Our Roots
The Nevada African American Genealogy Society. "NAAGS" was founded by Darell White and Arthur White in 2002 and is the first 501 (c)(3) African American genealogical society in Nevada.
Our sister organization is the California African American Genealogy Society in Los Angeles. Both Geralyn Johnson Ratliff, (a founding member of NAAGS) and Darell White were members of CAAGS prior to relocating to Las Vegas.
The Whites as long time residents of the westside of Las Vegas created the Society in order to give the Nevada community a formal organization.
Facebook Page
Please like our Facebook Page for updates on Monthly Meetings and Other Events: https://www.facebook.com/NVAAGS
Our Vision
Through our monthly meetings we strive to enhance the education of our members on ways to locate and document their ancestors. We have also become actively engaged in projects to enhance our community.
Importance of Genealogy to African-Americans in Nevada
In 1920, the population of Clark County, Nevada was about 5,000. In every decade over the past 100 years that number has increased with people coming here for work, family and opportunity. In 2020, the population of Clark County, Nevada was over 2.2 million.
When it comes to family history, what makes us unique here in Nevada is that almost all of us know family who were born outside of the state and will know when and how they came here. But a 100 years from now, will our descendants know that?
Genealogy is about preserving the family history that we do know, and that information which we newly discover, to pass on to the next generation. Preservation of family heritage and pride in our ancestry are important legacy assets we can leave to our descendants.
Due to the painful history of African descended people in the Americas, African American family research can be challenging. Our group’s goal is to help people get started with researching and to try to overcome roadblocks so that people can discover as much family history as can be known.