Join US Black Heritage Connecting Challenge--April 2024

+13 votes
673 views

      US Black Heritage Project's

Connecting Challenge

Our for 2024 goal is 400k. With all the help we've been getting on our 1880 census project, we're definitely going to make it!

Need a fresh project? Check out our USBH 1880 Census Project. We have a spreadsheet for every state. Our goal is to create a profile for every Black American enumerated on the 1880 census. (reminder: single profiles created don't count for this Connecting Challenge--only people attached to family)


We met the US Black Heritage Project's goal of reaching 250,000 African-American profiles in the year 2023 early! Now let's work toward our 2024 goal of 400,000 total profiles. We'll reach it by continuing the Connecting Challenge. It is similar to the WikiTree Connect-a-Thon with a few exceptions. Please read our challenge space page for all the rules.

Who can participate? Any WikiTree member who has upgraded from guest and has signed the honor code

Start/End: This Challenge is a month long. We begin on the first of each month and end at midnight EST on the last day of each month.

A participant sticker will be available to all members who join in for at least one of the months. Special stickers will be awarded to all participants who create at least 25 profiles in a month. A Winner's sticker will be given to the top contributor each month.

To Partipate:

  • Read the rules please!
  • Click on the "answer" button below my name on this post to declare you want to participate.
  • Start with an existing profile and create a family member attached to that profile. Keep adding as many family members up, down, and sideways on the tree as you can. Each new profile is one point.
  • Make sure the research is correct! Use primary documents to find and prove relationships.
  • Add the {{African-American Sticker}} to any profiles of Black Americans who lived in the USA, so the project can keep track of the profiles and honor their heritage.
  • Add at least one strong source to every profile.
  • Use the Challenge Tracker to keep track of every new profile you create for this challenge. It will count the total for you automatically. If you discover you forgot to track some, you can list them here to count.
  • Repeat.
  • If you are working on enslaved ancestors, every new slave profile you link to a slave owner using the USBH Project's guidelines, counts as a connected profile. See the Heritage Exchange Portal for more information.

Have questions? Please ask.

Only have time for a few profiles? Please join us! Every contribution gets us closer to our goal.

Do you need some profiles to get you started? 

If you are already on the WikiTree Discord server, you should have access to the US Black Heritage Connecting Challenge channel. If you can't access it, please send me a message.

Thanks for growing our tree!


  • Our March Challenge total: 
  • Total count of profiles as of March 24: 318,866
  • March Winners: TBA
in The Tree House by Emma MacBeath G2G Astronaut (1.3m points)

30 Answers

+12 votes
I'm in for April!
by Gina Jarvi G2G6 Pilot (146k points)
Thanks, Gina!
+11 votes
I’m in! I’ll do some Colorado for 1880 :-)
by Elaine Martzen G2G6 Pilot (171k points)
Thanks, Elaine!
+11 votes
I will do a few
by S Stevenson G2G6 Pilot (251k points)
Thanks, S!
+10 votes
I'm in too, thanks Emma!
by Denise E G2G6 Mach 8 (85.0k points)
Thanks, Denise!
+10 votes
I’ll connect in April and work on 1880 Iowa counties.
by Elizabeth Schafer G2G6 Mach 4 (40.3k points)
Thanks, Elizabeth!
+10 votes
I'm in as always.
by Carolyn Martin G2G6 Pilot (284k points)
Thanks, Carolyn!
+10 votes
I'm in! Hoping to have Vermont done this month.
by Kate Schmidt G2G6 Pilot (122k points)
Let's see if Vermont or Nebraska gets finished first :-)

Thanks, Kate!
+10 votes

I'm in for April! (Not an April Fool's joke smiley)

by Amy Johnson G2G6 Mach 5 (59.2k points)
LOL. Thanks, Amy!
+10 votes
Count me in! I'm slowly working my way through Connecticut in the 1880 census and will keep up that task. Thanks, Emma!
by Kristen Stiefel G2G6 (8.0k points)
Thanks, Kristen. Go Connecticut!
+10 votes
I'll do a few.
by Nancy Thomas G2G6 Pilot (208k points)
Thanks, Nancy! I have to laugh at your definition of a "few." You've been cranking out an amazing number of profiles.
+10 votes
I  can do some
by Richard Rosenberger G2G6 Mach 3 (35.2k points)
Thanks, Richard!
+10 votes
I'll work on some for this month!
by Dallas Manicom G2G6 Mach 1 (10.8k points)
Thanks, Dallas!
+9 votes
I'm in again, of course!
by Miyako Jones G2G6 Mach 3 (38.7k points)
Thanks, Miyako!
+8 votes
Haha, I forgot to post an answer myself. I'm of course in. I'm currently concentrating on 1880 census families.
by Emma MacBeath G2G Astronaut (1.3m points)
I added 758 profiles during the Connect A Thon that I didn't add to the tracker.
+9 votes
I will help out.
by Suzanne Dyck G2G6 Mach 2 (22.4k points)
Thanks, Suzanne!
+9 votes
I'd like to participate!
by Jennifer McDougall G2G5 (5.5k points)
Thank you, Jennifer! Did you get my message about the USBH Project Path several weeks ago?
Oh my gosh Emma!  responding this evening. Doh!
+9 votes
I will help.
by K. Price G2G6 Mach 1 (12.9k points)
Thanks, K!
+9 votes
I'm hooked. I'll keep working on the Michigan 1880 Census and connections I can find there. Thanks!
by Jason Wallace G2G6 Mach 1 (17.3k points)
Thanks, Jason!
+9 votes
I will be working on Western New York again this month. If anyone would like to do a few Monroe County profile, message me! I have about 250 of 750 done.

Thanks You!
by John Stewart G2G4 (4.0k points)
Thanks, John!
+9 votes
I'll keep plugging away at the 1880 census!
by Naomi Van Tol G2G6 (8.6k points)
Thanks, Naomi!

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