The Initiative for the Science of the Human Past at Harvard invites you to a discussion about recent work in U.S. History from Prof. David Reich’s lab that deploys ancient DNA and Big Data to discover new genomic insights into the life stories of 27 enslaved African American Ironmakers at Catoctin Furnace Md, 1774-1850. How were they related to each other? What were the sources of their African and European ancestry? Where in the US and Africa do their genetic relatives live today? What can their genomes reveal about their health? Where do we go from here? Senior author David Reich and lead author Dr. Éadaoin Harney will briefly recapitulate their findings and eminent experts from the Harvard community will offer brief comments from their different disciplinary perspectives. As is SoHP’s custom, the presentations will include discussion and a reception where you will be able to meet the speakers.

Ancient DNA & U.S. History:
The Genetic Legacy of African Americans from Catoctin Furnace

Wednesday, February 7, 2024
5:30 pm – 6:45 pm
CGIS South: Belfer Case Study Room (Lower Level)
1730 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA

If you are local, please join us in person as there will be a public reception to follow!

If you cannot attend in person, please join us by Zoom webinar,
and register in advance at this link. 

PLEASE NOTE: The program begins at 5:30 pm (U.S. Eastern) although the link is open prior to this time.  
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Speakers will include:

Éadaoin Harney,
Population Genetics Research and Development, 23andMe; Lecturer, Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University

David Reich,
Professor of Genetics, Harvard Medical School; Professor of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University

Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham,
Victor S. Thomas Professor of History and Professor of African and African American Studies, Harvard University

Jesse Hoffnung-Garskof,
Professor of History, Harvard University

Jason Ur,
Stephen Phillips Professor of Archaeology and Ethnology, Department of Anthropology, Harvard University; Project Director, Erbil Plain Archaeological Survey, Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Michael McCormick,
Francis Goelet Professor of Medieval History, Harvard University; Chair, SoHP;
Director at Harvard, MHAAM

This event is generously co-sponsored at Harvard by:

• Department of African and African American Studies
• Department of History
• Department of Human Evolutionary Biology
• Hutchins Center for African & African American Research
• Standing Committee on Archaeology

Please join us in person or remotely to learn more about this path-breaking research!