On July 9. 1640, a Virginia court ruled that a Black indentured servant who ran away was in fact a slave. This is a moment by which we can talk about the codification of chattel slavery as the key lab
Jamelle’s column today is absolutely right on. Neither Abraham Lincoln nor the Republican Party freed the slaves. They helped set freedom in motion and eventually codified it into law with the 1
Remember, when we talk about slavery in this nation, we need to center California as a major slave state. San Bernardino’s early success rested on a pair of seemingly incongruous forces: Mormonism a
The 1619 Project is a great thing. The reactions to it by the right were totally over the top, which was elucidating and useful. Helps when you have the right enemies. Anyway, I have no criticism of i
This is the slave graveyard at Montpelier, James Madison’s mansion. Ever since I visited Montpelier in June, I’ve been praising the amazing way that museum has redone its interpretation of
This is the grave of Abraham Baldwin. Born in 1754 in Guilford, Connecticut, Baldwin was the son of a blacksmith. But at this time, it was possible for children from such middling origins to rise rapi
This is the grave of Jehudi Ashmun. Born in 1794 in Champlain, New York, Ashmun went to Middlebury College before transferring to the University of Vermont, where he graduated in 1816. He became a min
I mentioned last week how impressed I was with how Montpelier now represents the slave experience. While not mentioning that great site, this is a good article on just how many southern plantation hom