Professional genealogist Renate Yarborough Sanders will offer a free talk on Exploring Records of the Freedmen’s Bureau at the next general meeting of the Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society, Saturday, Feb. 17 at First Presbyterian Church, 21 E. Constance Ave., Santa Barbara.

The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands was a United States government agency that assisted freedmen (formerly enslaved people) during Reconstruction following the Civil War.

Though the nickname Freedmen’s Bureau suggests a focus limited to the formerly enslaved, Sanders’ talk highlights information about ancestors of all backgrounds.

Community members are invited to attend at 9:30 a.m. for refreshments, meeting with the society’s Special Interest Groups to chat about everything from beginning genealogy to writing your family history, and perusing genealogical books for sale.

Following a short business meeting at 10:30 a.m., Sanders’ presentation will begin at 11 a.m. The business meeting and presentation will also be available via Zoom. Register at SBGen.org to attend online.

Sanders is the descendant of formerly enslaved ancestors, enslavers, and free people of color. She authors two blogs “Into the LIGHT” and “Genea-Related” and produces a “(Mostly) African American Funeral Programs” online database.

Sanders is a member of the National Genealogical Society, North Carolina Genealogical Society, the Afro-American Genealogical and Historical Society, Wake County Genealogical Society, and Tyrrell County Genealogical and Historical Society.

She cohosts “Let’s Talk North Carolina Genealogy,” an online platform and YouTube show presenting genealogy programming and virtual events for North Carolina researchers.

Sanders is currently engaged in a research project for Wake Forest University, seeking to find descendants of enslaved persons who were sold for the benefit of that institution.

Sanders lectures on a variety of genealogy topics, but specializes in teaching beginning to intermediate research methodology and sharing specific techniques for researching ancestors of color both pre- and post-Emancipation.

Visit SBGen.org to learn more about membership benefits, events, presentations, or to become a member of the Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society; annual memberships start at $40.