Black Lives History Timeline: 1619 - Dutch Ship Brings First Slaves to the Colonies

1619 - First Slave Ship Comes to the Colonies

In 1619, the White Lion, a Dutch slave ship, landed in Jamestown, Virigina, where they sold some twenty-odd enslaved people. These people were the first enslaved people in the 13 colonies that would become the US. Before this, there had been other enslaved people in the colony, but all seem to have escaped from their captors. Originally captured by Portuguese ships, the enslaved people had been taken when the ship had been intercepted by two other ships, who had attacked and split the people between their ships. One of these ships was the White Lion. Once in Virigina, it is uncertain if these enslaved people were treated as indentured servants, but if not, it was not long before the darker side of slavery began to raise its head. In 1640, a court case made an enslaved man his master or master's heirs property until his death. Apparently the reasoning for this was that he was not Christian, though that reason would fall to the side soon enough, making skin tone the true reason for slavery, and not belief, which could easily be changed in time, and often was by masters as time went on. Either way, this was the beginning of the enslavement of Black people in the colonies, and every other decision about slavery and Black people evolved from this moment.

Sources:

• Wikipedia: The White Lion
• PBS: Arrival of First Africans to Virginia Colony
• History: 400 years ago, enslaved Africans first arrived in Virginia
• History: First enslaved Africans arrive in Jamestown, setting the stage for slavery in North America
• Smithsonian Magazine: The Misguided Focus on 1619 as the Beginning of Slavery in the U.S. Damages Our Understanding of American History
• USA Today: 1619: 400 years ago, a ship arrived in Virginia, bearing human cargo
• 400 Years Ago, First Enslaved Africans Arrived in US
• 1619: The first Africans arrive in the New World
• The First Africans

So there we are. Ending at the "beginning." But as one of the above articles says, it really wasn't even the beginning. Just the beginning of this sort of slavery in what would eventually be the United States. All of Europe is complicit. Some places more than others. But regardless of where you come from, your ancestors were probably in some way affected by the slave trade. None of us can call ourselves innocent in this. For 400 years in the US, Black people suffered under the effects of slavery and racism. All of us need to stand up and stop this now. In fact, it's long past time.

Black Lives History Timeline: 1664 - Maryland passes first law against Interracial marriage

I don't have many events before 1700, so I apologize for that, but I do have two more I would like to cover, for specific reasons in each case.

1664: Maryland passes first law against Interracial marriage

In 1664, Maryland became the first state to make it illegal for Black people to marry white people. The true intent of the law was to keep Black men from marrying white women, specifically, as Black men were a threat that needed to be dealt with. The reason this was seen as a problem was because until this time, it had been common for women who were indentured servants to marry with men who served in the same home. Many of these men were Black, whether free or enslaved, and so it was felt a law was needed to separate the two groups and to keep the two "races" from mixing. Other states soon followed suit, making it illegal across the thirteen colonies. 

Sources:

• Anti-Amalgamation Law Passed
• Maryland Enacts First Anti-Interracial Marriage Law
• Anti-Amalgamation Law Passed This Day in 1664
• Maryland Passes the First Anti-Amalgamation Law

As you can see, despite the significance of this law, there aren't many pages that actually focus on this law in specific. Usually, it is listed with a growing group of laws that made chattel slavery of Black people more and more of a thing until the US had the slavery we are now familiar with. But make no mistake, this type of law is a particularly bad one. It was not struck down until Loving v Virginia in 1967. Until then, Northern states pretended the laws didn't exist, and Southern states used the law as a way to harm Black people. Black men in particular. Never forget that.

Black Lives History Timeline: 1705 - Virginia Slave Codes Begin

1705: Virginia Slave Codes

In the beginning, Black people brought to the colonies mixed more with their white counterparts. They were more like indentured servants than the slaves they were later forced to become. But in 1705, Virginia put into action laws that changed slavery forever, and made it more like the slavery we have come to know and loathe. It basically codified the practice that is now white supremacy. Black people, free or not, were not allowed to own weapons. It also made laws about owning, selling, and re-capture of escaped slaves. It also stated that whites could not be employed by Black people. In addition, it made a separation between indentured servitude and slavery: "All servants imported and brought into the Country...who were not Christians in their native Country...shall be accounted and be slaves." In other words, anyone not from Europe was thereafter considered a slave, regardless of how they had come to the country initially. The law ultimately separated white populations from Black people, regardless of whether they were enslaved or free.

Sources:

• Wikipedia: An act concerning Servants and Slaves
• PBS: Virginia's Slave Codes
• Virginia Enacts Slave Codes
• Slave Laws
• Slavery in Virginia and the 1705 Virginia Slave Act

You should have no doubt how much influence Virginia had in the 13 Colonies, and later in the beginning of the United States. Washington, Jefferson, and Madison were all from Virginia. In fact, four of the first five presidents were Virginian. So to suggest that this was only one state's view tries to explain that influence away. It was real, it was a problem, and we should never forget that or think of Virginia as a "lesser" southern state. It's not, and it never was.

