Ancestors
A Historical Novel Grounded in Archival Research
Ancestors
A Historical Novel Grounded in Archival Research
Ancestors records the outcome of more than two decades of original archival research into African-Caribbean family history. The narrative is grounded in documented evidence uncovered through genealogical research and historical records, with creative reconstruction used only where the archive is silent. The book presents the documented results of that research rather than a transferable research method.
Ancestors is a historical novel inspired by archival records uncovered through genealogical research. The narrative is built on documented family history found in archives and repositories, with creative writing used to interpret lived experience where records do not record interior life, dialogue, or personal perspective. See Black Genealogy Resource Books
The work uses historically informed imagination to bridge gaps in the documentary record, while remaining anchored to real historical conditions and evidence.
Research relationship:
- Archival records provide the historical framework
- Creative narrative is used to interpret what records cannot express
What this book is for:
- Readers exploring Black history through story
- Those interested in how archival research can inform historical fiction
- Educational and cultural contexts where emotional and social history matter
What this book is for:
- Readers exploring Black history through story
- Those interested in how archival research can inform historical fiction
- Educational and cultural contexts where emotional and social history matter
Why This Resource Matters
Many records created during enslavement and colonial administration were never intended to preserve personal identity or lived experience. As a result, archival research can establish historical frameworks while leaving significant aspects of human experience unrecorded.
Ancestors demonstrates how archival research and historical knowledge can inform narrative interpretation, allowing family history to be explored without presenting fiction as documentary proof. By grounding its story in real records while using creative writing to interpret what those records cannot express, the novel offers a way of engaging responsibly with the past where evidence is limited but historical reality is clear.