Auction of Enslaved Persons at the Charleston Courthouse (1859)

Auction of Enslaved Persons at the Charleston Courthouse (1859)

AP African American Studies Guide

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Topic 2.5

A Broadside Listing Enslaved Men, Women, and Children and Their Ages, Charleston, South Carolina (1859)

A broadside with the title "Under Decree in Equity" with a list of enslaved people and their ages, and handwritten notes throughout


Broadside for an auction of enslaved men, women, and children at the Charleston courthouse in 1859 (Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture)

Discussion Questions

  1. How can the information contained in this broadside be used to reconstruct the lives of enslaved people? Conversely, what descriptions or silences require critical consideration?
  2. What do the descriptions of Madora and Phoebe have in common? Why is this included alongside occupational information?
  3. What does the text of the broadside tell you about the process by which enslaved persons were sold?