Reclaiming What Was
Taken From Us
For generations, the records of African American families were suppressed, destroyed, or simply never kept. Black Ancestry was built to change that — one family tree at a time.
Every Family Has a Story.
Ours Deserve to Be Told.
The transatlantic slave trade severed millions of African Americans from their ancestral names, languages, and histories. Reconstruction-era records were burned. Jim Crow laws made documentation a privilege, not a right.
Black Ancestry exists to reverse that erasure. We combine historical archives, community knowledge, and modern technology to help African Americans trace their roots — from the Great Migration back to the plantation, and further still to the African continent.
50,000+
Members
12M+
Records Indexed
180,000+
Family Trees Built
1870–1940
Census Coverage
Our Core Values
Preservation
We believe every name deserves to be remembered. We digitize, organize, and protect records that might otherwise be lost to time.
Connection
Genealogy is not a solo journey. We build bridges between researchers tracing the same lines across generations and geography.
Discovery
From census records to family trees, we give you the tools to turn fragments of history into a full, living story.
Dignity
Enslaved ancestors were systematically erased from records. We work to restore their names, their stories, and their rightful place in history.
Your Journey Starts Here
From your first search to a fully documented family tree — here's how Black Ancestry guides you through the process.
Create Your Account
Sign up free and build your researcher profile. Add the surnames and ancestral regions you're tracing so others can find and connect with you.
Build Your Family Tree
Use our interactive canvas to add family members, link relationships, and document what you know — births, deaths, locations, and stories.
Search Historical Records
Unlock our archive of US Federal Census records from 1870–1940 with a membership. Search by name, location, and household to find your ancestors.
Connect with the Community
Browse the community directory to find researchers working the same family lines. Share discoveries, compare notes, and fill in the gaps together.
Built by People Who Are Living This
Every member of our team is personally invested in African American genealogy — as researchers, descendants, and advocates.
Dr. Amara Johnson
Founder & CEO
Descendant of enslaved people from Georgia and Louisiana. Spent 20 years as a historian before founding Black Ancestry to democratize genealogical research.
Marcus Williams
Head of Research
Former archivist at the National Archives. Leads our record digitization partnerships and census data curation.
Keisha Thompson
Community Director
Built and grew genealogy communities across social media before joining Black Ancestry to lead member engagement and education.
What You Can Count On
Your data is never sold or shared with third parties
All records are sourced from verified public archives
Free tier always available — no paywall for basic research
Community-first: member feedback shapes every feature
Ongoing digitization of new historical record sets
Privacy controls on every family tree and profile
Ready to Find Your Family?
Join over 50,000 researchers who are uncovering their African American heritage on Black Ancestry.