DNA of Enslaved Workers from the Industrial Revolution Reveals a Corrected View of African American History

By: Sam Watanuki | Last updated: Apr 16, 2024

A new research study has uncovered ancestry details previously thought lost to the history of some deceased slaves at Catoctin Mountain Park in Maryland. These slaves worked for decades and have surviving descendants living in the United States to this day.

Many slaves from the trans-African slave trade were brought to America without extensive documentation, which leaves many of their descendants unsure of their own family history.

Tracing Lineages

The study was published in the Journal Science, and aimed to help uncover the lost lineages of 27 deceased people who were buried at Catoctin Furnace African American Cemetary.

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A painting depicted the African slave trade.

Source: John Raphael Smith/Wikimedia

“Few African Americans have been able to trace family lineages back to ancestors who died before the 1870 United States Census, the first in which all Black people were listed by name,” the study said.

Severed by Slavery

Anthropologist Kari Bruwelheide from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington was one of the co-authors of the study. She stressed the importance of this information for African Americans.

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A group of slaves work in a field in this 19th-century painting.

Source: British Library/Unsplash

“This knowledge was severed by slavery – a truth that has implications for African Americans far beyond the community of Catoctin Furnace,” Bruwelheide said.

Historical Context of Catoctin Furnace

Established in 1776, Catoctin Furnace was integral to early American industry, producing materials crucial during the Revolutionary War (via the National Park Service). This site employed a significant number of enslaved African Americans, who were essential to its operation, performing labor-intensive tasks in harsh conditions.

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Catoctin Furnace in daytime

Source: Eric T Gunther/Wikipedia

Their contributions, now recognized through DNA analysis, highlight their forgotten role in America’s industrial development.

Property Not People

The lead study writer Éadaoin Harney, who is also a 23andMe population geneticist, emphasized the problem of missing African Americans from history.

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A man has his arms restrained behind his back with a rope.

Source: John Raphael Smith/Wikimedia

“Enslaved African Americans are largely excluded from the historical record, and in documents where they are mentioned, they are often treated as property, not as people,” said Harney.

Study Findings

The 27 deceased individuals’ DNA was taken and analyzed by the research team. They found that most of the individuals had some traces of European DNA.

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A strand of DNA depicted by an artist.

Source: Warren Umoh/Unsplash

This led the team to suspect evidence of sexual abuse consistent with other records of abuse of slaves during this time. Enslaved Africans were forced to work in many sectors of America, including agriculture, industry, and in homes.

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Giving a Voice

One study writer named Kathryn Barca is a Smithsonian researcher. They hoped that this research could help provide a voice to those deceased individuals who have been silenced by history.

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A portrait photograph of survivors of the slave trade taken in 1908.

Source: Charles J. Montgomery/Wikimedia

Barca says, “The experiences of African Americans within the early industrial complex of the United States are not completely understood and their labors in this system have not been thoroughly explored or acknowledged.”

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Genetic Families Identified

Researchers identified five distinct genetic families among the Catoctin individuals, indicating that enslaved families were often buried in proximity, possibly reflecting their social structures during life.

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Hand with light coming out of its fingertips holding an illustration of DNA

Source: Freepik

This discovery, crucial for reconstructing community and kinship ties, helps illuminate the personal and familial aspects of life under enslavement, which historical records often overlook.

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Catoctin Furnace

Not everything is known about what went on at Catoctin Furnace, which is a few miles away from the famous Camp David that presidents of the United States will often retreat to.

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A plaque describing the iron furnace in Catoctin.

Source: G Wayne Rhodes/Wikimedia

Enslaved workers were in charge of mining iron ore and keeping the furnaces producing various goods. Slaves would produce cannon balls, pots, utensils, and more as a major workforce.

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Genetic Relatives

The study was able to successfully identify thousands of genetic relatives thanks to the help of research participants from a genetic database.

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Bacteria from cultures is extracted as part of a DNA analysis.

Source: Ajay Kumar Chaurasiya/Wikimedia

“We analyze 27 individuals from Maryland’s Catoctin Furnace African American Cemetery (1774–1850), identifying 41,799 genetic relatives among consenting research participants in 23andMe, Inc.’s genetic database,” said the study.

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Relatives Living in Maryland

Researchers were able to match DNA with these genetic relatives to determine that many of the descendants of these 27 individuals are clustered around Maryland.

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A memorial with the word ‘Maryland’ etched into a pillar.

Source: Matthew Bornhorst/Unsplash

This led the researchers to conclude that some of these individuals’ descendants have remained in the area since the time of their ancestors’ death. The study was able to identify which people living in the area were close relatives of the deceased individuals.

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Ancestry Details

One question on the researcher’s minds was where they could trace the ancestry of these individuals to. The study also asserts that many of the individuals have Wolof and Kongo African ancestry as well as other places on the African continent.

