The history of slavery in Tennessee began when it was the old Southwest Territory and thus the law regulating slavery in Tennessee was broadly derived from North Carolina law, and was initially comparatively "liberal." However, after statehood, as the fear of slave rebellion and the threat to slavery posed by abolitionism increased, the laws became increasingly punitive: after 1831, "punishments were increased and privileges and immunities were lessened and circumvented."[2] Tennessee was one of five states that allowed slaves the right of a jury trial,[2] and one of three states that never passed anti-literacy laws,[3] although the punishment for forging a slave pass was up to 39 lashes.[2]
Alfred Jackson (1812–1901) was a body servant, carriage driver, stableman, tenant farmer, building caretaker, and tour guide at the Hermitage, Andrew Jackson's mansion in Tennessee, United States. He lived at the Hermitage longer than any other person, and was a valued living history resource in later life, especially after the Ladies' Hermitage Association took over the building in 1889.[1]
According to journalist-turned-local historian Bill Carey, who wrote a book examining the history of slavery in Tennessee through the lens of newspaper reports, slave sale ads, county-government notices in local papers, and runaway slave ads, not only did the city government of Nashville own slaves, in 1836 the state government "organized a lottery to raise money for internal improvements (mainly road construction). Lottery prizes included assets such as land, a farm, steamboats and five slaves: a 45-year-old man named Charles, a 43-year-old woman named Nancy and three girls named Matilda (12), Rebecca (11) and Maria (6)."[7] Hiring out of slave laborers was extremely common and provided significant household income for their enslavers.[7]
In 2022, voters passed a measure that removed language in Tennessee state laws that permitted slavery or involuntary servitude as a form of punishment, a change intended to prevent abuses in the use of convict labor.[10]
Galleryedit
Slave trader, sold to Tennessee (watercolor image of overland coffle)
"Just received from Virginia and Middle Tennessee a likely lot of young Negroes..." (M & W.M. Little" Memphis Daily Appeal, January 6, 1857)
^"Alfred Jackson". The Hermitage. Retrieved 2023-08-01.
^ abcMooney, Chase C. (1971) [1957]. Slavery in Tennessee. Indiana University Publications, Social Science Series No. 17 (Reprint ed.). Westport, Conn.: Negro Universities Press. pp. 22 (jury trial), 28 (TN slavery law). OCLC 609222448 – via HathiTrust.
^Wallenstein, Peter (2007). "Antiliteracy Laws". In Rodriguez, Junius P. (ed.). Slavery in the United States: A Social, Political, and Historical Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. ABC-CLIO. p. 172. ISBN9781851095490. OCLC 123968550.
^Schermerhorn, Calvin (2020). "Chapter 2: 'Cash for Slaves' The African American Trail of Tears". In Bond, Beverly Greene; O'Donovan, Susan Eva (eds.). Remembering the Memphis Massacre: An American Story. University of Georgia Press. ISBN9780820356495.
^ abcBancroft, Frederic (2023) [1931, 1996]. "XII. Memphis: The Boltons, The Forrests and Others". Slave Trading in the Old South (Original publisher: J. H. Fürst Co., Baltimore). Southern Classics Series. Introduction by Michael Tadman (Reprint ed.). Columbia, S.C.: University of South Carolina Press. ISBN978-1-64336-427-8. LCCN 95020493. OCLC 1153619151.
^Goodstein, Anita S. (2017). "Slavery". Tennessee Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2023-08-26.
^ abCarey, Bill (2018-08-02). "Tennessee's Slave History Lives in Old Newspapers, New Book". The Tennessee Magazine. Retrieved 2023-08-26.
^"Former Slave in Shelby County Furnishes Supreme Court Interesting Problem on Inheritance". Nashville Banner. 1914-03-20. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-08-30.
^"Jones v. Jones, 234 U.S. 615 (1914)". Justia Law.
^"Slavery, involuntary servitude rejected by 4 states' voters". AP News. 2022-11-09. Retrieved 2023-08-26.
Further readingedit
Carey, Bill (2018). Runaways, Coffles and Fancy Girls: A History of Slavery in Tennessee. Clearbrook Press. ISBN9780972568043. OCLC 1045068878.
