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NativeBlackAncestry.com genealogy consultation services provided by Michael Lane

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Genealogy guidance. Historical sources. A place to start.

Work with genealogist Michael Lane Jr.

Native Black Ancestry helps Black Americans investigate family stories of Native American ancestry through historical records and documented family relationships. Founder Michael Lane Jr., also known as Mike Lane, is a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation.

A private online consultation provides one-on-one guidance and a personalized research roadmap. Bring the family story, records, or question you want to investigate. Extended family-history research is a separate service.

Explore genealogy consultations · About Michael Lane and Native Black Ancestry

Start with your surname

Explore surnames found in historical records associated with the Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Seminole nations. The free surname index and custom surname report offering provide starting points for further investigation.

A surname match is a research clue. Establish your family's connection through records linking individuals and generations. Ancestry and tribal citizenship are distinct questions; each tribal nation determines its own citizenship requirements.

Search tribal surnames and explore reports

Browse the public archive catalog

Explore collection guides and selected source descriptions covering tribal and government records, racial classification, personal testimony, newspapers, historical maps, photographs, artwork, books, and original theses. Public catalog pages explain what is available and how to approach the evidence. Full archive browsing and available files are accessed through the member archive.

Browse the public Digital Archive catalog · View archive membership details

Follow the source and its context

Historical records, transcriptions, catalog summaries, and modern interpretations serve different purposes. Read the creator, date, publication or repository, page references, and record notes. Missing identifications remain unresolved until supporting evidence is found.

For historical context and independent learning, explore the Hidden Heritage Course, public articles, and historical reading list.

Read our research and source guide · Explore the Hidden Heritage Course

Questions before you start

I’m new to genealogy. Can I still book?

Yes. You don’t need a finished family tree or a DNA test. Bring your questions, what you know about your family, and any records you already have.

Can you research my family for me?

Extended genealogy research is a separate service. Start with a consultation to discuss your family line, your goals, and whether a research package is the right next step.

Will this guarantee tribal citizenship?

Findings depend on the available evidence. A consultation helps you investigate and plan your research. Each tribal nation determines its own citizenship requirements; ancestry and tribal citizenship are different questions.

How should I use a surname match?

Treat a matching surname as a starting point. Compare identified relatives, dates, places, household members, and documented relationships before drawing a conclusion.

Watch the surname research lesson · Learn to compare same-name records

For Black Americans exploring their family history

Your family says you have Native American ancestry.
Where do you look next?

Explore your family’s oral history with genealogist Mike Lane. In a private, 60-minute consultation, discuss your clues and get a personalized roadmap for what to research next.

Book My Consultation
Start With Your Name

Search the free tribal surname index.

60 minutes with Mike · Personalized research roadmap included

Michael Lane Jr., genealogist and founder of Native Black Ancestry
Michael Lane Jr.Genealogist · Citizen, Muscogee (Creek) Nation
Family stories, taken seriously. A starting point for investigation.
Records, read in context. Evidence before conclusions.
A clearer next step. Guidance for your own family line.

In their own words

Hear from people who
started with questions, too.

Real clients. Their own experiences.
Each video is under a minute.

“I am now confident that I’m able to find my family’s roots.”
“A lot of pieces to the puzzle I didn’t have. He was able to help me find them.”

Start here for personal guidance

Stop wondering where to look.
Leave with a plan.

Bring your family story, your questions, or the brick wall you’ve reached. We’ll discuss your research and identify practical directions to investigate next.

$225 / private consultation

60 minutes online · Beginners welcome · No DNA test required

Book My Consultation

See the consultation details and available booking times.

Your session includes

One-on-one time with Mike

Talk through the ancestor or family line you want to investigate and the information you already have.

Historical context for your clues

Discuss relevant records, changing racial classifications, and possible community connections.

Your Ancestry Action Map

Get a focused direction for what to research next, tailored to your family questions.

Michael Lane Jr.’s Muscogee (Creek) Nation citizenship card with private fields redacted
Mike’s Muscogee (Creek) Nation citizenship card

Meet your genealogist

I started with
a family story, too.

My family carried oral histories of Native ancestry. In 2019, I began following those stories through census records, historical documents, and archival research.

That work helped establish my eligibility for citizenship in the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Today, I help others investigate their own family history with care and context.

Michael Lane Jr.

Founder, Native Black Ancestry · Muscogee (Creek) Nation citizen

Let’s talk about your family →

Three simple steps

From family questions to next steps.

01

Choose your time.

See the consultation details and select an available appointment.

02

Bring what you know.

Share your family story, questions, and any records you already have. Beginners are welcome.

03

Build your research plan.

Meet online with Mike and identify practical next steps for your family line.

Your Ancestry Action Map

A clearer direction for your research.

Your consultation includes a personalized research roadmap. Here’s an illustrative example of the kind of focused next steps it can organize.

Fictional example for illustration. Your plan depends on your family’s information and the available evidence.

See an example Action Map

Illustrative example · Not a client result

Family question

Where should I look for an ancestor before the earliest census record I have?

Starting clue

A known household, approximate birth year, and county of residence.

Next research steps

  1. Compare earlier census households and nearby relatives.
  2. Check county marriage, probate, and land records.
  3. Follow promising connections and document what each source supports.

A few questions before you start.

I’m new to genealogy. Can I still book?

Yes. You don’t need a finished family tree or a DNA test. Bring your questions, what you know about your family, and any records you already have.

Can you research my family for me?

Extended genealogy research is a separate service. Start with a consultation to discuss your family line, your goals, and whether a research package is the right next step.

Will this prove Native ancestry or guarantee tribal citizenship?

Findings depend on the available evidence. A consultation helps you investigate and plan your research. Each tribal nation determines its own citizenship requirements; ancestry and tribal citizenship are different questions.

Your family. Your next step.

Give your family’s questions
a clear place to start.

One private conversation. Guidance grounded in evidence. A personalized roadmap to keep investigating.

Book My Consultation

60 minutes online + personalized research roadmap

Free introductory ebook

Start learning before you book.

Get the free introductory ebook, Reclassified: The Hidden History of Black Indians in the Southeast, delivered to your inbox.

Explore at your own pace

Not ready for a consultation?
Start where you are.

Browse family names, historical reading, and a curated document collection.

Explore family names

Start with
your surname.

Browse surnames found in historical records associated with the Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Seminole nations.

Explore Tribal Surnames →
Reclassified book cover
Understand the history

Read the
new Reclassified.

Reclassified: Five Centuries of Paper Genocide explores how racial classification obscured Native Black American identities. This is the paid book, separate from the free introductory ebook.

See the Book →
Explore rare historical evidence

Explore the
Digital Archive.

Explore a curated collection of rare historical documents, books, texts, maps, and images concerning Black Indigenous history and racial reclassification. Membership is $14.99/month.

Explore the Archive →

A surname match is a research clue. Your family’s connection must be established through records.