Author name: Black O'Kelleys

I am Joyce Ann Huston, originator of the Black O'Kelleys term to blatantly acknowledge our family's roots. We descend from two Irish named brothers who bore children with our enslaved matriarch Ellen Johnson-Matthews-Fisher (b. ~1843). They are two of ~eight siblings, James Edward O'Kelley (b. ~1827) and after his death, his brother John Beattie O'Kelley (b. ~1830). Through old-fashioned oral history, paper investigations, and eventually DNA, we have confirmed this lineage directly with several of our white cousin descendants of these brothers. This website will share stories and our lineage to help others seeking to find their roots and opportunities for me to expand this effort further.

Welcome to the new Black O’Kelleys website!

Black O'Kelleys / January 5, 2026

The site is currently under construction. Be sure to check back for the planned release date. In the interim, click here to see the original website in the archives. Please visit the Black O’Kelleys Family Association (BOFA) website for the July 2026 reunion news at: https://bofainc.org. Early-bird registrations have been extended to January 23, 2026! […]