IAAM Center for Family History: “In Search of…” with Renate Yarborough Sanders

In this short video, Renate Yarborough-Sanders talked about Cohabitation Records, records that were created to legitimize, solemnize, and legalize the unions of formerly enslaved people who had been living as man and wife. “Slave marriages” were not legal. Unions forged during slavery had no legal standing after Emancipation.

Renate covered the importance of Cohabitation Records and the invaluable genealogical information they may contain – as well as where to find them!