Black Loyalists were mostly escaped slaves who went to Canada and fought in the American Revolutionary War on behalf of the British crown. They were promised their freedom and land in return for their loyalty, hence the term "Loyalist." Many of the black Loyalists who did get land were given the worst lands available, while many others were denied their land claims altogether. The Book of Negroes is an important book for those studying the ancestry of their black Canadian ancestors, specifically those who ended up in Nova Scotia where much of these data were gathered.

The information contained therein can be extremely helpful because in many cases it lists where/when they were born, the name of the last slave owner, when they escaped, if they were born free, etc.

- Lisa B. Lee
Oakland, CA