national center for descendants of american chattel slavery
Building Our Future.
Preserving Our Legacy. Defining Who We Are.
NCDACS is an emerging institution dedicated to researching, preserving, and advancing the identity, culture, knowledge, and development of descendants of American chattel slavery.
Identity Precedes The Vision
WE ARE NOT ONLY PRESERVING A HISTORY.
WE ARE BUILDING A FUTURE.
There is a difference between studying a people and building for a people. NCDACS exists to create a permanent institutional home for the research, preservation, and advancement of descendants of American chattel slavery.We believe our future requires more than remembering what happened to us. It requires understanding where we are, preserving what must not be lost, and intentionally developing what comes next.Because a people cannot intentionally build their future without knowing who they are.
WHAT DOES BUILDING A FUTURE ACTUALLY REQUIRE?
Birth
Creating the conditions for our people to enter the world supported, valued, and prepared to flourish.
Food
Preserving and developing the agricultural knowledge, resources, and systems necessary to nourish our communities.
Housing
Exploring models that create stability, ownership, security, and places for families and communities to flourish.
Education
Preserving knowledge while developing the intellectual, cultural, and practical capacities needed for the future.
Health
Building knowledge, systems, and practices that support the physical, mental, spiritual, and collective wellbeing of our people.
End of Life
Honoring our ancestors, preserving our traditions, and creating dignified ways to care for our people through the end of life and beyond.
OUR WORK IS THREEFOLD.
Research what is. Preserve what must endure. Advance what comes next.
Research
Understand our people, our conditions, our history, our knowledge, and the forces shaping our future.
Preserve
Protect the histories, traditions, knowledge, institutions, and cultural assets that must not be lost.
Advance
Develop the knowledge, capacities, institutions, and possibilities required to build the future we want.
BECOME PART OF IT.
NCDACS is being built as a permanent institution for descendants of American chattel slavery, and institutions are built by people who believe they should exist. Membership is an opportunity to become part of what we're building.
Membership Eligibility
NCDACS membership is for descendants of Black people who were enslaved on American soil.To be eligible for membership, an individual must:
Identify as Black, Black American, African American, ADOS, FBA, or another term that reflects their identity as a descendant of American chattel slavery;
Be a descendant of a Black American who was enslaved in the United States;
Be able to identify this ancestry through their maternal or paternal family line; and
Self-report their ancestral connection as part of the membership process.
Both sides of the family are preferred. NCDACS encourages members to explore and document their ancestry on both their maternal and paternal sides whenever possible. However, establishing qualifying descent through one family line is sufficient for membership.
SELF-REPORTED ANCESTRY
At this stage, membership is based on self-reported ancestry and family history. Documentation is not currently required. Members are expected to provide truthful and accurate information to the best of their knowledge.As NCDACS develops its genealogical and research capacity, members may have opportunities to participate in more formal ancestry documentation and research.
BI-ETHNIC & MULTIRACIAL DESCENDANTS
NCDACS welcomes descendants who are also of another racial or ethnic heritage.If you are biracial, multiracial, or partially descended from another racial or ethnic population, you may still qualify for membership if you meet the ancestral eligibility requirements above. Members will be asked to indicate their additional ancestry during registration.
Standard Membership
For descendants who want to formally join NCDACS and participate in the institution we're building.
Founding Membership
For those who want to help establish NCDACS during its formative years and make a deeper contribution to building its institutional foundation.