Black Lives History Timeline: 1712 - New York Slave Rebellion

1712: New York Slave Rebellion

In the early 1700s, New York had one of the biggest enslaved populations in the colonies. As much as 20% of the population was Black enslaved people. These were the people who worked to build many of the still-existing landmarks of New York City today. The enslaved people, used to the former Danish government, felt especially aggrieved by the new restrictions the now British government had imposed. Enslaved people were required to carry a pass to go anywhere. They were also discouraged from marrying, and were not allowed to gather in large groups, even in churches. On the night of April sixth, twenty Black men gathered and set fire to a house near Broadway. White men tried to stop the attack, and a fight ensued, resulting in several deaths. In the end, seventy Black people were captured, almost thirty of whom were put on trial. And about twenty-five of them were executed by the New York government. Afterwards, restrictions on enslaved Black people were tightened, including a law that required owners who wanted to free their slaves to pay a fine for that person's freedom.

Sources:

• Wikipedia: New York Slave Revolt of 1712
• Britannica: New York Slave Rebellion of 1712
• Smithsonian Magazine: The New York Slave Revolt of 1712 Was a Bloody Prelude to Decades of Hardship
• PBS: New York: The Revolt of 1712
• The New York Slave Revolt of 1712 killing nine white slave owners had this surprise element
• Pregnant Slave in 1712 New York City Slave Revolt
• Little Known Black History Fact: New York Slave Revolt of 1712
• 1712 New York Slave Riot
• New York Slave Revolt 1712
• New York Slave Revolt of 1712
• The Slave Revolt of 1712 in New York — An Anniversary
• Revolt by Enslaved Africans in New York
• New York City Slave Uprising
• Video: New York Slave Revolt of 1712

I think what upsets me most in this instance (and there are so many things) is that it was the British who caused this rebellion by treating enslaved people as less even than their Dutch counterparts had, and then, when it led to anger on the Black people's parts, they made sure they would stay enslaved longer, because the 200 sterling pound fee per head was more than almost all enslaved people were worth, and thereby ensured the slave owners wouldn't free them.

Black Lives History Timeline: 1731 - Benjamin Banneker Was Born

1731: Benjamin Banneker

Benjamin Banneker was born free. His mother was a free Black woman, and his father was a recently freed enslaved Black Man. There is some debate whether Banneker's father, Robert, was born to a white indentured servant or not, but either way, by the time Benjamin was born, both his parents were free. Banneker was, like many men of his time, highly intelligent and was not only a scientist, inventor, and mathematician, but also a writer. His schooling is murky, but likely ended once he was old enough to work on the family farm. He is generally considered to be self-taught. At the age of 21, he created a wooden clock that struck the hour. As a young man, he was one of the men who helped define the boundaries of the District of Columbia. He also created and published several editions of his own almanac, after several aborted attempts with the first edition. He corresponded with several founding fathers, most notably Thomas Jefferson, who called him a "very respectable mathematician." Much of his later writings were destroyed in a fire after Banneker's death, but his achievements rank him among the greatest men of his time. He is considered one of America's first scientists.

Sources:

• Wikipedia: Benjamin Banneker
• Britannica: Benjamin Banneker
• Biography: Benjamin Banneker
• PBS: Benjamin Banneker
• Library of Congress: Benjamin Banneker
• Smithsonian Magazine: Three Things to Know About Benjamin Banneker's Pioneering Career
• Biography of Benjamin Banneker, Author and Naturalist
• Benjamin Banneker
• Benjamin Banneker Biography
• Benjamin Banneker
• Benjamin Banneker Biography
• Benjamin Banneker
• Benjamin Banneker
• Benjamin Banneker
• Benjamin Banneker

The takeaway from this? If our founding fathers had been less racist, there would be more men considered founding fathers. There would have been less slavery. I wish I could say none, but I have no confidence in humans. They would have found a way, and it would have been just as bad.

Black Lives History Timeline: 1741 - The New York Slave Conspiracy

1741: The New York Slave Conspiracy

This event has several names, though Conspiracy is the least offensive of them all. New York City had several insurrections and racial riots in its history. In 1841, New York had one of the biggest enslaved populations in the thirteen colonies. Increasing tensions that year following revolts in South Carolina and St John in the Caribbean, compounded by war, a harsh winter, and an increasing population left the city easily susceptible to overreaction. When several fires ignited in lower Manhattan, one of which was at the governor's home, rumors of a conspiracy grew to a trial against poor white and Black people who were blamed for the fires, and for trying to overthrow the "proper" government so that they could take it over for themselves. The major suspects were the enslaved people, and 200 were arrested and charged with conspiracy. In the end, more than 100 people were exiled, hanged, or burned at the stake. The two suspected ringleaders of the plot, an enslaved man named Caesar, and John Hughson, a white cobbler and tavern keeper, were gibbeted and left to rot for public view. A white female indentured servant who had "informed" the city of the plot was rewarded £100, which she used to buy herself free of indentured servitude, and had money left over after.

