A path to your enslaved ancestors
Research before 1865 requires a different approach. Begin with the state where your ancestors were held (from the first arrivals of the 1600s to Emancipation), then work backward from the 1870 census — the first to name formerly enslaved people.
District of Columbia
Federal district 1790 · Border States & D.C.
Washington, D.C. was home to slave pens and trading firms that sent people south until the trade was banned there in 1850. On April 16, 1862, Congress freed about 3,100 people. Enslavers filed compensation petitions that name each person, often with descriptions and family ties.
Slavery Research Institutions
Where to Search District of Columbia Records
Open a pre-filled District of Columbia search on each repository. You don't need an account to start.
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Key Records
- 1862 Compensated Emancipation petitions (Board of Commissioners, NARA RG 217)
- Certificates of freedom and manumission records (D.C. Recorder of Deeds)
- Records of the 1838 Georgetown Jesuit sale
- Alexandria slave-trader records (Franklin & Armfield)
- Freedmen's Bureau and Freedman's Bank records for D.C.
Research Tips
- The 1862 petitions are some of the most detailed records naming enslaved people anywhere.
- Alexandria was part of D.C. until 1846. Search Virginia records as well.
- Check the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center for family papers.
National Resources, 1600s to Emancipation
Databases that cover every state, from the Atlantic crossings to the search for family after freedom.