Roots to Branches Genealogy specializes in forensic genealogy cases involving identifying unknown or missing heirs, probate cases, and family history research.

​

Most people want to learn about their family history but don't have the time or know where to begin. We research for you.

Ricki King is a 2015 certificate holder in Boston University's Genealogical Research program, holds a BA in History from Drake University, completed Progen, and attended several genealogy institutes. She is passionate about providing opportunities and resources to inspire and support current genealogists and the next generation. She is the founder of Roots to Branches Genealogy, LLC, author of "A Father's [Lynching? Murder?] Provides A Possible Motive for an African American Woman's use of Multiple Maiden Names," which ran in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly. Volume 109, No. 1, (March 2021) and a webinar presenter for the Iowa History 101 Series: "Iowa's Black Migration: Into, Around, Out of, and Back Again, and "Forever Free: Rediscovering Heroes, Heroines & Helpers of Central Iowa's Underground Railroad." She presents Pre-Beginning Genealogy lectures at local public libraries. Ricki's genealogy enthusiasm started while working for thirty-one years at John Deere Financial, from where she retired in 2019 to pursue her genealogy passion full time.

​

As of 5 January 2022, Ricki took office as a member voted in Director with the Association of Professional Genealogists, an international group. As of 2021, Ricki is the Vice President of the Iowa Historical Foundation, which works with the State Historical Society of Iowa.

In the Spring and Summer of 2021, during COVID, Ricki worked with the Forever Free Mentoring Pilot Program, mentoring a high school and a college student, helping to research twenty-two people possibly buried at Woodland Cemetery in Des Moines, Iowa. The persons examined were known to have helped or used the underground railroad as freedom seekers. Some freedom seekers also served in Iowa's 60th Colored infantry during the Civil War.

​

Ricki working with local, state, and federal agencies to preserve history, submitted their application on fifteen individuals to the National Park Service's National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. As a result, an announcement was made on 30 September 2021 that Woodland cemetery is accepted into the Network. In addition, History Quest, a separate program involving Woodland cemetery. Ricki recorded videos containing the UGRR research used in the application, which will play once a QR code next to a headstone is scanned.

​

While volunteering as a death certificate indexer with the State Historical Society of Iowa, Library (SHSI), and Archives Research Center, she noticed fetal death records were forever closed. Ricki's zeal and dedication have benefited the genealogy community with her two years of lobbying the state legislature to change Iowa law on access to fetal death records. Finally, her follow-through opened all Iowa death records after 50 years. She continues her work to help all genealogists and historians by serving as Vice President on the SHSI Iowa Historical Foundation Board and volunteering.

​

In 2020 Ricki ran for President of the United States on the Iowa ballot, making history as the first Black person born and raised in Iowa to run. She did this while promoting genealogy by naming her party Genealogy Know Your Family History Party. Thus, every time her accomplishment is mentioned, her party's unusual name will also be. In her spare time, she is researching 333 Blacks living in Iowa on the 1850 United States federal census, following them through to the 1900 United States federal census.