How a Leading Black Historian Uncovered Her Own Family’s Painful Past—and Why Her Ancestors’ Stories Give Her Hope
Martha S. Jones’ new memoir draws on genealogical research and memories shared by relatives
Scientists Think a Skeleton Found in a Well Is the Same Man Described in an 800-Year-Old Norse Text
The remains were discovered during excavations in 1938. Now, researchers have learned new information about his identity by analyzing DNA from his tooth
An Ice Age Infant’s 17,000-Year-Old DNA Reveals He Had Dark Skin and Blue Eyes
The baby boy’s recovered genome suggests he’s related to a famous Ice Age population
Archaeologists Uncover the Real Story of How England Became England
New research is revealing how the Sceptered Isle transformed from a Roman backwater to a mighty country of its own
Move Over, Genghis Khan. Many Other Men Left Huge Genetic Legacies
A 2015 study showed that ten other men have a lot of descendants. The paper is just one of several genetic studies revealing the secrets of descent
A Mass Grave of Maya Boys May Shed Light on Human Sacrifice in Chichén Itzá
Researchers have genetically tested the bones and made determinations of gender and family relations
Ancestry Releases Records of 183,000 Enslaved Individuals in America
The genealogy company has digitized and published 38,000 newspaper articles from between 1788 and 1867—before Black Americans were counted as citizens in the U.S. census
The Public Finally Has Access to an Accurate List of Japanese Americans Detained During World War II
Researchers who spent years fixing errors in shoddy government records have partnered with Ancestry to make a wide selection of historical documents related to the period available for free
How the Memory of a Song Reunited Two Women Separated by the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade
In 1990, scholars found a Sierra Leonean woman who remembered a nearly identical version of a tune passed down by a Georgia woman’s enslaved ancestors
How the Smithsonian Is Helping Black Americans Trace Their Roots
Free sessions hosted by the National Museum of African American History and Culture offer visitors advice on researching their genealogy
What Genealogical Records Taught Me About My Family
For millions of enslaved people, bondage stole more than freedom—it severed a link to the past. Now their descendants are recovering their heritage
A Journey to Discover an African Homeland
New generations of Black Americans are taking intimate tours that connect them with the lands and cultures their ancestors were forced to leave behind
A New Project Uses Isotopes to Pinpoint the Birthplaces of the Enslaved
In South Carolina, members of the local Black community are teaming up with scientists to produce a novel study of the trans-Atlantic slave trade
Descendants of Black Civil War Heroes Wear Their Heritage With Pride
A bold new photographic project asks modern-day Americans to recreate portraits of their 19th-century ancestors in painstakingly accurate fashion
DNA Links 42,000 Living People to Enslaved and Free African Americans Buried in Maryland
The research, initiated by the local African American community, could be a roadmap for future genealogy studies
National Genealogical Society Apologizes for ‘Racist and Discriminatory’ Past Actions
In a new report, the group reckons with its long history of racism and eugenicist beliefs
Find Out If Your Ancestor Is Among These 19th-Century Silhouettes in This Newly Digitized Collection
The itinerant artist William Bache’s portraits are contaminated by arsenic, but now the National Portrait Gallery offers easy access