Finding the Forgotten

Since 2018, Enslaved: Peoples of the Historical Slave Trade (Enslaved.org) has served the needs of scholars, genealogists, students, and members of the public interested in the people of the historical slave trade. Enslaved.org is a discovery hub that centers the lives of named enslaved and free[d] individuals who are made searchable and discoverable through a large and growing number of datasets and digital projects. Researchers can learn from linking data, visualizing larger relations and movements, and connecting the fragments of information about people’s lives from one dataset to the next

This digital project is using crowdsourcing to transcribe thousands of runaway slave advertisements in nineteenth century U.S. newspapers. This searchable database of identifying details about self-liberating people will allow users to better envision the lives, talents, and endeavors of enslaved African Americans through advertisements placed by their enslavers.