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A tree with its roots spread out on the surface of the ground.

Source: Ellis Garvey/Unsplash

The Wolof people of that time are thought to have lived in West Africa, while the Kongo people from Central Africa.

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Joint Analysis

Researchers celebrated the study as a triumphant collaboration between DNA analysis and consumer-level DNA research. In particular, the collaboration between research scientists and the company 23andMe was instrumental to the study’s success.

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An artist's interpretation of how DNA strands intertwined.

Source: Sangharsh Lokakare/Unsplash

“This study demonstrates the power of joint analysis of historical DNA and large datasets generated through direct-to-consumer ancestry testing,” the research paper said.

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Returning Results to Descendents

This research would be invaluable to the actual descendants of these individuals but they have not yet been notified.

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A look at the interior section of the Catoctin Furnace.

Source: G Wayne Rhodes/Wikimedia

“We are considering a way to thoughtfully and ethically return results to those in the 23andMe database who would like to know if they are connected to the Catoctin Furnace individuals,” said 23andMe spokesperson Andy Kill.

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Genetic Diseases Found

Some Catoctin individuals carried genetic markers for sickle cell anemia and G6PD deficiency, diseases prevalent among African Americans today (via Johns Hopkins Medicine).

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Researcher conducts a DNA study in Centers for Disease Control laboratory

Source: Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images

These findings provide a major link to the health struggles that began in the past and persist in descendants, illustrating the enduring impact of ancestral conditions on current generations.

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Ethical Considerations

The project navigated ethical territories, balancing scientific exploration with respect for the descendants’ rights to privacy and connection to their ancestry.

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A scientist wearing scrubs, a mask, and gloves handles laboratory equipment.

Source: FMNLab/Wikimedia Commons

Researchers engaged with the community, following guidelines to ensure ethical handling of DNA analysis and findings dissemination, striving to restore knowledge and honor the deceased.

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Biogeographic Origins

Through advanced DNA analysis, researchers mapped the African and European ancestries of the Catoctin individuals, tracing many back to the Wolof and Kongo groups and areas in Great Britain and Ireland.

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Image: Westend61/Getty Images

This precise ancestry mapping restores a sense of identity and heritage to their descendants, previously blurred by historical displacement.

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Impact on Community

This study not only reconstructs lineages but also rekindles communal ties, with descendants finding a renewed sense of belonging and history.

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Several scientists are pictured working on research in their lab

Source: Wikimedia

It deepens the community’s understanding of their heritage, emphasizing the resilience and enduring presence of their ancestors in Maryland, which continues to shape their identity today.

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Historical Contributions Acknowledged

Recognizing the economic and historical contributions of African Americans at Catoctin Furnace, the study highlights their pivotal role in building early American industrial wealth.

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A historical painting depicts African American individuals engaged in various activities. In the foreground, a man in a blue coat and hat is breaking ground with a hoe, while another man seated to the right plays a banjo

Source: Wikimedia Commons

It corrects historical narratives, acknowledging that African Americans were foundational to the success and operation of early American industries.

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Future Directions

According to the study, future research will aim to connect more descendants with their historical roots and explore similar sites where enslaved individuals worked.

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Man in white sweater works on research paper

Source: Freepik

By expanding the scope of genetic ancestry studies, researchers hope to uncover further untold stories of African American heritage and resilience.

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Community Engagement

Researchers continue to engage with communities, sharing findings and facilitating discussions on the implications for cultural heritage and identity.

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Scientists studying findings with a microscope

Source: Freepik

These interactions aim to foster a collective understanding and appreciation of the historical significance of these findings among descendants and the broader public.

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Reflection on Slavery's Legacy

Reflecting on slavery’s enduring legacy, this research underscores the complex ties between the past and present African American communities.

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An old 1800s Civil War-era portrait of Sgt. A.M. Chandler and his family slave, Silas Chandler.

Source: Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons

It highlights how genetic research can bridge historical gaps, allowing today’s generations to reclaim a connection to their ancestors, disrupted by centuries of oppression.

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Advanced Genetic Tools Enable New Discoveries

The use of advanced genetic tools has enabled researchers to make significant discoveries about the ancestral origins of the Catoctin individuals.

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Two scientists are focused on a large multi-screen display showing colorful data visualizations and graphs

Source: Alex Ingle/Schmidt Ocean Institute

These tools help identify specific African and European ancestries, providing descendants with a clearer picture of their heritage and the complex interplay of genetics across continents.

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Bridging the Gap

This study shows how the integration of historical DNA research and modern genetic databases can illuminate the obscured histories of enslaved African Americans.

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Scientists are pictured looking at test samples in the lab

Source: Wikimedia

By bridging the past with the present, it offers descendants not just knowledge of their ancestry but also a restored sense of community and identity.

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