Sources:

• Wikipedia: New York Conspiracy of 1741
• Britannica: New York Slave Rebellion of 1741
• PBS: Witchhunt in New York: The 1741 Rebellion
• Video: JSYK: The New York Slave Conspiracy of 1741
• "The New York Plot" Trials
• Terror in New York
• The Great New York Conspiracy of 1741: Slave Rebellion
• Trials Related to the New York Slave Insurrection
• The New York Conspiracy of 1741
• New York Slave Conspiracy

Understand, the proof of this "conspiracy" was as strong as that of the Salem Witch Trials. Enslaved people, indentured servants, and poor people, were easy targets of these accusations. To this day, the actual causes of the fires that were set is still uncertain. 70 enslaved men were "exiled" from the colony, and I can't be sure, but I assume that means they were sold off to other colonies. The Wikipedia article says they were sent north to Newfoundland, south to the West Indies, and also mentions islands in the east Atlantic called the Madeiras, which were owned by Portugal. 

Black Lives History Timeline: 1761 - Phillis Wheatley enslaved by the Wheatley family

1761: Phillis Wheatley

Phillis Wheatley, whose original name went unrecorded and therefore is forgotten, was born in West Africa, possibly in the area of modern Senegal. She was around eight years old when she was abducted by slavers and transported to America, where she was sold to the Wheatley family. She was named for the ship she was transported on. Wheatley was a merchant who bought her as a companion for his wife. Despite buying a slave, the family was very progressive for the time, and taught Phillis how to read and write. At the age of about 14, she wrote her first poem. The Wheatleys, delighted by her writing, encouraged her to continue. She was after this excluded from housework, and encouraged to continue to write. They also invited friends over to see her and hear her poetry. In an attempt to get some of her poetry published, and in an attempt to improve her health, Mr Wheatley accompanied her to London. There they spent time with many who found her talent shocking and amazing. She was also scheduled for an audience with King George III, but they returned to Boston before they were able to meet with him. In 1773, a book of her poetry was published. After this, the Wheatley family emancipated her. Phillis eventually met and married John Peters, a free Black grocer in the area. They struggled to make ends meet, and Phillis attempted to publish a book of poetry to help their financial situation, but had no luck. Her husband was soon sent to debtor's prison, and Phillis, who had an infant child, attempted to make money doing housework. Her health declined rapidly, and in 1784 at about the age of 31, she died. Her infant son died soon after. She is remembered as one of the first female poets of the United States, and the first Black woman to publish any writing.

Sources:

• Wikipedia: Phillis Wheatley
• Britannica: Phillis Wheatley
• PBS: Phillis Wheatley
• Phillis is Enslaved by the Wheatley Family
• Phyllis Wheatley (1753-1784): The First Published African-American Poet
• Wheatley, Phillis
• Black History: Phillis Wheatley, poet and slave
• Ms Phillis Wheatley
• On Phillis Wheatley
• Phillis Wheatley: Her Life, Poetry, and Legacy 
• Phillis Wheatley
• Phillis Wheatley
• Phillis Wheatley

This shows you exactly the problems inherent in the system. Even with a "good" family, Phillis had been torn from her family, from her land, and then sold to people. They seemed kind to her, but they also showed her off like a dog that had learned to walk on its hind legs. Nothing about her life after freedom had been happy, aside from falling in love and marrying. And her health was almost certainly affected by the voyage she'd been forced to go on by slavers. It's wonderful that we have her in her own words, but it's hard not to see the problems caused by slavery in her life. She deserved better.

Black Lives History Timeline: 1781 - Mum Bett

1781: Mum Bett

Elizabeth Freeman, known familiarly as Mum Bett, was born into slavery about 1744. She was married, but unfortunately, he disappeared in the Revolutionary war. No records have been found of him after, so his fate is uncertain. Upon hearing someone read out the newly created Massachusetts Constitution, Mum Bett sought the help of a lawyer in the area, Theodore Sedgewick, who helped her sue for freedom in court, along with a second Black man enslaved by her owners, the Ashleys. Sedgewick argued that the newly created state constitution effectively ended slavery in Massachusetts. In the end, the court agreed, and awarded Mum Bett and her fellow complainant thirty shillings. This decision basically ended slavery in the state. On her death in 1829, the Sedgewicks buried her in their family plot.

Sources:

• Wikipedia: Elizabeth Freeman
• History: Meet Elizabeth Freeman, the First Enslaved Woman to Sue for Her Freedom—and Win
• Mum Bett and the Freedom Suit
• Little Known Black History Fact: Elizabeth "Mum Bett" Freeman
• Elizabeth Freeman, Illiterate Slave, Wins Freedom and Honor
• The Slave Who Sued for Freedom
• Elizabeth Freeman (Mum Bett)
• #In Context: Mum Bett
• Elizabeth Freeman
• Bett’s Story….or how slavery ended in Massachusetts
• Elizabeth Freeman (Mum Bett)
• Elizabeth Freeman
• Jury Decides in Favor of Elizabeth "Mum Bett" Freeman

A much more positive story than those I've written about before this, but keep in mind, if Mum Bett hadn't chosen to try to sue for freedom, it likely would have continued for a much longer period of time, possibly even beyond her death. She's definitely an amazing lady, and a very important part of Black history in the US.

