The Black Potomac Valley project seeks to add to our knowledge of the genealogical and historical background of the black families in the Potomac Valley and surrounding areas of Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland through DNA sampling. A surprisingly large number of black families resided in and migrated through this area as slaves and free people of color before the Civil War. Some settled here for many generations, while others moved on. We invite participants whose ancestors once lived, or are now living, in this area to join our group project. We are learning that many of the slaves and free people of color of western Maryland and the panhandle of West Virginia migrated from eastern Virginia and Maryland. Therefore, we also invite participation from individuals who have ancestry in eastern Maryland and Virginia.

This project was inspired by the research into the ancestry of Henry Louis Gates, Jr., the host of the PBS series, ‘African American Lives’ which aired in February 2006.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. Your participation is greatly appreciated.

Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Jane E. Ailes