DNA Ancestry Test

African American heritage is very challenging to research due to Indentured and Chattel Slavery. Slavery not only tore families apart in Africa but also in the Americas.  DNA Test are available to help families link with families of the past.  The links attached are considered the best DNA test.




23 and ME DNA:
www.23andme.com

Ancestry DNA:
www.ancestry.com

My Heritage DNA:
www.myheritage.com

Living DNA:
www.livingdna.com

Family Tree DNA:
www.familytreedna.com

Melungeon Communties

The Melungeon were of  mixed race ancestry that originated in colonial Virginia in the early 1600's and eventually in Carolina, Maryland and Delaware.  They were African, Northern Native Americans and White Northern European,  Indentured servants who intermarried each other and created communities known as Tidewater.  Descendants of the Melungeon's share the Black, White and Native American Ancestry. Its important to note that the Melungeon Ancestors were not a product of Chattel Slavery (a white slave owner and his black slave women) but Indentured servants who were freed after 7-10 years of servitude. The Melungeon Surnames  can be traced to many of your family lines.

Melungeons Surnames

http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~mtnties/name.html

Unknown Giants

In  this series of Unknown Giant we will introduce people who may not be known to many but their contributions to American History has changed every aspect of American culture. The contributions these African American men and women have made were in Education, Politics, Military, Law, Medicine  and all other Professions. We hope after reading about some of these great men and women you to will help share there stories.

Trail Of Tears

The Trail Of Tears was a forced resettlement in the 1830's by the United States Government which forced the five Civilized Native Americans Tribes Cherokee, Chickasaw, Creek,  Choctaw, Seminole and other Tribal Nations from there homestead they occupied for generations in Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina and Florida. They were forced to walk thousand of miles to designated Indian Territory west of the Mississippi.  Many African Americans wonder where some of  there Native American connections may come from. This map traces the paths the Native American Ancestors took. Each state has its own  Trail OF Tears Markers which can show you which city, state and county the markers are located in.

Trail OF Tears Markers

https://www.hmdb.org/results.asp?SeriesID=105

National Negro Business League

The National Negro Business League (NNBL) was an African American Business League founded by Booker T. Washington in the early 1900's. The League was committed to the economic advancement of African Americans. The league included African American businessmen and businesswomen working in agriculture, craftsmanship, insurance, doctors, lawyers and educators.
The league help to fund many All Black Towns.

Franklin A. Denison

The first “Unknown  Giant” profiled is Brigadier General Franklin Augustus Denison, "A Man of Many First" who was an  African American man who achieved great success  in Law, Military and Politics.   From his boyhood in San Antonio, Texas to his death in 1932, Brigadier General Franklin Augustus Denison has broken many color barriers being the first in many sectors of the military and civilian life. He had a successful life as an attorney in Chicago, Illinois as well as being appointed to political post unheard of for a Black man in his time.  As  a Colonel,  Denison commanded the 370th All Black Infantry Unit in WWI, being the only Black Colonial to serve. Dension commanded his regiment with  an iron fist but treated his soldiers with dignity and respect. He would not let his soldiers fight on the front lines without the proper training like they had given to white soldiers and ultimately the training resulted in many honors for the ALL Black 370th Infantry. Upon his retirement from the Illinois National Guard, Franklin Augustus Denison was given the rank as a  Brigadier General. 

North American Native Americans

The North American Native American Melungeon Ancestors were Lumbree, Powhatan, Mattaponi, Monie, Nansemond, Rappahanock, Pamunkey, Chickahominie, Cherokee (Buffalo Ridge) and Choctaw Tribes.


Some of the Surnames associated with these Native American Melungeons are:

Chavis
Criel
Boone
Braveboy
Bunch
Gibson
Nichols
Perkins
Revels
Locklear
Lowry
Lucas
Oxendine
Adkins
Allmond
Bass
Jackson

Northern European

The Northern European Melungeon Ancestors were  of English, Scot, Irish, Welch, Dutch and German descent who were brought to America as Indentured Servants.

Etheridge
Rattliff
Dumas
Day
Lawson
Sweat
Dumas
Cox
Freeman
Hendrix
Prr
Robertson
Turner
Williams
Coffey
Collier
Denham
Nash
Osborn
Tolliver
Steel
Vanover
Wyatt

African Melungeons Ancestors

The majority of the African  Melungeon Ancestors were from the kingdom of  Ndongo in Angola.  A Portuguese general invaded  Ndongo and enslaved as many as 50,000  Angolan people between 1618-1620. Dutch and English pirates stole the ship with enslaved Africans and brought the first ship to Virginia in 1619.  After the death of her father and brother Queen Nzinga became queen of Angola and continued to fight the Portuguese slave trade of her people until her death in 1663. The African Melungeon Ancestors that were brought to Colonial Virginia Surnames were:

Johnson
Driggers
Cumbo/Cumie
Mozingo
Mingo
Evans
Charity
Dale/Dial
Gowen/Goins
Payne
Cane
Davis
George
Sisco
Tann
Wansey
Archer
Kersey
Webb
Cuttillo
James
Jacobs
Beckett
Bell
Francis
Guy
Harris
Jones

Black Towns

Black Towns were founded by Free African Americans and former slaves before and after the Civil War  and  by promoters determined to established Black Towns.  There were over 200 Black Towns established many are still  in existence today.  Please see links below to learn more about  Black Towns that have not been featured in this section.

https://hbtsa.org/index.php/places/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/a-list-of-well-known-black-towns/2015/03/27/9f21ca42-cdc4-11e4-a2a7-9517a3a70506_story.html

Chickasaw Nation

The Chickasaw Nation originally occupied Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee. During the Trail of Tears they were forced to leave there homelands and move to Indian Territory in present Day Oklahoma. Many of our Native American Ancestors  Surnames may be names you are familiar with in your own family lines.

