VIRGINIAUNTOLD:THEAFRICANAMERICANNARRATIVERECORDTYPES
Certificates ofImportation:
Beginning in1778,slaveholders whobroughtslavesintoVirginia wererequired toregister theslaveswith
thecountycourtandsignanoathagreeing nottobringslavesintotheCommonwealth withtheintentof
sellingthem.Certificates ofimportation, sometimes entitled certificates ofnonimportation, contain
information whereby aslaveownerswearsthat(s)hehasnotimported theslavefromAfricaandthat(s)he
hasnotbroughttheslaveintoVirginia withthepurposeofsellingtheslave.Theslaveissometimes named,
butnotalways,andoccasionally information isgivenastoage,birthdate, andthestatetheindividuals are
movingfrom.
CohabitationRegisters:
Acohabitation register, orasitisproperlytitled,RegisterofColoredPersons…cohabiting togetheras
HusbandandWifeon27thFebruary1866,wasthelegalvehiclebywhichformerslaveslegitimized both
theirmarriages andtheirchildren. Theinformation aboutanindividual personcontained inacohabitation
register isparticularlyvaluableasitisoftenthefirsttimethataformerenslavedpersonappeared officially
inthepublicrecordandbecauseoftheextensivekindsofinformationthattheregisterrecorded.The
surviving Virginiacohabitation registers recordedthenameofthehusband,hisage,placeofbirth,
residence,occupation,lastowner,lastowner'scityorcountyofresidence,thenameofthewife,herage,
placeofbirth,residence,lastowner,lastowner'scityorcountyofresidence,nameofchildrenwiththe
agesofeach,andthedateofcommencementofcohabitation.
Asecondtypeofregisterisoftengroupedtogetherwiththecohabitation registers butprovidessolelyfor
thelegitimization ofchildrenwhoseparentsarenolongerlivingtogether. Theofficialtitleofthisdocument
isRegisterofChildrenofColoredPersons…whose Parentshadceasedtocohabiton27thFebruary1866.
Theseregisters weremaintained separately thanthoseforstill–married couplesandfarfewerofthemare
knowntosurvive.Theinformation recordedisnearlyidenticaltothatofthecohabitation registers withthe
exceptionofthenotationwhetherthechildren'smotherwasatthattimelivingordeceased.
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ColonizationRecords:
FreeAfricanAmericanswerediscouragedfromremaininginVirginiabecausetheirpresencewasa
contradictionoftheconceptofblackslavery.RestrictivelawswerepassedtoforcefreeAfricanAmericansto
leavetheCommonwealth.ThiscollectionincludesrecordsfromtwoagenciescreatedbytheGeneralAssembly
forthepurposeofremovingfreeAfricanAmericanstoLiberia.
Anactwaspassedin1833"makingappropriationsfortheremovaloffreepersonsofcolor"tothewestern
coastofAfricaandestablishedaboardofcommissionerschargedwithcarryingouttheprovisionsoftheact.
TheBoardofCommissionersfortheRemovalofFreePersonsofColorrecords,1833-1856,contain
correspondence,lists,minutes,oaths,andresolutions.Includedarelistsoffreeblacks,listsoffreeblackswho
emigratedtoLiberia(includingthenameoftheship),listsoffreeblackswillingtoemigrate,andresolutionsto
sendmoneytotheAmericanColonizationSocietyandtothosewhotransportedthefreeblackstoLiberia.Also
includedisareportoftheBoardofCommissioners,1835,containingalistoffreeblackstransportedtoLiberia
andincludingtheirnames,ages,andwheretheyhadlivedinVirginia.
TheColonizationBoardofVirginiawascreatedbyanactoftheGeneralAssemblypassedonApril6,1853,
(chap.55,p.58)andappropriationsweremadetohelpfundthevoluntarytransportationandremovaloffree
blackstoLiberiaorelsewhereinWestAfricathroughtheeffortsoftheVirginiabranchoftheAmerican
ColonizationSociety.StatutorymembersoftheboardincludedtheSecretaryoftheCommonwealth,the
AuditorofPublicAccounts,theSecondAuditorofPublicAccounts,andfourothercompetentmembers
appointedbytheGovernor.Anannualtaxwasleviedonfreeblackmalesbetweentheagesof21to55tohelp
financetheoperationsoftheboard.ThefirstmeetingoftheboardwasheldMay2,1853.TheColonization
BoardwasauthorizedtoreimbursetheagentsoftheVirginiaColonizationSocietyfortransportationcostsonly
aftersatisfactoryproofthatthefreedmenhadalreadybeentransportedoutofthestate.TheVirginia
ColonizationSocietyarrangedfortheactualpassageoffreeblacks,andateachmeetingtheboardreceived
affidavitsforparticularfreedmenwhohadalreadybeentransported,alongwithevidencethattheindividuals
werecurrentlyfreeorbornoffreeparents,thattheywereresidentsofVirginiaandthattheyhadalready
beentransportedtoAfricaorthattheyhadembarkedtoanotherstatefortransportation.TheBoardwas
requiredtokeepajournalofitsproceedings,showingallactionstakenandmoniesdisbursed,andwasalso
requiredtosubmitabiennialreporttotheGeneralAssemblyshowingthename,age,sex,andlocalityofeach
personremoved.TheboardhelditslastmeetingonAugust14,1858,aftertheprecedingsessionofthe
GeneralAssemblyfailedtoextenditsexistence.TheVirginiaBoardofColonizationjournalofproceedings
includeslistsofthenamesandagesoffreeblackstransportedfromtheCommonwealthtoAfrica,aswellas
thecounty,city,orboroughfromwhichtheyweretransported,andinsomeinstancesalsoincludesthename
oftheshipandnamesofformerslaveowners.
