About Maddy McCoy, Founder
In 2005, Maddy was working on an internship project researching the identities of presumed enslaved individuals buried at an historic African American cemetery in Fairfax County, Virginia. While conducting her research Maddy was able to determine not only the first names but the elusive last names of many slaves, enabling her to connect naming and kin patterns across a wider historic landscape. More significantly, though, was her discovery that only five percent of enslaved individuals in Fairfax County shared a last name with their enslaver - a fact that challenged a long-held theory that slaves took, and were identified by, the last name of their enslavers.
The accomplishments of that early project fueled Maddy’s passion and Slavery Inventory Database was born. Since then, Maddy's years of dedication have strengthened her expertise in the field of slavery research.
In 2013, Maddy began a collaboration with the Fairfax Circuit Court Historic Records Center, providing critical research support to help establish the Fairfax Court Slavery Index. With approximately 30,000 entries, the Index enables researchers to easily identify enslaved individuals who resided in Fairfax County, Virginia from 1742 to 1865. It is the only index of its kind in the country and Maddy continues to work as an enthusiastic consultant on this project, providing research assistance and helping to build public awareness through speaking engagements.
Maddy was appointed as a Commissioner to the Historic Alexandria Resources Commission in May 2017. She is also the creator of Historic Wanderings, a blog showcasing her photography of over 500 historic, mid-Atlantic African American sites. Born in Alexandria, Virginia, she currently resides there with her husband and son.
The accomplishments of that early project fueled Maddy’s passion and Slavery Inventory Database was born. Since then, Maddy's years of dedication have strengthened her expertise in the field of slavery research.
In 2013, Maddy began a collaboration with the Fairfax Circuit Court Historic Records Center, providing critical research support to help establish the Fairfax Court Slavery Index. With approximately 30,000 entries, the Index enables researchers to easily identify enslaved individuals who resided in Fairfax County, Virginia from 1742 to 1865. It is the only index of its kind in the country and Maddy continues to work as an enthusiastic consultant on this project, providing research assistance and helping to build public awareness through speaking engagements.
Maddy was appointed as a Commissioner to the Historic Alexandria Resources Commission in May 2017. She is also the creator of Historic Wanderings, a blog showcasing her photography of over 500 historic, mid-Atlantic African American sites. Born in Alexandria, Virginia, she currently resides there with her husband and son.
