Sign out the Peterson Field Guide to Trees and Shrubs from your local library. It has keys to identifing shrubs and will have details about identifying not only whether elderberry, but which one. The native elderberry with black berries in a flat panicle (Sambucus nigra) is edible, the one with red berries (S. racemosa) is poisonous.

Here is a link that might be useful: Elderberry pictures

Just make sure you've not got pokeweed before you start chowing down on the berries.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pokeweed

yes! it is pokeweed!
thank you very much! :)
jennifer

In spring you can havest & enjoy the young Poke leaves and stems (when under 6-8" tall) in omlettes. Yum! They'll grow all around the mother plant. Pull all but one, and do NOT eat the roots or older plants. My granddaddy Poke becomes a showy and hardy ornamental - with glorious Fall color. Brings good bird luck to the garden!

If you use any of the berries for ink or dye, as American Indians used to do, be sure to wear gloves. Also wear them to handle any part of this plant if over a foot tall, as you would with Castor Bean and others that cause severe skin irritation and poisoning.