Black Lives History Timeline: 1793 - First Fugitive Slave Acts Put into Place

1793: First Fugitive Slave Act

A year before the first law that would begin phasing out slavery in the US was passed, another law went into place. This law required any state where an enslaved person had fled to hand over that person to the state where the person's "master" resided. While many non-slave states enacted what are called "personal liberty laws" that required slave owners to produce proof before any actions were taken. The fugitive slave acts, which only started with this law and were followed by several others of increasing degrees of harshness. These laws were only repealed in 1865 with the enactment of the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution, which abolished all slavery in the United States.

Sources:

• Wikipedia: Fugitive Slave Act of 1793
• History: Congress Enacts First Fugitive Slave Law
• Fugitive Slave Act of 1793
• Fugitive Slave Act of 1793
• Fugitive Slave Act of 1793
• Congress Enacts First Fugitive Slave Law

Once again, we see money is more important here than human lives. This shouldn't be okay. Not anywhere. And yet we see time and time again, it's people who have to push back to remind the government that people are what make the country, not money. And it's time to do it again, guys.

Black Lives History Timeline: 1803 - Igbo Landing Mass Suicide

1803: Igbo Landing Mass Suicide

In 1794, the first congress of the new United States enacted a law limiting the slave trade, and making it illegal to trade slaves with another country. It was the first official step the country made to outlaw slave trade, though as we saw, it continued for more than 60 years after, and really only fully ended because of the Civil War. In 1803, a slave ship approached the Igbo people and captured many, and convinced others to come with them claiming that they would find a better life in America. By the time they realized they were to be sold as slaves, the ship was in the middle of the ocean, and it was too late to escape. The ship approached Georgia and 75 of the surviving slaves were sold to farmers there. As they were being transported to the coast, the slaves managed to get control of the smaller ship, drowning their captors. Rather than submit to slavery, their leader led them into the water, sacrificing themselves rather than live as chattel. Not all died, though. Many of them were "rescued" by headhunters, who gave them to the slave owners who had bought them. The full total of those who died is unknown still. Many of the descendants of those who survived still live in the area today.

Sources:

• Wikipedia: Igbo Landing
• Wikipedia: Slave Trade Act of 1794
• Profiles in Africana Religion – Part 13: Igbo Landing
• The story of Igbo who committed mass suicide and drowned themselves together with their captors in 1803
• The Legacy of Igbo Landing
• Igbo Landing in Memory
• The tragic yet resilient story of Igbo slaves who committed mass suicide off U.S. coast in 1803
• 6 Facts to Know About Ibo Landing
• How 75 Nigerians who revolted against slavery chose to drown in the U.S
• Igbo Landing Mass Suicide
• Videos:
• Igbo Landing: The African American Folklore
• The Legend of Igbo Landing
• Auntie Zya: The Ibo Landing Story
• The Amazing Ibo Landing Story

Not only was this after this sort of trade of humans illegal (not that it ever should have been), but slavers made sure to keep this out of historical record. And because the story was quashed by the Slavers who were involved, the only surviving story was handed down orally by enslaved people, it was considered a myth, rather than a fact. We need to stop doing this. The story was told for a reason, and thank goodness it survived to today. We need to know these things, accept them as fact, and stop treating them like they're nothing but lies.

Black Lives History Timeline: 1811 - German Coast Slave Riot

1811: The German Coast Slave Riot

In 1811, the year before Louisiana became a US state, the Territory of Orleans had one of the largest slave revolts in US history. A story that has been almost completely wiped from history. Between 64 and 125 enslaved Black men marched, gathering more enslaved to their group as they marched from the sugar plantations where they were enslaved towards New Orleans. Some say that by the end, as much as 500 slaves were involved. During the two-day march, the men burned some plantation houses, sugarhouses, and crops. White militia attacked the Black men, killing nearly fifty of them before they were captured. In the end, two white people were killed in the revolt's actions. Between the militia's killing and the trials afterwards, 90 to 95 Black men lost their lives because of the revolt. The men who were sentenced were killed either by hanging or shooting, and many were then decapitated, their heads put on pikes to remind other enslaved people of the consequences of going against the slave owners.

Sources:

• Wikipedia: 1811 German Coast Uprising
• Smithsonian Magazine: How a Nearly Successful Slave Revolt Was Intentionally Lost to History
• Andry's Rebellion
• Slave Insurrection of 1811
• Little Known Black History Fact: German Coast Uprising of 1811
• Louisiana’s Heroic Slave Revolt
• 1811 Slave Revolt
• The 1811 Louisiana slave revolt that was almost lost to history
• 1811 German Coast Slave Uprising
• America's Largest Slave Revolt

Like with Nat Turner's revolt later, there were violence against those who held people in horrific bondage. And Turner probably took some ideas from this revolt, as many of his tactics were similar. Before you get upset that the enslaved men killed two people, keep in mind what they had likely been living through. Half rations or no rations. Whippings and beatings for any possible reason their foreman or master could come up with. Being forcibly separated from your family, your marriage never recognized. Clothes of coarse cloth. Your living quarters of the lowest possible needs for living--shacks with very little shelter of poor wood, leftovers or trash from the main house as your food. None of us would be happy with it. No one should have ever had to suffer through it.

