What You Need to Know
• ABC News and American Ancestors confirmed the first living descendants of an enslaved individual who built the White House.
• Jackie Smith Sullivan and her daughter Ashley Swain discovered their ancestor, Calvert Ambush, worked on the White House in 1829.
• The research project took over two years to trace family lines of enslaved individuals associated with the White House.
In a significant discovery, ABC News and American Ancestors, a major genealogical organization, identified the first confirmed living descendants of an enslaved person who contributed to the construction of the White House. Jackie Smith Sullivan and her daughter Ashley Swain learned that their fourth great-grandfather, Calvert Ambush, helped build the North Portico of the White House during the summer of 1829. The research, part of the 10 Million Names initiative, involved extensive searches through various records over two years to trace the lineage of enslaved individuals who worked on the White House. This breakthrough marks a historic achievement in genealogical research, linking a living descendant to a significant figure in American history.
Why It Matters
This discovery highlights the importance of genealogy in uncovering the historical connections between enslaved individuals and their descendants. The identification of Calvert Ambush as a builder of the White House emphasizes the contributions of enslaved people to American landmarks. The 10 Million Names project aims to illuminate the legacy of slavery in the United States through genealogical research, providing a deeper understanding of the historical context surrounding these contributions. This initiative not only preserves the memory of those who built the nation but also fosters a connection between past and present generations.
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