CommonwealthCauses:
Commonwealthcausesarecriminalcourtcasesfiledbythestategovernmentthatconsistprimarilyof
warrants,summons,subpoenas,indictments,recognizances,andverdictshandeddownbyjuriesandother
legalauthoritiesinordertoprosecuteindividualswhoviolatedthepenalcode.Commonwealthcauses
commonlyfoundinVirginiaUntoldincludecasesagainstslaveownerswhopermittedtheirslavestogoat
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largewithoutpermission,aswellasthoseinvolvingfreeAfricanAmericansaccusedofremaininginthe
Commonwealthmorethanoneyearfollowingemancipation.In1806,theGeneralAssemblypassedalaw
statingthatallemancipatedslaves,freedafterMay1,1806,wererequiredtoleavetheCommonwealth.
ThosewhoremainedintheCommonwealthmorethanayearcouldbeputontrialbythestate,andiffound
guilty,wouldforfeittheirrighttofreedomandbesoldwiththeproceedsfromthesalegoingtothestate
treasury.
Coroner’sInquisitions:
Coroner’sInquisitionsareinvestigationsintothedeathsofindividualswhodiedbyasudden,violent,
unnatural,orsuspiciousmanner,orwhodiedwithoutmedicalattendance.Documentscommonlyfoundin
coroner’sinquisitionsincludetheinquisition,depositions,andsummons.Informationfoundintheinquisition
includethenameofthecoroner,thenamesofthejurors,thenameandageofthedeceasedifknown,gender
andraceofthedeceased,andwhen,how,andbywhatmeansthedeceasedcametohisorherdeath.Ifthe
deceasedwasAfricanAmerican,theinquestwouldidentifythedeceasedasanenslavedAfricanAmericanor
freeAfricanAmericanifknown.IfthedeceasedwasanenslavedAfricanAmerican,theinquestwouldinclude,
ifknown,thenameoftheslave---ownerandtheslave--owner’sresidence.Informationfoundinthe
depositionswillincludethenameofthedeponentandhisorheraccountofthecircumstancesthatledtothe
deathofthedeceased.UnlikemanyotherlegalproceedingsinAntebellumVirginia,enslavedAfrican
AmericanswerepermittedtoprovidedepositionsforCoroners’Inquisitions.
DeedsofEmancipation/Manumission:
Deedsofemancipationandmanumissionstatethenameoftheslaveowner,thenameoftheslavetobe
freed,thedatetheslaveshallachievefreedom,thedatethemanumissionwasprovedorcertified,and
sometimesareasonwhytheownerdecidedtoemancipatetheslave.Thetwomethodsofrelinquishing
ownershipofanindividualdifferonlyinthatslaveownersdirectlyfreedtheirenslavedpropertyby
manumission.Deedsofemancipationcouldbegeneratedaftertheslaveowner’sdeathbythoseexecutinga
lastwillandtestament.
FreeNegroRegistrations:
ActspassedbytheVirginiaLegislaturein1793and1803requiredevery“freenegro”or“mulatto”tobe
registeredandnumberedinabooktobekeptbythecountyclerk.Thiscollectioncontainsrecordsinvolvedin
theregistrationprocess.Theregistrationlanguageandprocessvariedacrosslocalities,thustheinformation
andtypeofrecordsmaydiffer.Registrationrecordsfoundinthiscollectionincludenumberedcertificatesthat
recordedthefreeperson’sname,sometimesage,abriefphysicaldescription,andthecircumstancesofthe
person’sfreedomoremancipation.Ifbornfree,areferenceissometimesmadetotheparents.If
emancipated,theemancipatingowner,place,anddatemaybementioned.Thereareaffidavitsthatwere
givenbyindividualsaffirmingafreeperson’sstatus,aswellaswrittendescriptionsoffreepersons.In
addition,thereareregistrationsthatareloosepapersmatchinginformationfoundintheboundvolumesof
registered“freenegroes”keptinthecourthouse.
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FreeNegroRequisitions f orPublicUse:
Virginiaenactedlegislation duringtheCivilWarto“provide fortheenrollment andemployment offfree
negroesinthepublicservice.” Therequisitions included inthiscollection listthenamesofallable---bodied
freeAfricanAmerican menbetween theagesof18and50foundinalocality. Thesemenwerethen
“enrolled” toworkfortheConfederacy usuallybyassisting intheconstruction offortifications andother
defensestructures aroundtheCommonwealth.
