Seeking the parents & records of Bill Johnson

Jaynea,

Death records frequently name parents (but that is generally dependent upon the survivors' knowledge). I haven't found those online so you may have to make a request at the county courthouse (probably Sunflower county, MS) or travel to search for records yourself.

The 1970's are a pretty good period for obituaries and that could also name parents and siblings. If an obituary exists, that would very likely be in the local Indianola newspaper. A county genealogical society and public library system frequently will search for an obituary for a nominal fee.

Good luck.

Brent

Dear Ms. Keathley,

Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!

Please see our earlier response. For an overview on how to begin your research, we suggest that you review NARA’s Resources for Genealogists, and the History Hub blog Suggestions and Advice for Family History Researchers for additional information. 

You may wish to review the Library of Congress; Chronicling America; Sunflower County MS Newspapers and Obituaries; Search Obituaries, Indianola, MS Obituary Archive; The Indianola Enterprise on Newspapers.com; Sunflower County Library System — Mississippi Digital Library; and Sunflower County, Mississippi: Enslaved people, enslavers, and slavery in general - information websites for local newspaper articles, obituaries, and other resources.

In addition, you may wish to search these websites: Researching African-American Roots; Professional genealogist offers advice on tracing African-American roots; A Quick Guide to Researching African American Roots; and Trauma and Life Stories for morel research tips.

Lastly, you may wish to consider using a DNA genealogy service provider at cost to determine a general location in Africa from which your ancestors originated.

We hope this is helpful. Best of luck with your family research!