About Us
Who We Are
The Foundational Black Americans Grio is a cultural preservation organization rooted in St. Augustine, Florida — dedicated to honoring, documenting, and celebrating the legacy of Foundational Black Americans.
Our Story
Founded in Purpose
The Foundational Black Americans Grio was born from a deep desire to reclaim and preserve the authentic history of Black Americans whose ancestral lineage is rooted in the United States prior to the end of the Civil War — including descendants of Africans enslaved within what became the United States and descendants of Black people with Indigenous or Native ancestry whose families were established within the United States during the same foundational period. Our founders recognized that this history — rich, complex, and foundational to the American story — was at risk of being diluted, overlooked, or misrepresented.
Rooted in St. Augustine, Florida — one of the oldest cities in America and a place of profound Black American history — we set out to build a living archive of FBA heritage: through research, community events, oral histories, and cultural certification.
What Is an FBA?
Foundational Black Americans Defined
A Foundational Black American (FBA) is a Black American whose ancestral lineage is rooted in the United States prior to the end of the Civil War. This includes descendants of Africans who were enslaved within what became the United States, as well as descendants of Black people with Indigenous or Native ancestry whose families were established within the United States during the same foundational period. FBAs are a distinct ethnic group with a unique cultural identity, history, and set of shared experiences.
The term 'Foundational' honors the full breadth of this community's origins — African, Indigenous, and the intertwined histories that shaped Black American life on this soil for centuries before emancipation. It recognizes the central role FBAs played in building the economic, cultural, and social fabric of the United States — often without recognition, compensation, or legal protection.
We are not simply African American. We are Foundational — the bedrock upon which this nation was built.
Our Symbol
The Black American Heritage Flag
Born during the Civil Rights era, the Black American Heritage Flag stands as an enduring symbol of struggle, pride, and the unbreakable spirit of Black Americans — from the degrading days of slavery to the undeniable contributions Black Americans have made to the history of the United States.
The Black American Heritage Flag was created in 1967 by Melvin Charles and Gleason Jackson. During the height of the Civil Rights Movement, these two men felt compelled to give Black Americans a distinct visual symbol — one that honored the pain of their history and the pride that had grown from it. Their vision was to create a flag that spoke directly to the Black American experience: the blood shed for freedom, the strength of a people who refused to be erased, and the intellectual and cultural wealth they had always possessed.
According to the designers, the colors of the flag carry precise meaning: black represents pride, pigmentation, and race; red reminds us of the rich blood Black men and women have shed for freedom, equality, justice, and human dignity throughout the world; and gold represents intellect, prosperity, and peace. These colors are woven into a composition that juxtaposes red and black in three stripes — one black stripe centered between two red.
Superimposed on the black stripe is a golden wreath of fig leaves. The cultivated fig is native to Africa and ranks as one of the most ancient of life-sustaining fruits — a quiet but powerful nod to the continent from which Black Americans descend. Centered within the golden wreath is a blunted Moorish boarding sword, the symbol of leadership carried by the great Moorish leaders of the 8th century.
The sword represents the strength and authority exhibited by a Black culture that made profound contributions to the world in mathematics, art, medicine, and physical science — heralding the contributions that Black Americans would go on to make in these and countless other fields. For the Foundational Black Americans Grio, this flag is a covenant: a promise to remember, to honor, and to carry that legacy forward.
The Colors & Their Meaning
Black
Pride, pigmentation, and race — the identity and dignity of Black Americans, centered and unashamed.
Red
The rich blood shed for freedom, equality, justice, and human dignity throughout the world — a reminder of the cost of liberation.
Gold
Intellect, prosperity, and peace — the fig wreath honoring Africa's ancient gifts, and the Moorish sword honoring centuries of Black leadership and contribution.
Our Values
What We Stand For
Historical Truth
We are committed to accurate, evidence-based documentation of FBA history — free from revisionism or erasure.
Cultural Pride
We celebrate the richness of FBA culture: music, art, language, cuisine, and spiritual traditions that have shaped America.
Community Empowerment
We believe that knowing your history is the foundation of self-determination and collective progress.
Intergenerational Legacy
We preserve our heritage for future generations, ensuring that FBA children grow up knowing who they are and where they come from.
FBA Certification
Get Certified as a Foundational Black American
Our FBA Certification program helps individuals document and verify their lineage as Foundational Black Americans. Through genealogical research, historical records, and community verification, we provide a formal recognition of your FBA heritage.
Certification is more than a document — it is a connection to your ancestors, a statement of identity, and a contribution to the collective historical record of our community.
Submit Your Application
Complete our online application with your family history and any available genealogical records.
Research & Verification
Our team of historians and genealogists reviews your lineage against historical records and archives.
Community Review
Your application is reviewed by our community council to ensure accuracy and completeness.
Receive Certification
Upon approval, you receive your official FBA Certification — a lasting record of your heritage.
Get Involved
Join Our Community
Whether you are an FBA seeking to connect with your heritage, a researcher, an educator, or simply someone who believes in the importance of this history — there is a place for you in our community.
Attend Events
Join us at cultural celebrations, lectures, film screenings, and community dinners throughout the year.
Volunteer
Contribute your time and skills to our research, archiving, event planning, and outreach efforts.
Donate
Support our mission financially. Your contribution funds research, preservation, and community programming.
Share Your Story
Oral histories are the heartbeat of our archive. Share your family's story and help us build a living record.