Black Lives History Timeline: 1829 - The Cincinnati Riots

1829: The Cincinnati Riots

Cincinnati has a long history of rioting, particularly against "outsiders" like German and Black people. Seven out of eleven of their major riots were as a result of racial animosity against Black people. In 1829, competition for jobs between immigrants, Irish in particular, and free Black people grew to racial tension. People in charge of the poor quarter of the area stated that Black people would be required to pay $500 within 30 days or be expelled from the city. This was the terms of an 1807 law that had been created to discourage Black people from settling in Ohio, but which had not been enforced until this time. However, the growing Black community in Cincinnati led to an increase in hostilities against them. In August, white mobs attacked the Black district, many of whom were Irish. For eight days, white people destroyed businesses, burned residences and other structures, and attacked Black residents. When police finally did respond to the violence, they arrested not only the white rioters, but also Black residents. The Mayor dismissed charges against ten Black people, and imposed fines on eight white people, but the damage was done. Many Black families fled the city, most heading north and into Canada. The riot had done what the white people had hoped for. By the end of August, as much as 1500 left the city. 

Sources:

• Wikipedia: Cincinnati Riots of 1829
• Wikipedia: List of Cincinnati Riots
• The Cincinnati Race Riots
• Cincinnati Riots of 1829

We talk about people in the North as though they have nothing to do with racism or slavery, but the truth is, even once slavery was outlawed in the North, racism stayed firmly in place. Black people were "outsiders" despite having been born on US soil, and having at least one generation of ancestors having been born here as well in most cases. Black people were only of use to white people for how they could be used. When they couldn't be used to make money off of, they were no longer of use, so white people didn't want them around. Whether guilt or greed, they used this discomfort to punish Black people. And they still do.

Black Lives History Timeline: 1831 - Nat Turner's Slave Rebellion

1831: Nat Turner's Slave Rebellion

Nat Turner's slave rebellion took place in Southampton, Virginia. It lasted four days, and upwards of fifty to sixty people died in the uprising. Nat Turner was a slave preacher who felt he had a higher calling from god. Though Turner preached to his fellow slaves, his flock were not exclusively Black people. by 1828, he felt that God was commanding him to smite the wicked. For Nat, this meant the slave-owning whites. He shared this calling with four fellow slaves. When an eclipse occurred in February of 1831, he felt that was his sign that it was time to begin. Turner and the four men he entrusted began to carefully spread the word. Some believe the way they did this was by using songs that only fellow slaves would recognize as a sign to strike. Though initially planned for the 4th of July holiday, issues caused it to be delayed, so the actual rebellion didn't start until August 21st. The rebellion started with a few men Nat trusted, but eventually grew to more than 70 men. The group traveled from house to house, killing the white people they found there, and freeing all the slaves in residence. The rebellion was stopped by the state militia, and Nat Turner went into hiding. He eluded capture for six weeks, but was ultimately captured and tried for leading the rebellion. In the meantime, whites had taken out their fear on the slaves in the area, both those involved in the rebellion as well as those who had not been. This violence had continued for two weeks after the rebellion, killing an estimated 200 Black people (women and children as well as men). Turner was tried and convicted, and sentenced to death. When asked if he regretted what he had done, he said, "Was Christ not crucified?" He was hung a few days later. In the aftermath of the rebellion, many states tightened laws about slaves being allowed to read, which is what they believed allowed Turner to plan and execute his rebellion.

Sources:

• Wikipedia: Nat Turner's Slave Rebellion
• Smithsonian Magazine: Understanding the Gospel of Nat Turner
• Time: The Birth of a Nation and Nat Turner in His Own Words
• National Geographic: Nat Turner's Uprising Left Complex Legacy
• Britannica: Nat Turner
• PBS: Nat Turner's Rebellion
• History: Nat Turner
• History: Nat Turner Executed in Virginia
• Nat Turner's Rebellion
• Nat Turner
• Nat Turner
• Nat Turner Biography
• A Rebellion to Remember: The Legacy of Nat Turner
• The Nat Turner Project

As one of the major uprisings we know of in the continental US, it's one we hear about all the time. And while it was vicious, they were fighting back against people who participated in enslaving them. That's very important to remember. The people who joined into this rebellion had been living through hell already. This is also important to keep in mind when thinking of what is going on today. 

Black Lives history Timeline: 1838 - Jesuit Sale of Slaves

1838: Jesuits Sell Slaves to Fund Georgetown University

In 1838, the Jesuits were struggling with their college, Georgetown University, and chose to sell off a group of men, women, and children that the Jesuits owned. 272 Black people were sold by them to fund their college. Despite the buyers agreeing not to separate any families from this group, they were treated the same as any other slave. Many of these slaves went on to work in Thibodaux sugar plantations. The same plantations that slaughtered former slaves who were striking for their rights in 1887. The facts surrounding the sale were not revealed until an article discussing repayment of descendants of slaves was published by the New York Times in 2016. In 2019, the student body of Georgetown University voted by a two-thirds majority that the descendants of these slaves be allowed tuition to the university, should they want it.

