Wikitree Categories
Using categories on African American profiles in WikiTree is not just helpful, it’s essential to the broader goals of visibility, connection, and historical restoration. Adding categories to African American profiles is one of the most powerful tools for genealogical research and historical preservation. Here’s why:
| WikiTree Categories by Topic | ||||
| Adoption | Art | Categories | Cemeteries | DNA |
| Family | Genealogy Help | Health | Categorie | Maintenance Categories |
| Migration | Military | Occupations | Regions | Religious Categories |
| Science and Technology | Society | Sports | Things | Unusual Experiences |
| WikiTree | World History | |||
| Use the WikiTree Category Index to find exact spellings. | ||||
| WikiTree Category Index | ||||
Why Categories Matter for African American Profiles
Increases Discoverability
When you categorize a profile, such as with [[Category:US Black Heritage Project]] or [[Category:United States Colored Troops, Civil War]]—you are connecting that person to a larger network of related individuals. This makes it easier for other researchers, descendants, and historians to find, compare, and expand upon your work.
Example: A researcher looking for formerly enslaved people in Madison County, Kentucky, can search a category like [[Category:Kentucky Slaves]] and uncover dozens of related profiles that may share family, plantation, or migration history.
Organizes Historical Context
Categories group profiles into meaningful collections—whether by:
- ➡️ Region ([[Category:South Carolina, African Americans]])
- ➡️ Status ([[Category:Former Slaves]])
- ➡️ Military service ([[Category:USCT 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment]])
- ➡️ Project involvement ([[Category:US Black Heritage Project]])
- This builds historical context, helping others understand the broader story behind the profile.
Add A New Category to a Profile
- ➡️ Go to the profile page of the person you're editing.
- ➡️ Click the “Edit” tab at the top of the profile.
- ➡️ In the Biography editing box, at the very top before == Biography ==, type the category using this format:
- ➡️ [[Category:Example_Category_Name]]
For example, to add someone to the U.S. Black Heritage Project category, you would write:
- ➡️ [[Category:US Black Heritage Project]]
- ➡️ You can add multiple categories—just place each on a new line above the biography section.
- ➡️ Scroll down and click the “Save Changes” button (or “Save Draft” if you're not ready to publish yet).
African American Categories
| WikiTree Categories by Topic | |
| African American Heritage Categories | |
| These connect profiles to broader themes of Black history and identity: | |
| Category | Purpose |
| [[Category:African-American Sticker]] | Used with the sticker template to show African American identity |
| [[Category:US Black Heritage Project]] | For anyone associated with the US Black Heritage Project |
| [[Category:African-American Genealogy]] | For profiles linked to genealogy work involving African Americans |
| Slavery and Freedom | |
| These categories are ideal for enslaved ancestors, freedmen, and those who owned slaves (with ethical clarity): | |
| [[Category:Slaves]] | General category for enslaved individuals |
| [[Category:Slaves Freed Before 1865]] | For those freed before the Emancipation Proclamation |
| [[Category:Former Slaves]] | Formerly enslaved people |
| [[Category:Slave Owners]] | For historical transparency on individuals who enslaved others |
| [[Category:Slaves of [Name/Plantation/Family]]] | Custom categories for grouping enslaved by specific families or plantations |
| Example | |
| [[Category:Slaves of Samuel Parker Turner]] | [[Category:Slaves of the Turner Family of Georgia]] |
| [[Category:Kentucky Slaves]] | For enslaved people in Kentucky |
| [[Category:Freedmen's Bureau, Virginia]] | For those connected to Bureau offices in that state |
| United States Colored Troops (USCT) | |
| Used for Civil War veterans who served in USCT regiments: | |
| [[Category:United States Colored Troops, Civil War]] | General category for all USCT veterans |
| [[Category:African American Soldiers, United States Civil War]] | Broader group of Black soldiers |