Slavery

This poem illustrates the ways Horton saw slavery imprisoning both his body and mind.

Thomas was born into slavery and lived a harsh life, but he was finally able to escape and reunite with his family.

When Africans were brought to American shores in chains, they brought pieces of Africa with them and used their traditions, music and culture to help them survive.

Mary loves Sunday mornings and the spirituals that give her and Mama hope.

William Wells Brown was born into slavery and later escaped to become one of the foremost supporters of abolition.

Nat Turner was an American freedom fighter who led one of history’s most successful revolts by enslaved people in Southampton County, VA.

Frederick Douglass made an amazing journey from slavery to freedom. Once free, Douglass committed his life to fighting for the freedom of others.

Sumter inquires about an enslaved woman named Clarissa, whom Oakes had evidently “advertised” for sale as a “cook & washer.” Among his questions, Sumter inquires specifically whether Clarissa "has had children or miscarried."

This is an 1853 newspaper account of Solomon Northup’s experiences and the trials of those involved in his kidnapping and enslavement.

In the face of extreme punishment for enslaved people and breaking the law for whites, roughly 5 percent of the enslaved population learned to read and write. Letters like the ones written below show the lengths they would go to learn.

In this excerpt, Robinson describes "the four classes of men" who played pivotal roles in the system of chattel slavery.

These are two different advertisements describing people who had escaped from slavery. They demonstrate the different treatment and valuation of enslaved people.

Recounting a selective portion of an enslaved woman’s life, this brief biography also serves as a reflection of what mainstream society deemed “worthy” during the early to mid-19th century. Precisely because Alice supposedly embodied characteristics that were both exceptional and ordinary, her story offers a useful lens to consider how slavery was understood in its time.

This is a will of an enslaver from 1776. It shows how enslaved persons were treated as property to be passed down through generations.

In this text, Venture Smith recounted his experiences as an enslaved person in New England, including his work to pay his enslaver for his freedom in the mid-18th century.

A chapter from the autobiography of Henry Bibb, a well-known black activist who had escaped from slavery. This text contains descriptions of the life of enslaved persons as well as illustrations.