The Freedmen’s Bureau Project has changed the very fabric of genealogy for African Americans. The aim of the Freedmen’s Bureau Project was to index the names of former slaves, found amongst the Freedman Bureau records. This massive project has made it possible for people to more easily connect with their Civil War-era ancestors. ‘Connecting Roots’ explains the history behind this project, and shares some heart-warming stories as families of former slaves finally discover their roots. Thanks to the efforts of more than 25,000 volunteers, nearly 1.8 million men, women and children are now searchable online. The project is a partnership between the LDS Church FamilySearch International, the National Archives and Records Administration, the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, and many other interested organizations. Volunteers began indexing names on June 19, 2015 on the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation, and completed the work on June 20, 2016.