FreeNegroTaxRecords:
FreeNegroTaxRecords includefreenegrotaxlistsandfreenegrodelinquent taxlists.Anactpassedin1801
bytheVirginia Legislature required commissioners oftherevenue annually toreturnacomplete listofallfree
AfricanAmericans withintheirdistricts, withtheirnames,sex,placeofabode,andtrades,andacopyofthe
listtobefixedatthecourthouse door.Freenegrodelinquent taxlistsrecordsnamesoffreeAfrican
Americans returned delinquent andsometimes whyreturned, suchas"noproperty," "removed," or"not
found.”
Freedmen’s Contracts:
TheBureauofRefugees, Freedmen andAbandoned LandswasafederalagencycreatedbytheFreedmen's
BureauBill,passedonMarch3,1865.Alsoknownasthe"Freedmen's Bureau," thisagencywasresponsible
foraidingrefugees oftheCivilWar,especially formerslaves,intheareasofeducation, employment, and
healthcare.Meanttolastforonlyoneyearafterthewar,theBureauwasoperational fromJune1865to
December 1868.Contracts usuallyspecifythedatesoftheexpected employment, theoccupation ofthe
employee, expected wagesandhousingarrangements, andanyrentthatistobepaidtotheemployer.
Thoughthefederalgovernment generated theserecords, afewlocalities retained possession ofthese
recordsintheircourthouses afterthedissolution oftheFreedmen’s Bureau.
Freedom Suits:
Freedom suitsarelawsuitsinitiated byslavesseekingtogaintheirfreedom. Predominant documents found
infreedom suitsincludepetitions, recordsofsuits,depositions, affidavits, a n d wills.Theyrecordslaves’
arguments forfreedom,acquisition ofslavesbyslaveowners,slaveancestry, andrelationshipsbetween
slavesandslaveowners.Slavessuedforemancipation infreedom suitsbasedonthefollowing:theywere
descendant(s) ofafreefemaleancestor, occasionally aNativeAmerican; failureofslaveowner(s)toabideby
the1778slavenonimportation act;orclaimedtohavebeenfreedbyslaveowner(s)bydeedofemancipation
orlastwillandtestament.
Indentures ofApprenticeship:
Indentures ofapprenticeship arecomposed ofindentures bindingoutfreenegroes, oftenchildren, tolearna
particular tradeorcraft.Theseindentures maybewrittenagreements between thefamilyoftheapprentice
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andthoseresponsible fortheindentured. Or,thesedocuments maybegenerated bylocalagencies suchas
theOverseers ofthePoor,bindingoutorphansorthosewhoareconsidered aburdentotheCommonwealth.
Theindentures ofapprenticeship containthenameofthepersonorinstitution bindingout,thepersonto
whombound,thenameofthepersonbeingindentured, thelengthoftheapprenticeship, andthe
responsibilities ofthepersontakingontheindentured.
Petitions forRe---Enslavement:
AnactpassedbytheVirginia legislature in1806required freedslavestoleavetheCommonwealthwithina
yearofbeinggranted theirfreedom. In1856anotheractpassedbytheVirginialegislature allowedfree
personsofcolorwhodesiredtoremainintheCommonwealth topetition forre---enslavementandchoosean
ownerandremaininthestate.Thesepetitions includethepetitioner’s name,previous owner,meansof
emancipation,anddesiredowner.
Petitions toRemainintheCommonwealth:
In1806,theGeneralAssembly passedalawtosuppress themanumissions ofslavesbytyingemancipation
withdeportation. Thelawstatedthatallemancipated slaves,freedafterMay1,1806,whoremained inthe
Commonwealth morethanayear couldbeputontrialbythestate,andiffoundguilty,wouldforfeittheir
righttofreedomandbesoldwiththeproceedsfromthesalegoingtothestatetreasury.Individuals wishing
tostayweretopetition thelegislature through thelocalcountycourt.Beginning in1837,freedslavescould
petitionthelocalcourtsforpermission toremainintheCommonwealth. Oftenincluded inthepetitions are
thenameofthepetitioner, thecircumstances offreestatus,andarequesttoremaininthecountyoften
withaccompanying namesofcitizenswhocantestifytothefreestatusorwhosupporttherequest ofthe
petitioner toremain.
SlaveRequisitions forPublicUse:
From1862to1863,attherequestofthepresident oftheConfederate States,theGeneralAssembly passed
threelawsthatrequisitioned slavestoworkonfortifications andotherworksofthepublicdefense.Each
countyandcitywasallotted acertainnumberofslavesthathadtobeprovided tothegovernment under
therequisition.Theserecordscanincludetheslaveowner'sname,namesofenslaved individuals, a n d the
valueofthoseenslaved, aswellasthenumberofenslavedpeoplerequired fromeachslaveownerina
particular locality.
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