Descendants

We welcome all descendants who want to visit or create a connection with a place where their ancestors were enslaved, though we understand that not all descendants wish for the same.

Traditionally, a descendant community has been defined narrowly. In our work, we have adopted the Engaging Descendant Communities Rubric’s broader definition of a descendant community, to include people whose ancestors were enslaved at a particular site or throughout the surrounding region and anyone who feels connected to the work the institution is doing, regardless of genealogical connection.

The proposed purpose of the Descendant Community Engagement Group is to interpret the African Burial Ground and expand the narrative of the John Dickinson Plantation as a site of enslavement. The Descendant Community Engagement Group is further collaborating with John Dickinson Plantation staff to:

• Provide recommendations for the management and interpretation of the African Burial Ground and the expansion of the narrative of the John Dickinson Plantation as a site of enslavement.
• Explore ways to improve visitors’ experiences using current best practices, including the Engaging Descendant Communities Rubric.
• Support and participate in public education and outreach efforts, including the reimagining and reframing of the site’s significance in our shared history, and in preparation for the United States’ Semiquincentennial (the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence).

Would you like to join the Descendant Community Engagement Group?

We want to empower descendant voices, which would enrich our interpretation and forge connections to our community. There are many ways to engage with this work. You don’t have to be a researcher or historian to make a difference.

Call or email us today with any questions: 302-739-3277 or jdpmuseum@delaware.gov