Sources:

• Wikipedia: 1838 Jesuit Slave Sale
• CNN: In emotional service, Jesuits and Georgetown repent for slave trading
• About 500 descendants of slaves sold by Jesuit priests gather for unique reunion in Iberville Parish
• Stories, tears flow freely for descendants of slaves Jesuits owned, sold
• Descendants of slaves sold by Jesuits urge Georgetown: ‘Make it right’
• A New Path to Atonement
• Life and Labor Under Slavery: the Jesuit Plantation Project
• Slavery, History, Memory and Reconciliation Project
• A Community Betrayed: The Fate and Legacy of the GU272
• Website documents histories of Georgetown slaves
• History of slaves sold for Georgetown detailed in new genealogical website

I learned about this moment of US history when I watched the episode of Finding Your Roots with S Epatha Merkerson. I highly recommend checking out her episode, as it covers a lot of what those slaves actually went through, and how they were treated by the Jesuits even before they were sold. Anyone thinking this was just something people did at the time, and that the Jesuits shouldn't be blamed for it, I highly recommend you read some of the accounts. Imagine being treated by people of the cloth that way? And imagine being sold and then separated from your family because white people saw you as an animal to be used for whatever needs you might have. It isn't right now, and it wasn't right then. And they knew it. They just didn't care.

Black Lives History Timeline: 1852 - The Case of Jordan Hatcher

1852: Jordan Hatcher

Jordan Hatcher was a 17-year-old slave in Virginia who was rented out by his master to make him money. While working at the Walker & Harris tobacco factory, the overseer began to beat him harshly. After a few moments of this, Jordan wasn't able to deal with the beating and reached for a poker and swung it at the man, who collapsed. He regained consciousness and went home, but died the next day from the blow. Jordan, in fear for his own life, hid, but was found and brought to the courthouse in Richmond. He was convicted of the man's murder and sentenced for execution, but the sentence was commuted by the state governor from execution to sale and transportation, a system by where a slave found guilty of a crime would be sold into much harsher slavery as a result of his crime. Whites began to gather at City Hall to demand he be released to them so they could lynch him. The Virginia Guard had to be deployed to disperse them. Hatcher's case was like many of its time, but is notable because he was able to live on his own, and make his own way. He simply was required to hand over a large portion of his earnings to his master. More notably, because of the system that was in place, the mob was more easily fought because the "slave would be punished."

Sources:

• Jordan Hatcher Case
• Commutation of Jordan Hatcher
• The Case of 17 Year Old Jordan Hatcher
• The Jordan Hatcher Case

As you can see, this is the least amount of information for one of these pieces I have found so far. This one appalls me even though he was not lynched. Because that shows that any state could have stopped a lynching if they'd tried. Certainly any of the cases where the man was in the custody of the government at the time. But because Jordan was considered a white man's property, they protected him better. How is that not something to be upset about?

Black Lives History Timeline: 1860 - The Slave Ship Clotilda Was Scuttled

1860: The Slave Ship Clotilda

Despite the US law banning slave trade from Africa which went into effect in 1808, slavers continued to smuggle slaves from Africa to the US. The Clotilda was a ship owned by a man named Timothy Meaher. According to some sources, he made a bet that he could bring a boatload of slaves from Africa to the US. His ship is the last confirmed slave ship to make it to the US. He bought 125 Africans from the King of Dahomey (now Benin). These people were prisoners from a war he was having with other African tribes, mostly from Tamale, now present-day Ghana. As the people he had bought were being loaded onto his ship, he saw two boats approach, and panicked, leaving before all could be loaded, so he ended up with 110 Africans on board. When he made it to the US, he anchored in the bay and waited until nightfall before having the ship towed up the river so that the Africans could be transferred to a steamer, then scuttled the ship so that there was no proof of what he had done. The Africans were then divided among those who had helped finance the venture, Meaher keeping 30 for himself. Meaher and his captain were prosecuted by the US government, but they did not manage to convict either man. After the Civil War, many of the people who had been enslaved because of Meaher returned to his land. There they founded an all-Black community known as Africatown. Many of their descendants still live there today. The land itself is still owned by the Meaher family, who have all been sworn not to speak of the Clotilda for fear of losing their inheritance if they so much as mention the Clotilda.

Sources:

• Wikipedia: Clotilda (slave ship)
• Family Ghost Podcast: The Clotilda Legacy -
• Episode 1: The Descendants
• Episode 2: The Stronghold
• Episode 3: The Reckoning
• New York Times: Alabama Historians: The Last Known Slave Ship Has Been Found
• Los Angeles Times: Op-Ed: The Clotilda is the only American slave ship ever found. It needs to be preserved
• National Geographic: Last American slave ship is discovered in Alabama
• CNN: Historians Have Been Searching for the Last Slave Ship that Came to America. They Found It in Alabama
• Smithsonian: The Clotilda Has Been Found
• Smithsonian Magazine: The ‘Clotilda,’ the Last Known Slave Ship to Arrive in the U.S., Is Found
• History: Descendants of Last Slave Ship Still Live in Alabama Community
• History: Wreckage of the Last U.S. Slave Ship Is Finally Identified in Alabama

When I first heard the Family Ghost episodes of the story of the Clotilda, I was stunned and horrified. These people were taken against their will to the US more than 50 years after this sort of practice was supposed to be abolished. And yet, the men who did it were never prosecuted, never found guilty, because they destroyed the proof of their crime, and one Black person looks exactly like another, right? So what was a few more slaves in a place drowning in them? These people have their ancestral stories almost intact, because this happened so close to the Civil War, that they pretty much all survived slavery and were alive to tell their descendants where their families were truly from. White people have been breaking the laws for centuries so they don't have to do hard work to make money. Maybe we need to remember who has the money in this country, and where it truly came from.

