Proving a Connection to Enslaved Ancestors Through DNA – The Wall Street Journal

Building a family tree depends on access to historical records, which can be problematic for Black Americans whose ancestors were enslaved. Before the Civil War and emancipation in 1863, slaves were considered property and werent included by name in many records. In the absence of clear records about genealogy, DNA can help fill in the gaps regarding family relationships.

LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson wanted to establish that Samuel and Nancy Garrett, an enslaved couple, were the parents of Isaac Garrett, her great-great-grandfather.

Once a practicing lawyer, she was used to painstakingly searching for evidence. Now working as a certified genealogist specializing in tracing African-American families that came out of slavery, she knew how difficult it could be. Even after years of effort, she couldnt fill out every branch of her own family tree. In the search for documents about the couple, there were 28 years unaccounted for before they turned up in official records after the end of slavery.

Ms. Garrett-Nelson hoped DNA tests could help her fill in the gaps and connect Isaac with his parents.

DNA tests are a critical tool to help identify and establish family ties disrupted or severed by slavery, said Melvin Collier, a genealogist in Washington, D.C., who shares tips about researching African enslaved ancestors on his blog, Roots Revealed, and has written three books on the subject.

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Proving a Connection to Enslaved Ancestors Through DNA - The Wall Street Journal