Funeral service programs are great sources for genealogical information and local history, especially for African Americans whose obituaries were not traditionally published in local newspapers until the 1960s and 1970s.
The information found in funeral programs typically includes the decedent’s full name, birth date and place, death date and place, parents’ names, surviving family members, church affiliation, occupation, education, fraternal organizations, community and civic involvement, and funeral participants. Some funeral programs include photographs of the decedent and other family members.
This guide includes links to collections across the United States. If you discover a collection or online resource we missed, please let us know by submitting a recommendation.
Quarantine Genealogy #13 - Finding Clues in Obituaries by McAllen Public Library on YouTube
Relatively Seeking: Finding and Using Obituaries in Genealogical Research by Gwinnett County Public Library on YouTube
African American Funeral Program Collection by SAPL Texana & Genealogy on YouTube
The following collections belong to individuals and are not affiliated with an institution.
