Rather than narrating individual stories, the database's purpose is to present concrete evidence and facts of enslaved people's existence. Each entry is carefully tagged to highlight the individual, allowing us to trace their footsteps through time and, when feasible, geographical location. Initially focused on the period until 1808 when the Act Prohibiting the Importation of Slaves was enacted, the database has expanded to encompass those formerly enslaved individuals and those who dwelled in the ambiguous legal gray area of post-Gradual Emancipation North. In this region, their lives and labor reflected those of enslaved individuals, even though their existence was veiled under the term "servant."

Research into the history of enslavement and the lives of the enslaved in Bristol, RI, and the broader Bristol County is an ongoing endeavor. As a result, the Bristol County Enslaved History Database continues to grow, providing an invaluable resource for understanding and confronting our past.