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Legal Documents Concerning Slavery Collection

Author:
Maynard, Thomas  Search this
Donor:
Clark, Julie  Search this
Extent:
1 Cubic foot (2 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Bills of sale
Deeds
Land titles
Slave bills of sale
Manuscripts
Manumission, deeds of
Place:
Maryland
Date:
undated
1710-1865
Summary:
A collection of a variety of legal documents that relate to slavery and African-Americans.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists mainly of a wide vareity of court and legal documents such as, bills of sale, warrants, a manumission document, a certificate of free birth, and documents concerning debt, property, and legal obligations. The documents originated in four states: Alabama, the Carolina colony, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas. They span the greatest portion of the era of slavery within what is now the United States. Most of the documents are from Lawrence County, Alabama and may have at one time been created or used as evidence in either an orphans court or civil court case. The documents are arranged in one series in chronological order.
Arrangement:
The collection is divided into 1 series:

Series 1: Legal Documents Concerning Slavery, 1710-1865, undated
Biographical / Historical:
Up until the Emancipation Proclamation and the subsequent victory of the Union forces in the Civil War, slaves were considered chattel, property that could be bought and sold. Slaves were a commodity that could be attached for non-payment of debt, used as collateral, given as bequests in a will, and were considered assets of a deceased's estate. As such, they engendered legal battles and the need for a variety of legal documents asserting one's freedom or manumission.
Provenance:
Bill of Sale of "one Negro girl named Nancy, about three years old, from Thomas Maynard to John Stephen Hale, for the sum of 30 pounds, Frederick County, Maryland, June 13, 1796." 2002 acquisition: "Receipt for a slave named Wilson", January 19, 1863, and two carte-de-visite portraits: W.B. Mitchell, July 1880, and Pleasant A. Mitchell, undated. Gifts of Julie Clark, 2008 addendum.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
Branding (Punishment)  Search this
Fugitive slaves  Search this
Slaves -- Emancipation  Search this
Slave trade -- Maryland  Search this
Slaveholders -- Maryland  Search this
Slavery -- United States -- Maryland  Search this
Genre/Form:
Bills of sale
Deeds
Land titles
Slave bills of sale
Manuscripts -- 18th century
Manumission, deeds of
Citation:
Legal Documents Concerning Slavery Collection, 1710-1865, undated, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.0786
See more items in:
Legal Documents Concerning Slavery Collection
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep87426a4aa-cb23-4756-8f7c-9b86dc7fd96a
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0786
Online Media:

slave bill of sale

Object Name:
Sheet of Paper
slave bill of sale
Other Terms:
Sheet of Paper; Manuscript
Associated date:
1845 01 23
Referenced:
Slavery  Search this
General subject association:
African American History  Search this
Credit Line:
Americana Mail Auction
ID Number:
PL.293884.04
Catalog number:
293884.04
See more items in:
Political and Military History: Political History, General History Collection
Government, Politics, and Reform
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a3-31c4-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_509963

slave bill of sale

Physical Description:
black; white (overall color)
paper (overall material)
Object Name:
Document
slave bill of sale
Date made:
1818-02-10
Referenced:
Slavery  Search this
General subject association:
African American History  Search this
ID Number:
1977.1130.01
See more items in:
Political and Military History: Political History
Government, Politics, and Reform
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ab-b990-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_1290905
Online Media:

slave bill of sale

Physical Description:
black; white (overall color)
paper (overall material)
Object Name:
Document
slave bill of sale
Referenced:
Slavery  Search this
General subject association:
African American History  Search this
ID Number:
1977.1130.03
See more items in:
Political and Military History: Political History
Government, Politics, and Reform
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ab-a787-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_1290924
Online Media:

The History Behind a Slave's Bill of Sale

Creator:
Smithsonian Magazine  Search this
Type:
Blog posts
Smithsonian staff publications
Blog posts
Published Date:
Mon, 24 May 2010 17:09:29 +0000
Topic:
Search this
See more post:
Smithsonian Article Database
Data Source:
Smithsonian Magazine
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:posts_23cd4e32682b303ad2087e48b171e05b

slave bill of sale

Object Name:
slave bill of sale
Date made:
1850-11-14
ID Number:
1978.0850.01
Accession number:
1978.0850
Catalog number:
1978.0850.01
See more items in:
Political and Military History: Political History, Reform Movements Collection
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng4aae65667-e1a9-6118-e053-15f76fa012cc
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_1982645
Online Media:

slave bill of sale

Physical Description:
white; black (not defined color)
paper (overall material)
Object Name:
Document
slave bill of sale
ID Number:
1977.1130.02
See more items in:
Political and Military History: Political History
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ab-b275-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_1290923
Online Media:

Negative Log Book Number 16, (84-5412 to 85-7765)

Creator:
Smithsonian Institution Archives Smithsonian Photographic Services  Search this
Physical description:
Ink on paper
Type:
Logs (records)
Collection descriptions
Date:
1984
1984-1985
Topic:
Photography--History  Search this
Local number:
SIA Acc. 10-001 [SIA_10-001_NLB16]
Restrictions & Rights:
No restrictions. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by the Smithsonian Institution Archives. Contact SIA Reference Staff for further information (email photos@si.edu)
Data Source:
Smithsonian Institution Archives
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_arc_367113
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