history, slavery, tennessee, history, slavery, tennessee, began, when, southwest, territory, thus, regulating, slavery, tennessee, broadly, derived, from, north, carolina, initially, comparatively, liberal, however, after, statehood, fear, slave, rebellion, th. The history of slavery in Tennessee began when it was the old Southwest Territory and thus the law regulating slavery in Tennessee was broadly derived from North Carolina law and was initially comparatively liberal However after statehood as the fear of slave rebellion and the threat to slavery posed by abolitionism increased the laws became increasingly punitive after 1831 punishments were increased and privileges and immunities were lessened and circumvented 2 Tennessee was one of five states that allowed slaves the right of a jury trial 2 and one of three states that never passed anti literacy laws 3 although the punishment for forging a slave pass was up to 39 lashes 2 Alfred Jackson 1812 1901 was a body servant carriage driver stableman tenant farmer building caretaker and tour guide at the Hermitage Andrew Jackson s mansion in Tennessee United States He lived at the Hermitage longer than any other person and was a valued living history resource in later life especially after the Ladies Hermitage Association took over the building in 1889 1 Tennessee had a ban on interstate slave trading beginning in 1827 but it was broadly flouted and repealed in 1854 4 Memphis Tennessee was one of the central hubs of the interstate slave trade along with Washington Richmond Charleston Savannah and New Orleans 5 Key Memphis traders included Byrd Hill the Bolton brothers the Little brothers and the Forrest brothers 5 Nashville was a second tier market advantageously situated for purchases in Kentucky and sales in northern Alabama and northeastern Mississippi Much local and intra state trading was a matter of course 5 East Tennessee manifested early abolitionism and colonization movement activism but slavery remained widespread in that region until emancipation 6 Contents 1 History 2 Gallery 3 See also 4 References 5 Further readingHistory editAccording to journalist turned local historian Bill Carey who wrote a book examining the history of slavery in Tennessee through the lens of newspaper reports slave sale ads county government notices in local papers and runaway slave ads not only did the city government of Nashville own slaves in 1836 the state government organized a lottery to raise money for internal improvements mainly road construction Lottery prizes included assets such as land a farm steamboats and five slaves a 45 year old man named Charles a 43 year old woman named Nancy and three girls named Matilda 12 Rebecca 11 and Maria 6 7 Hiring out of slave laborers was extremely common and provided significant household income for their enslavers 7 As of 1914 the Supreme Court of Tennessee held that ex slaves had no inheritable blood and thus could not transfer property by will to their siblings 8 The Supreme Court of the United States ruled in Jones vs Jones that this was an unconstitutional violation of the 14th Amendment 9 In 2022 voters passed a measure that removed language in Tennessee state laws that permitted slavery or involuntary servitude as a form of punishment a change intended to prevent abuses in the use of convict labor 10 Gallery edit nbsp Slave trader sold to Tennessee watercolor image of overland coffle nbsp Just received from Virginia and Middle Tennessee a likely lot of young Negroes M amp W M Little Memphis Daily Appeal January 6 1857 nbsp Slave cabin on display at the Museum of Appalachia in Norris Tennessee originally located on the Merritt family lands in Grainger County Tennessee built c 1820See also editAfrican Americans in Tennessee History Nashville Market House Slave auction house and commercial building in TennesseePages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets Memphis massacre of 1866 History of slavery in the United States by stateReferences edit Alfred Jackson The Hermitage Retrieved 2023 08 01 a b c Mooney Chase C 1971 1957 Slavery in Tennessee Indiana University Publications Social Science Series No 17 Reprint ed Westport Conn Negro Universities Press pp 22 jury trial 28 TN slavery law OCLC 609222448 via HathiTrust nbsp Wallenstein Peter 2007 Antiliteracy Laws In Rodriguez Junius P ed Slavery in the United States A Social Political and Historical Encyclopedia Vol 1 ABC CLIO p 172 ISBN 9781851095490 OCLC 123968550 Schermerhorn Calvin 2020 Chapter 2 Cash for Slaves The African American Trail of Tears In Bond Beverly Greene O Donovan Susan Eva eds Remembering the Memphis Massacre An American Story University of Georgia Press ISBN 9780820356495 a b c Bancroft Frederic 2023 1931 1996 XII Memphis The Boltons The Forrests and Others Slave Trading in the Old South Original publisher J H Furst Co Baltimore Southern Classics Series Introduction by Michael Tadman Reprint ed Columbia S C University of South Carolina Press ISBN 978 1 64336 427 8 LCCN 95020493 OCLC 1153619151 Goodstein Anita S 2017 Slavery Tennessee Encyclopedia Retrieved 2023 08 26 a b Carey Bill 2018 08 02 Tennessee s Slave History Lives in Old Newspapers New Book The Tennessee Magazine Retrieved 2023 08 26 Former Slave in Shelby County Furnishes Supreme Court Interesting Problem on Inheritance Nashville Banner 1914 03 20 p 1 Retrieved 2023 08 30 Jones v Jones 234 U S 615 1914 Justia Law Slavery involuntary servitude rejected by 4 states voters AP News 2022 11 09 Retrieved 2023 08 26 Further reading editCarey Bill 2018 Runaways Coffles and Fancy Girls A History of Slavery in Tennessee Clearbrook Press ISBN 9780972568043 OCLC 1045068878 nbsp nbsp This article relating to the history of the United States is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title History of slavery in Tennessee amp oldid 1174063000, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
