Names matter.
Across the centuries of American slavery, millions of Africans and their descendants lived, labored, built families, endured, and shaped the foundations of this nation. Many appear in the historical record only in probate inventories, tax lists, court proceedings, bills of sale, church registers, or newspaper notices.
Roots and Remembrance: The Middle Passage Journal invites you to help restore those lives to the documented historical record.
Volume I marks the beginning of a continuing biographical encyclopedia dedicated to preserving these lives with evidence, dignity, and permanence.
On the eve of the American Revolution, more than 500,000 enslaved Africans and their descendants lived in the colonies that would become the United States.
For Volume I, we especially encourage submissions that document individuals who lived before or during the Revolutionary era (approximately 1619–1776).
Submissions from all periods of American slavery (1619–1865) remain welcome.
We seek biographical entries of approximately 250–500 words that:
Are grounded in primary or verifiable historical records
Use person-first language
Distinguish documented fact from interpretation
Maintain a respectful and dignified tone
Entries may include:
Named individuals
Individuals were identified only by description when names were not recorded
Family clusters appearing within the same document
Volume I will include approximately 30 biographical entries.
A small number of curated contributions may also be included in a Remembrance & Reflection section. These may include:
Original poetry
Artwork with artist statement
Essays about memorial sites, cemeteries, or museums
Book reviews related to slavery, genealogy, and remembrance
Due to space limitations, only a limited number of these contributions will be selected.
Each biographical entry must include sufficient information to allow another researcher to locate the cited record, including:
Document type
County and state
Year
Page, book, or file number (if available)
Archive or database name
All factual claims must be supported by documentation.
Contributors may use AI tools to assist in drafting biographical narratives and organizing citations.
However:
All statements must be traceable to the documentary sources provided.
AI-generated content must not introduce unsupported claims.
Contributors remain responsible for verifying accuracy.
AI may assist with writing clarity but may not replace documentary research.
The journal encourages the responsible use of emerging tools to expand access to historical documentation and to assist descendants in restoring ancestral narratives.
Using only the documented records provided, draft a biographical entry about [Name or Description]. Aim for 500–800 words; if the historical record allows for a deeper dive that exceeds this range, we encourage you to include all documented details.
Please include the following information in your entry:
Full name: (including alternate spellings)
Dates and places: Date of birth, death, and places of origin/enslavement (city, county, state/colony)
Life and Labor: Occupation, skilled labor, and roles held
The Network of Enslavement:
Associated Enslaver: Full name, known residence (city/county/state), name of plantation (if documented), and enslaver's occupation or social status (if relevant to the records).
Associated Individuals: List other people named in the same record (e.g., those listed together in probate inventories or bills of sale).
Relationships to Others: Note documented relationships to other enslaved people (e.g., "a child of Susan" or "a brother of [Name]").
Physical Description or Personal Traits: Any documented descriptors or characteristics (if available).
Movements and Locations: Any documented information about where the individual was born, sold, or moved.
Family Connections: Known spouse(s), children, parents, and other family linkages across records.
Historical Context: Any additional documented facts, including church or community affiliations.
Required Metadata for Indexing (List separately):
Document Type: (e.g., probate inventory, census record)
Location: (County and State)
Timeframe: (Year(s) associated with documents)
Archival Citation: Please use the "Context-First" format: [Title of Document/Collection], [Name of Archive or Database], [Date/Reference Number/Page], [Location].
Research Notes/Connection Justification (Optional): If you are suggesting a family connection (such as parentage or sibling status) based on circumstantial evidence or record proximity, please briefly explain your reasoning here.
Editorial Guidelines:
Know Your Audience: Your entries are read by descendants, genealogists, and researchers seeking to connect family branches. Write with clarity, empathy, and a focus on the documented life of the individual.
The AI's Role: You may use AI tools to assist in organizing your research and drafting the narrative. However, you are the expert curator. The AI is a writing assistant, not a historical researcher; all factual claims and archival citations must be verified by you against the primary source material.
Prioritize Evidence: Use only the records provided. Do not invent facts or speculate beyond the evidence.
Dignity and Tone: Use person-first language and maintain a respectful, dignified tone.
Transparency: If information is missing, acknowledge the absence rather than filling in gaps.
You do not need to use a spreadsheet. Instead, follow this simple process to ensure the AI has the context it needs while remaining strictly bound by your guidelines:
Copy the entire Prompt (including the Editorial Guidelines) and paste it into the AI chat interface as your first message.
Immediately provide the research data right underneath the prompt. You can label it clearly:
"Here is the raw data for the biographical entry: [Paste your notes, archival citations, and any observations here]"
Refine the Output: The AI will then generate the draft based only on that data. You can then review the draft to ensure the "Context-First" citations are correct and the tone is dignified.
Contributors may choose to be:
Credited by full name
Credited by initials
Credited as “Submitted by a Descendant”
Anonymous
Submissions for Volume I must be received by:
September 30, 2026
Volume I will be published digitally in January 2027, with print-on-demand availability.
By submitting an entry, you are:
Preserving documented history
Supporting genealogical research
Contributing to a permanent archival record
Ensuring that these lives are neither erased nor reduced to abstraction
This journal is conceived as a multi-volume archive. Volume I is the beginning of a long-term effort to document as many identifiable individuals as possible.
Help build the record.
Please read Editorial Standards and Rights and Ethics before submitting your entry.
Volume I aligns with the 2026 SDUSMP Annual Conference theme:
America 500K: Remembering the more than 500,000 enslaved Africans and their descendants on the eve of the American Revolution.
Selected submissions may be highlighted during the conference.
Learn more at: www.sdusmp.org/conference2026