflicting classifications across records
- Missing, destroyed, altered, or incomplete records
- Land, probate, court, military, church, and tribal records
Our objective is correction, not discrimination.
The pre-1865 United States requirement defines the historical research mission of our specialized services. It does not assign greater or lesser value to any person, race, family, nationality, or community.
Follow the Evidence
One Family May Appear Under Many Classifications
Historical racial labels changed across time, location, record type, local custom, government policy, and the decisions of individual record keepers. Every label must be examined as one piece of a larger body of evidence.
Research Standard: No single census label, physical appearance, family story, surname, or document automatically proves or disproves ancestry. Conclusions should be based on multiple records considered together.
Historical Records Intelligence Center
When Records Disappear, the Research Should Not Stop
Our Historical Records Intelligence Center helps researchers understand why records are missing, what may have survived, how communities reconstructed evidence, and where to search next.
- Courthouse, archive, and library fires
- Floods, storms, and wars affecting record survival
- County formations and boundary changes
- Lost census and military records
- Reconstructed court and property records
- Substitute sources and neighboring repositories
Major Record Loss Identified
Probate and court files from this period may be incomplete. Researchers should compare substitute records and avoid assuming that no surviving evidence exists.
Recommended alternative sources:
The Family Historian Journey
Become the Historian of Your Own Family
You do not need to begin as an expert. Our education, tools, research guidance, and community support are designed to help you advance one stage at a time.
Explorer
Gather known names, dates, places, photographs, documents, and family stories.
Researcher
Search records, evaluate evidence, cite sources, and build documented connections.
Family Historian
Place family evidence within its larger legal, social, and historical context.
Legacy Preserver
Protect records, memories, traditions, and stories for future generations.
Community Mentor
Help relatives and community members begin responsible family-history research.
Signature Platform Features
A Different Kind of Genealogy Platform
R.O.O.T.S. & B.O.O.T.S. combines genealogy, historical research, education, case management, and family legacy preservation in one connected experience.
Family Project System
Organize ancestors, family branches, evidence, research questions, records, timelines, notes, consultations, and conclusions within one central family workspace.
Branch Workspaces
Give every maternal, paternal, surname, and ancestral branch its own research, documentation, historical context, and storytelling space.
Learning Center
Build Genealogy Skills at Your Own Pace
From reading your first census record to untangling conflicting historical classifications, our learning resources and worksheets meet you exactly where you are.
Explore Learning ResourcesJoin the Community
Create Your Free Account Today
Get access to personal genealogy sessions, member resources, and a community of people tracing their pre-1865 American lineage. It takes less than a minute to get started.
Free to join — no credit card required.
By signing up you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.
Take Action
Sign Our petition to protect genealogical records.
This petition advocates for improved access to records and resources for individuals tracing pre-1865 American lineage, who are affected by inconsistencies in historical documentation.
Membership Tiers
Choose the plan that fits your journey of discovery
Roots Explorer
- 4 complimentary sessions with a genealogist1 session per quarter
- Access to our lineage-based community
- Certified Family Historian Certificate
- Access to community workshops, forums, and events
- Lineage Research VaultArchival research guides and resources
Lineage Keeper
- 8 dedicated one-on-one research sessions2 sessions per quarter
- Full access to our premium ancestry community
- V.I.P. access to community workshops, forums, and events
- Priority scheduling with senior genealogists
- Official Lineage Certification Card
- PDF Book LibraryCurated genealogy and lineage titles
- Monthly Book ClubDiscussions and featured reading selections
Heritage Builder
- Contribute as-you-go extended research sessions
- Open access to community workshops
- Invitations to genealogy social and heritage events
Pay-per-session research service — billed $20 per session, not a recurring subscription
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know before starting your lineage journey.
Heritage Marketplace
Official R.O.O.T.S. & B.O.O.T.S. Collections
Every product we offer educates, preserves, recognizes, or strengthens the R.O.O.T.S. & B.O.O.T.S. mission.
Logo Apparel
Shirts, hoodies, and Family Historian recognition apparel carrying our official mark.
Research Materials
Binders, notebooks, journals, archival portfolios, and certificate folders for your research.
Publications & Keepsakes
Genealogy workbooks, family chronicles, and personalized legacy products to pass forward.
Genealogy Consultation
You Do Not Have to Research Alone
Begin with a consultation designed to clarify your family-research goals, organize known information, identify potential records, and determine the most useful next steps. Specialized services focus on family lineages present within the United States before 1865.
Help Us Preserve Family History
Your contribution directly funds genealogy research sessions, record preservation efforts, and community education programs for families seeking their roots.
Roots and Boots NFP is a registered nonprofit. Donations may be tax-deductible.
Your Gift Makes an Impact
Request a Tax Receipt
After sending your contribution via CashApp, enter your details below to receive an official tax receipt by email.