Black Lives History Timeline: 1864 - The Fort Pillow Massacre

Though this title makes this look like several previous posts, you will see as you read, that it is very different. Especially because of when it took place: during the Civil War. 

1864: The Fort Pillow Massacre

Fort Pillow was on the banks of the Mississippi in Henning, Tennessee. It was originally built by the Confederate forces, but used by both sides during the war. In 1864, the fort was held by the Union Army. The garrison was 600 men almost evenly divided between Black and white troops. The Black troops consisted of the 6th U.S. Regiment Colored Heavy Artillery and a small selection of men from the 2nd Colored Light Artillery. They had been at the fort only a few weeks when the Confederates attacked. They quickly gained control of several barracks on the outside of the fort, and used these as a command to attack the Union forces. By 3:30, the head of the Confederate forces demanded surrender, stating that, "The conduct of the officers and men garrisoning Fort Pillow has been such as to entitle them to being treated as prisoners of war. I demand the unconditional surrender of the entire garrison, promising that you shall be treated as prisoners of war." However, Black soldiers were certain they would be seen by Confederate troops as contraband, and returned to slave ownership. Their commander refused to surrender. Later, survivors of the massacre would state that even when their fellows dropped their guns and surrendered, they were shot or bayonetted where they stood, and that the Confederate forces called out "No surrender!" as they killed the opposing forces. Of the 600 Union soldiers, nearly half were killed during the action. Confederate losses were not even half of the Union losses. Black Union soldiers lost about 60% of their number, compared to white Union soldiers' loss of about 30%. Lincoln and his cabinet discussed what should be done in this matter, and it was decided that should any officer from the Confederate Army be captured, that they should be turned over for trial for the Massacre. Despite this, none of them were ever held to account for what happened that day.

Sources:

• Wikipedia: Battle of Fort Pillow
• The New York Times: The Fort Pillow Massacre
• The Washington Post: The Civil War Battle That Left Nearly 200 Black Soldiers Murdered
• Britannica: Fort Pillow Massacre
• History: Fort Pillow Massacre
• History: Hundreds of Union soldiers killed in Fort Pillow Massacre
• What Happened at Fort Pillow?
• Union Soldiers Massacred at Fort Pillow
• The Battle of Fort Pillow
• The Fort Pillow Massacre

Understand that this isn't just another tragic battle of the war. Regardless of where this battle was located, the Black troops would always have suffered the highest injuries, casualties, and imprisonment by the Confederate troops. And they were never treated as fellow soldiers (who were never the less treated quite poorly). They were treated as stolen property and turned over to slave owners. Probably even those who had never been slaves before the war. Even now, there is great debate over the labeling of this battle, as well as debate over what happened to those who were fighting for the Union that day.

Black Lives History Timeline: 1873 - Colfax Massacre

1873: The Colfax Massacre

This event started with the Louisiana Election of 1872. At the time, battles between Black people and KKK had been ongoing almost since the end of the war. Black people had registered to vote across the south, and many had even gained political office there. Southern conservatives were very unhappy with this, of course, as the law was that those who had been officials or officers in the Confederate Army were not allowed to vote. When the election of 1872 was over, Louisiana had two Senators who both claimed the same seat in the US Senate: William Pitt Kellogg, recognized by the United States as legitimate, and John McEnery, whom the Southern Conservatives recognized. When the time came for the Senator to take office, President Grant had to call in troops in an attempt to allow Kellogg to take his position. This resulted in days of violence, and ultimately the Governor agreed to recognize McEnery instead of Kellogg. Unfortunately, the violence did not end there. In Colfax, a group of Black men were guarding the Colfax courthouse to keep the Conservative Southerners from taking it by force. They held the town for three weeks. The Conservatives gathered a white militia to oppose them. On Easter Sunday, April 13th, a group of more than 300 white men rushed the courthouse. The fighting lasted several hours, and had few casualties. Many of the now-surrounded Black men tried to flee into the woods, where many of them were killed by those in the militia. When the white militia called for the Black men to surrender, one of the white militia men was killed. Some say by one of the defenders, some say by someone in the militia on accident. Either way, after that, there was no mercy for the Black defenders. All but one of the Black men defending the courthouse were killed by the militia, either because they were hunted down, or called forth and shot by the militia. Some 50 men were taken prisoner, who were then killed that night by those who were supposedly guarding them. In the end, 97 men were indicted for the incident, only 9 of whom were actually brought to trial. After three trials, only three of the men were convicted, and when they were released after the hearing, they vanished, and were never brought to justice. To this day, there is a memorial to the three white men who died during the fight, as well as a plaque which reads: "On this site occurred the Colfax Riot, in which three white men and 150 n*s were slain. This event on April 13, 1873, marked the end of carpetbag misrule in the South." The full number of Black people killed in this Massacre is still uncertain, even today.

