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Membership

Membership Eligibility

Those persons being a citizen of good repute in the community, is the lineal descendant (using standards generally accepted in the genealogical community) from an ancestor who was of African descent who lived in English America before March 5, 1770, the date of the Boston Massacre and the death of Crispus Attucks the first patriot casualty of the American Revolution and/or participated in the founding of the United States of America by serving in the military during the Revolutionary War or contributed to the war cause. Membership to the Society also includes descendants of an individual who lived in that part of French or Spanish North America and later became part of English America who meet all the eligibility requirements. Collateral descent is not acceptable.

Application Process

The Society of the First African Families of English America welcomes membership to all regardless of race, gender, creed, religion or national origin, so long as the applicant meet the eligibility criteria.

Application Criteria

The following criteria are used to determine whether a colonial settler may be included as a qualifying ancestor for purposes of membership in the Society of the First African Families of English America.

The individual:

  1. Can be documented by name in an accepted colonial record, such as a Land patent, Court Order, Deed, Will, birth/marriage/death certificate, military record are examples (but not limited to) that will meet this criteria (serving in the Revolutionary War does NOT of itself qualify an individual); 
  2. Can be found by name in a widely accepted book of abstracts for the designated colonial period;
  3. Is previously proven by previous applicants and proof is provided of direct lineal descent from a previously qualified ancestor.

Supplemental Applications

Following admission to the Society of the First African Families of English America under one proven ancestor, a Member may submit supplementals, which are papers that establish additional lines of descent from a proven colonial of African heritage. The same application forms are used for submitting supplementals as for new member applications. Supplemental applications and guidelines are provided by the society or may be downloaded from this page. Supplemental applications may be submitted for a fee of $30.00 each. If the application is not approved, $20 will be refunded. The genealogist fee is not refundable. Certificates for supplementals may be purchased for $10.00.