The Ashes Lab

If you’ve been following our stories these past couple of days, then you know that we’ve been gearing up for the ASHES Lab Asase Field School!

Asase, an Akan/Twi word meaning earth or sacred ground, represents the excavation of 10 ancestral burials at the Hillsborough Legacy Project site.

The ASHES Lab is starting its first round of excavations TOMORROW, and we’re inviting people in the Hillsborough community and the greater Research Triangle to come and participate. Starting 9am everyday this week, feel free to drop by and volunteer at the site. Whether you’re helping to dig or handle supplies, we want everyone to have a hand in preserving history.

We’ll keep a lookout for the weather, so sign up for the Field School using the Volunteer sign-up form! Link in bio. 🧬

If you haven’t had a chance to check out our website before, the time is now! Our site has gotten a new look. 😎 Check out our research goals, our team, upcoming events/ papers, and more! We aim to have our research transparent with our communities, and we want our website to reflect that. Stay up to date with the ASHES Lab here and on theasheslab.com. Link in bio 🔗🥼🧬

As we’re observing Black History Month, let’s celebrate some of the Black people and scientists that have made significant contributions to history. Our first feature is Zora Neale Hurston (January 7, 1891-January 28, 1960)

Check out the sources to see more of her amazing contributions!
Did you learn something new?

Earlier this month, the ASHES Lab had a visit from the North Carolina African American Heritage Commission, an organization dedicated to preserving African American history and culture in NC. We gave a tour of the lab, talked about some of our ongoing research, and got to learn more about the amazing work that they do daily. It was a great way to ask each other questions and learn how we can research the same topics in different ways. We look forward to working together to learn more about African burial sites and the history of African Americans in North Carolina!

Pictures from our Hillsborough Legacy Event! Thank you so much to everyone who participated, and a huge thank you for .memories and for their support throughout this project. Our team is only able to do the work that we do because of your contributions, so we appreciate all of you.

If you were a participant for any of our Hillsborough Legacy Events, keep a lookout for updates on our project in our newsletter and on the ashes lab socials!

Take a look at Jaylin and Erin spreading flyers for TOMORROW! The Hillsborough Legacy Project will take place at the Burwell School Historic Site () from 2-6pm. Join the Ashes Lab to help explore ancestry and foster community in the Orange County area. Whether you know of relatives or not, we welcome you to join us.

So good it’s back for a third time! The Hillsborough Legacy Project will be having its Phase 3 event on Saturday, October 25th from 2-6pm at the . Stop by anytime to help contribute to the ancestry and family histories that have shaped Orange County. If you were unable to join us during our last events, this is your chance! The RSVP is on the QR code and in our bio. We can’t wait to see you there 🧬

Thank you to everyone who came to and/or supported the Hillsborough Legacy Project event. It was a huge success! We’re honored to have connected with all of our participants and local organizations.

We’d like to give special thanks to .memories for partnering with us and helping this project come to life, and for allowing us to host our event at their location! We could not have done it without you.

We hope that the work we do continues to help our partnered communities, and we look forward to continuing this journey together. 🙌🏾

The countdown begins!! Our Hillsborough Legacy Event is this Saturday, July 26th from 2-6pm at the . This project is to help the people of Orange County learn more about their ancestry, local history, and health. Stop by throughout the event to donate a saliva sample, personal interview, and a health survey. Let your voice be heard! We look forward to seeing you there. 🧬

Q: What are you interested in learning more about?

Welcome to the lab of Ancestry, Soil Health, and Evolutionary Studies, or the ASHES Lab! We are a genomics research lab at NC State that focuses on genetic diversity in African American populations. By using DNA from burial soil samples and living descendants, we provide context into how the lives of enslaved and early African American people have shaped the lives of African Americans today, including ancestry-linked diseases, environmental health, and cultural/genetic heritage. We work with local communities to ensure our research is meaningful and inclusive to the needs of the people that we serve. Our goal is to provide more information for underrepresented communities in healthcare, conservation efforts, historical fields, and more.
This a new and upcoming lab, so we are just getting started! Be sure to check out our website, and follow us here to see what goes on in the ASHES lab!

Welcome to the lab of Ancestry, Soil Health, and Evolutionary Studies, or the ASHES Lab! We are a genomics research lab at NC State that focuses on genetic diversity in African American populations. By using DNA from burial soil samples and living descendants, we provide context into how the lives of enslaved and early African American people have shaped the lives of African Americans today, including ancestry-linked diseases, environmental health, and cultural/genetic heritage. We work with local communities to ensure our research is meaningful and inclusive to the needs of the people that we serve. Our goal is to provide more information for underrepresented communities in healthcare, conservation efforts, historical fields, and more. This a new and upcoming lab, so we are just getting started! Be sure to check out our website, and follow us here to see what goes on in the ASHES lab! #asheslab #ncstate #research #genetics #africanamericanhistory #geneticsmatter