Sources:

• Wikipedia: Colfax Massacre
• Library of Congress: Civil War and Reconstruction (for information on voting laws)
• Smithsonian Magazine: The 1873 Colfax Massacre Crippled the Reconstruction Era
• What Was the Colfax Massacre (video)
• The Colfax Massacre 1873 (video)
• The Colfax Massacre 1873
• Colfax Massacre Reports
• What Was the Colfax Massacre?
• Colfax Massacre
• The Colfax Massacre
• Colfax Massacre

There are so many statues in the South (and North) that need to be taken down, but let's not forget. It's not just statues. There are memorials like this all over the place. Things named for "heroes" of the South. People who can be remembered just fine by history books, the way they should be remembered--the same way Benedict Arnold is--as traitors to the US. They all need to be taken down. Those names need to be removed from memorial statues and plaques. They need to be relegated to footnotes, and stop being raised up as heroes. And that is something any white person in those areas can easily advocate for. And if you're hesitant, time to look into why. These men were never heroes. They were the villains. Never forget that.

Black Lives History Timeline: 1887 - Thibodaux Massacre

1887: Thibodaux Massacre

The Thibodaux Massacre started in the aftermath and as a result of a strike of cane field workers. Cane field workers's wages had been increasingly reduced over the last several years, despite the fact that cane workers had the highest rate of on the job mortality. The Knights of Labor organized a strike in four different Louisiana parishes, scheduled for November, during the highest harvest and production time for the planters. The planters appealed to the state governor, who called out the militia to suppress the strikes. Over twenty Black people were killed in this action. Many of the striking workers retreated to to an African American area of Thibodaux. Parish Judge Beattie formed a group called the "Peace and Order Committee" comprised of 300 white men who would serve as a paramilitary group, and declared martial law. Black people in the city had to show papers to enter or leave. On the morning of November 22, Beattie closed the entrances to the town. The strikers in the town refused to be boxed in, and attacked two of the blocked entrances. Beattie's men began to round up Black men and their families, leading to three days of violence and murder of Black people, men, women, and children. According to historian Rebecca Jarvis Scott, "No credible official count of the victims of the Thibodaux massacre was ever made." After the violence subsided, no further labor organizing was allowed until the 1940s.

Sources:

• Wikipedia: Thibodaux Massacre
• Smithsonian Magazine: The Thibodaux Massacre Left 60 African-Americans Dead and Spelled the End of Unionized Farm Labor in the South for Decades
• National Archive: Tracing an Atrocity
• The Thibodaux Massacre of 1887
• The Thibodaux Massacre
• Thibodaux Massacre
• Thibodaux Massacre
• Thibodaux condemns 1887 massacre
• Diverse group honoring victims of 1887 Thibodaux Massacre that targeted 'every black person in sight'
• The Thibodaux Massacre
• Researchers Unveil Findings of Thibodaux Massacre

So many of these cases are easily understood (but in no way ever acceptable) if you recognize that the violence that happened didn't happen because a Black person did something. It happened because a white person was offended by what that Black person did. Not harmed in most cases, just offended. And then they gathered friends who were of like mind, and together, they all attacked, hurt, maimed, and killed Black people. The white people nearly always in a group, and the Black often on their own, or with no defense. Are you angry yet? Because you should be. At white people. For letting this continue for so very long.

Black Lives History Timeline: 1891 - The Lynching of Joe Coe

1891: The Lynching of George Smith, aka Joe Coe

George Smith, also known as Joe Coe, was a laborer in Omaha, Nebraska. He had a small family at the time he was accused of assaulting a young girl. While his case was still being heard, rumors began to spread that he would be let off with a minor punishment, and that the girl had died. A mob of up to 1000 white men overwhelmed the police at the courthouse, took Smith to the girl's house for her parents to identify, then once they had, drove him back to the courthouse, where they were confronted by the state's governor and the county sheriff, who tried to get them to disperse. Instead, the mob grew to what some accounts say was as much as 10,000. They beat Smith and dragged him through the city streets. Smith was likely already dead when they hung him from a streetcar. Seven men were arrested for the lynching. After the coroner stated that Smith died of fright, the grand jury decided not to convict those men. Many years later, the girl admitted Smith had never assaulted her.

Sources:

• Wikipedia: Lynching of Joe Coe
• The Lynching Of Joe Coe In 1891, In Omaha, Nebraska
• The harrowing lynching tale of George Smith in 1891 – without trial
• The Lynching of George Smith
• The Lynching of Joe Coe, 1891
• A Lynching in Omaha
• Bacon Says Bill Would Honor Two Lynching Victims in Omaha

I have nothing much more to say here except that once again, a white child's accusation meant more than anything else, and that the rumors were spread on purpose as an excuse to kill yet another Black man. My next post will be little different than the last few, though as you can see, each of these events, both the ones I've already covered, and the ones I am about to cover, really have their roots in white anger.