Chickasaw Surnames

https://mailinglists.rootsweb.com/listindexes/

Cherokee Nation

The Cherokee Nation was the larges of the 5 tribes they were from Georgia, North South Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee.  They were rooted up from their homeland land and forced to Indian Territories in present day Oklahoma .  Many of our Native American Ancestors  Surnames may be names you are familiar with in your own family lines.

Cherokee Surnames

https://accessgenealogy.com/native/final-rolls-index.htm

Mound Bayou Mississippi

Isaiah T. Montgomery Founder of Mound Bayou Mississippi

c.1887

After the war  the railroad was seeking people to inhabit wild lands. The country was wild and inhospitable and covered with forest and wilderness of heavy cane, thirty to forty families responded to the call the lands cost  was $8.00 to $9.00 per acre. The women and children were left behind while the men build cabins.

https://blackthen.com/mound-bayou-mississippis-jewel-delta-largest-black-town-u-s/

Easton, Maryland

Easton Community, known as the Hill was the first Free Black community founded in 1787 in Easton Maryland. By 1790 there were more then four hundred free black families living in the community, it was also home to Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglas.

  

https://www.secretsoftheeasternshore.com/the-hill-neighborhood-in-easton/

African American and Native American Soldiers

African Americans and Native Americans have fought in every war from the time the colonies were founded.  The Free Africans, enslaved Africans and Native American Ancestors fought side by side their European neighbors and or relatives.  The Revolutionary War included  Free Blacks families like the Cumbo and Native American Families like the Lowery.

Atakapa Ishak Nation- Louisiana

The Atakapan Native American Nation historically have lived along the Gulf of Mexico. They designate themselves within the the tribe as "The Sunrise People" and the Sunset People". Descendants still reside in St. Landry Louisiana and Texas.


http://www.atakapa-ishak.org/

Some of the Atakapan Native American Surnames include:

• Landry
• Broussard
• Blanchard
• Robichot
• Cormie
• Labauve
• Trahan
• Faustein
• Duons
• Mau
• Hebert
• Braud
• Dugas
• Bonin
• Lenclos
• Doucet
• Thibaudot
• Leblanc
• Mulatre

Nicodemus, Kansas

The town of  Nicodemus, Kansas was a Western town founded by emancipated slaves in 1877. Black families came to Kansas after the Civil War. By 1880 the town of Nicodemus was thriving with a population of five hundred residents, a bank, two hotels, three churches, a newspaper and a drug store. By 1950 the town was reduced to 16 residents due to severe droughts, dust bowels and other calamities. The Nicodemus Post Office officially closed its doors in 1953.

https://www.legendsofamerica.com/ks-nicodemus/

Treme, New Orleans

The Community of Treme was a plantation in the late 1700's, which was  sold in early 1810 to the City of New Orleans. After the city purchased the land they designated  a portion of the land  to create one of the earliest communities for free blacks and slaves to congregate, play music and sell goods in whats called Congo Square.

https://nola.curbed.com/2018/5/16/17356630/treme-new-orleans-neighborhood-history-pictures

US Colored Troops (USCT)

On May 22, 1863, the War Department issued General Order 143. This order established the Bureau of Colored Troops to recruit African American Men into the Union Army.  By the end of the war nearly 200,000 Black men served in 175 Regiments in the Union Army some were free men of color and others were run away slaves.  Some of the Regiments include the 9th, 10th, 24th and 25th Calvary known as the Buffalo Soldiers.  If your Ancestors was a (USCT) you can search for them on the link below.

https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-soldiers.htm

https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/united-states-colored-troops-1863-1865/

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/williamson/2018/05/27/black-civil-war-troops-tennessee-geneaology-research/632999002/

Black Confederate Soldiers

Black Confederate Soldiers were used as "Body Servants" during the Civil War.  Body servant served their slave owners in war, they rescued them on the battlefield dead or alive. They were awarded Pensions for their service. You can search for your Ancestors on the link below.

https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-soldiers.htm

Black and Native American Revolution Hero’s

Rosenwald Schools

Clearview, OKlahoma

The Black town of Clearview, Oklahoma was  founded in Okfuskee County in 1903  it is one of fifty Black Towns founded in Oklahoma and one of thirteen still thriving today. By 1904 the town had a two-story hotel, a print shop, two churches and a brick school house. The Great Depression and the failing price of cotton caused a once thriving town to loose  many of its residents but the 2010 census counted 48 Clearview resisents still living there today.

370 Black Infantry WW1