Ari Wilkins is a genealogist, lecturer and instructor who has been actively researching family history for over twenty-five years. Ms. Wilkins is a graduate of Louisiana State University. She speaks on a variety of genealogical subjects and specializes in African American research.

Ms. Wilkins has worked at a library with one of the largest and most renown genealogical collections in the country for over a decade. She handles one-of-a-kind material, special collections, and had the opportunity to archive and digitize 18th and 19th century family Bible collections.

As a researcher, Ari has a concentration on African American and Southern research. She has had the opportunity to work on some significant projects. As a budding genealogist, Ms. Wilkins worked with the esteemed author Dr. James Rose on his final publication, Generations: The WPA Ex-Slave Narrative Database. One of the projects she is most proud of was creating a working database and timeline of more than four hundred people enslaved in Louisiana that were documented from one slaveholding family.

As a lecturer, Ms. Wilkins has spoken nationally at the National Genealogical Society, the Institute of Genealogical and Historical Research, the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh, RootsTech, and a multitude of state and local societies.  She has also led the African American course for the Texas Institute of Genealogical Research for the past three years.

Ms. Wilkins has made a variety of media appearances. She has been a guest on Good Morning Texas and Maryland Public TV’s, Direct Connection. She was also on Baltimore Public Radio’s, Future City and has been featured on many podcasts.

Ari is active in the genealogical community. Previously, she served as a board member of the Dallas Genealogical Society and the Texas State Genealogical Society. She has been active with the National Genealogical Society and served on numerous committees. In 2023, Ari was awarded the Lloyd Bockstruck Distinguished Service Award by the Dallas Genealogical Society for her outstanding contributions to the genealogical community on a national level. Ms. Wilkins is also a fellow of the Texas State Genealogical Society.

Courses

  • 2026 – Repository Research: From Website to Doorway, How to Find What You Need
  • 2026 – Building African American Families: Records, Resources & Documentation
  • 2026 – Research in the South: Cessions and Territories
  • 2025 – Course Ten – Repository Research: From Website to Doorway, How to Find What You Need
  • 2024 – Course Eleven – Researching African American Ancestors: Government Records and Beyond
  • 2022 – Course Eleven – Researching African American Ancestors: Courthouse Records
  • 2020 – Course Eleven – Researching African American Ancestors: Government Documents and Advanced Tools
  • 2018 – Course Ten – Researching African American Ancestors: Sources, Strategies, and Analysis