The 1866-1869 Cohabitation Records for Chowan County and the Black Codes.

Most African American families do not expect to find much information about their families prior to the 1870 federal census, if even after. There is the general thought that no records were kept that showed the names of people of color--not even birth, marriage, or death. Enslaved people were property and had no rights that dignified them as human beings. I discovered Chowan County Cohabitation Records at the North Carolina Archives while researching the wills and probate of Benbury family. These records are listed on FamilySearch but are not micro- filmed or digitized on Family Search. As I read through the list, I began to recognize many family surnames of the African American community of Edenton. Both the Bembry and Baker families have roots in Edenton. I feel it is essential that this list be made available for any researcher or descendant to have confirmation of the beginnings of their family history prior to 1870. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]