Articles of Enslavement Database
A free online collection aims to help Black families trace their roots before 1870, providing crucial information beyond census records.
In June 2024, Ancestry.com released a database containing 38,000 newspaper articles with details on more than 183,000 enslaved individuals.
This collection serves as an important resource for understanding the forced movement of enslaved people in the United States and the actions they took to seek freedom.
The materials provided are often traumatizing. Users are encouraged to prioritize their mental and emotional well-being while studying the collection. The articles, from 18th- and 19th-century American newspapers, contain images and small glimpses into the struggles enslaved people faced—as items up for auction; as fugitives from bondage; and as property caught up in legal disputes between relatives fighting over an estate.
Researching the collection reveals the resilience and resistance of Black Americans. Read between the lines for insight into their daily struggles, hidden between the words meant to dehumanize them and regard them as property. Each freedom seeker had their own unique experience. More than just their names and who their former enslavers were, this collection reveals their talents, roles in the community, and struggles to be free.
Explore and search the collection at no cost at ancestry.com/articles-of-enslavement.
