The National Archives

A WONDERFUL RESOURCE!
This center is a great resource for those individuals who are interested in genealogy. It contains a wealth of documents that can help you research your past and those who have long past away. We are in the process of trying to locate additional information regarding a Great, Great, Great Granfather Pete. who came to this country from Germany in the 1870’s. (You thought that I was going to say that he came from Africa, right?). We obtained information and actual photos for his son and grandson first so imagine our surprise when we located the photos and discovered that these men were white, (not bi-​racial, but Caucasian). They look just like your standard issue Confederate Officers and their history has been traced back to Greenville, South Carolina. Priceless! Don’t you just love history?
Anyway, we were reviewing the micro-​film to see if we could locate any information on Great, Great, Great Grandfather P and although we could not, we were still appreciative of the assistance provided and the ability to at least have some direction about our next stop. Next stop: South Carolina!
Just outside of the research area in the National Archives, you will find a huge historical display with various pictures and stories. Some of the stories reflected hard southern life, poverty, the men who participated in the horrific Tuskeegee experiment, prisoners from the 1800’s along with letters that they had written to their mother. There was additional information detailing their crimes and sentences. The display covered different eras and states and was very interesting. I would encourage you to take time to check it out if you are in the area.
This building is very cold, so take a jacket if you tend to be sensitive to cold air. Happy hunting!

Who are you? Where do you come from? You may find the answer to both questions here.
The National Archives at Atlanta offers a wealth of resources for exploring your family lines. Sadly, Henry Louis Gates, Jr. won’t be there to sit with you and talk through your illustrated Book of Life. However, experienced archivists can try and help you connect the branches in your family tree using the paper trail your ancestors left behind.
These folks are serious about preserving their archival treasures. Before you can enter the facility you have to undergo a security check. First, you present your driver’s license in order to get a visitor’s badge. If you have a laptop with you they ask for you to write its serial number in their log. (That way if you accidently leave it behind they know how to contact you. Apparently this happens a lot.) You also have to pass through an airport metal detector and put your belongings onto a scanning conveyor belt.
The research room is off the main foyer. Here you can find everything from federal census and military service records to resources for African-​Americans and Native Americans. Their vast majority of their microfilm records pertain to Americans who lived in Southeastern states: Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky.
While researching at The Archives you have free, all-​access to popular genealogy sites like
and
. There are over a dozen partitioned workspaces to choose from. Each cubicle offers a desktop computer, enough space to set up a laptop, and a private printer. Having your own printer is key because – as I learned on a prior trip – people want their personal discoveries (and in some cases, hidden ancestry) to stay their personal business.
Anyway, it’s important to note that the archivists are just there to offer suggestions and to help you use the tools. None of them will do your research for you. But if you’re willing to do the work then they’re happy to direct you to materials that you may find useful. Every time I’ve visited they’ve always been eager to help. They also offer workshops to help beginners make the most of their time at the Archives.
I highly recommend double checking their hours before driving all the way out to Morrow. Currently they’re open Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 5:00pm. They’re only open on the third Saturday of every month from 8:30 to 5:00pm and they’re closed on Sundays. Of course they’re closed on Federal holidays too.
As the old saying goes, «If you don’t know where you came from you won’t know where you’re going.» If you agree then it’s worth a trip to the National Archives at Atlanta to learn more about yourself.

This is a beautiful facility that is extremely useful when you are looking to do some genealogy research, or are just interested in history. This place holds a lot of microfilm of data about families, businesses and all sorts of history that you will probably not find anywhere else. The inside is 180,000 square feet.
The National Archives in Atlanta is located directly next door (left side) to Clayton State University main entrance in Morrow.
Staff here are very friendly, professional and know what they are doing. Which is very important and they are there to help.
[ What they offer ]
The records kept here are from 1716 to the 1980’s and include architectural drawings, maps, a large amount of text, and pictures.
Some of these include:
Slave Sale Documents (1825 – 1863)
Atlanta Federal Penitentiary records
Federal Court records
World War I draft records
The Tuskegee Study
Civil War
Music
Crime
Graves
Indian Census
Family Tree /​Genealogy
[ States they serve ]
The National Archives in Atlanta (Southeastern Region), location serves the following states.
Alabama
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
Mississippi
North Carolina
South Carolina
Tennessee.