What We Do
History of more recent times of a community is connected to the activities of their ancestors.
It is for that reason that HoCo Roots Revisited, Inc. exists. What happened on soil that is located in today’s Howard County, Maryland is what we excavate, examine and showcase. We might be discussing one of your ancestors or that of your neighbor’s! We are dedicated to finding as much of the story as possible to do their stories justice. We learn from all history, even the uncomfortable parts of it.
Historical Archeology
That’s what we do is called. That is different than a “historian” because it involves...
Examining the Census Entries
Excavating Historical Records
Map Analysis and/or Site Visits
Compiling for Community Presentation
How Does It Differ From Genealogy?
They call it the 1870 Brick Wall…
It’s that aspect of African-American historical research where the names of enslaved men, women and children are challenging to unearth. The 1870 census is the first one that contained first and last names of people who had been enslaved before that census. There are many surviving records in the Maryland State Archives that help break through it in order to breathe life into the stories of people who evaded archival capture by the census taker.
Our specialty is excavating and critically examining a myriad of records, mixed with a bit of detective work, in order to compile accurate Howard County Black and Mulatto history narratives and convey them through various methods. Howard County’s history was unique from Alabama and even Virginia’s history, which makes it important to also understand the culture that existed that people were subjected to. We only focus on that which is specific to Howard County and the State of Maryland when necessary. We compile and convey stories about people who were living, working or stopping through the land that would become Howard County. Our primary focus is the time period before the 1960s.