For those who are beginning their genealogical quests and even for those who are seasoned researchers, it may be beneficial, every now and then, to check out rootsweb.com and ancestry.com message boards for African-Americans:

http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?htx=board&r=rw&p

When you get to this site, click on Topic, followed by clicking on Ethnic/Race, and then African-American. I was sent this reminder from Virginia Crilley, a fellow researcher.