When Columbus arrived in 1492, the first free black person --a sailor -- set foot in the Americas. Over the next 400 years, as slavery spread and became entrenched in the Western Hemisphere, free blacks built communities throughout North and South America, playing a critical role in every region, colony, and country. From Canada to the Caribbean to Chile, they established vital economic and social institutions, championed the cause of abolition, and formed a bridge between the worlds of free whites and enslaved blacks.

Table of Contents

• List of Documents
• List of Maps
• List of Tables
• About the Editors
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• List of Contributors
• Chronology
• Entries A-Z
• A
• ABOLITIONISM AND RESISTANCE TO SLAVERY
• ADAMS, JOHN (1735-1826)
• ADAMS, JOHN QUINCY (1767-1848)
• AFRICA
• AFRICAN AND SYNCRETIC RELIGIONS
• AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH (A.M.E. Church)
• ALABAMA
• ALLEN, RICHARD (1760-1831)
• AMERICAN CIVIL WAR (U.S. Civil War) (1861-1865)
• AMERICAN COLONIZATION SOCIETY
• AMERICAN REVOLUTION
• AMISTAD CASE
• ANGOLA
• ARDOUIN, BEAUBRUN (1796-1865)
• ARGENTINA
• ARKANSAS
• ARMY
• ARTISANS
• AUSTRALIA
• B
• BAKER, MOSES (17307-1823?)
• BAPTISTS AND PIETISTS
• BARBADOS
• BARBOUR, CONWAY (ca. 1820-1876)
• BECKWOURTH, JAMES (JAMES BECKWITH) (ca. 1798-1866)
• BELIZE
• BELLANTON, ZABEAU (ELIZABETH) (ca. 1751 –?)
• BELLEY, JEAN-BAPTISTE (1748 or 1749-1806?)
• BIDEAU, JEAN-BAPTISTE (ca. 1780-1817)
• BIGODE, FRANCISCO XAVIER (?-1838)
• BISSETTE, CYRILLE-CHARLES (1795-1858)
• BLACK CAESAR (JOHN CAESAR) (ca. 1760s-1796)
• BLACK CARIB (Garifuna)
• BLACK CODES IN THE UNITED STATES
• BLACK LAWS IN THE MIDWEST
• BLACK PRESS IN THE UNITED STATES
• BLACK SEMINOLE
• BLAND, JAMES A. (1854-1911)
• BLANKE, JOHN (unknown)
• BOLIVIA
• THE BONDWOMAN’S NARRATIVE
• BOSTON
• BOWSER, MARY ELIZABETH (1839-?)
• BOYER, JEAN-PIERRE (1776-1850)
• BRAGANÇA, ISABEL OF.
• BRAGANÇA, PEDRO I OF.
• BRAGANÇA, PEDRO II OF.
• BRAZIL
• BRAZIL, ABOLITIONIST MOVEMENT IN
• BRAZIL, LAWS ON RACE AND SLAVERY
• BRAZILIAN MAROONS (QUILOMBOLAS)
• BRITAIN
• BRITAIN, ABOLITIONIST MOVEMENTS IN
• BRITISH ANTI-SLAVERY ACTS
• BRITISH LESSER ANTILLES
• BROWN, HENRY “BOX” (ca. 1815-?)
• BUCHANAN, JAMES (1791-1868)
• BUSH, GEORGE WASHINGTON (ca. 1779-1863)
• C
• CAESAR, JOHN.
• CALIFORNIA
• CANADA
• CAP-FRANÇAIS/CAP-HAÏTIEN (Le Cap, Cap-François)
• CAP-HAÏTIEN.
• CAPTAIN CUDJOE (dates of birth and death uncertain, active 1690-1739)
• CARTAGENA
• CASTA
• CATHOLIC CONFRATERNITIES
• CÉDULAS DE GRACIAS AL SACAR
• CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA
• CHAVANNES, JEAN-BAPTISTE (1748-1791)
• CHAVIS, JOHN (ca. 1763-1838)
• CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
• CHILE
• CHRISTIANA RIOT
• CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS IN THE UNITED STATES AFTER 1865
• CLARK, ALEXANDER (1826-1891)
• CLARKSON, JOHN (1764-1828)
• COARTACIÓN UNDER SPANISH LAW
• CODE NOIR IN FRENCH LAW
• COFFEE CULTIVATION
• COLOMBIA
• COLONIZATION.
• COMMERCE AND TRADE
• COMMONWEALTH V. JENNISON
• CONCEIÇÂO, ROSA MARIA DA (?-1843)
• CONCEPCIÓN VALDÉS, GABRIEL DE LA (PLÁCIDO) (1809-1844)
• CONGO AND ANGOLA
• CONNECTICUT
• CORNISH, SAMUEL E. (ca. 1795-1858)
• CORNWALLIS, COUBA (17??-1848)
• CORREA, JUAN (1646-1716)
• COSTA RICA
• COTTON CULTIVATION
• CRAFTS, HANNAH (dates unknown)
• CREOLE
• CROWTHER, SAMUEL AJAYI (ca. 1809-1891)
• CRUMMELL, ALEXANDER (1819-1898)
• CUBA
• CUDJOE
• CUFFE, PAUL (1759-1817)
• CUGOANO, QUOBNA OTTOBAH
• D
• DANISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
• DÉDÉ, EDMOND (1827? 1829? -1903)
• DELANY, MARTIN (1812-1885)
• DELAWARE
• DELGRÈS, LOUIS (1766-1802)
• DIALLO, AYUBA SULEIMAN (JOB BEN SOLOMON) (ca. 1701-ca. 1773)
• DIAS, HENRIQUE (?-ca. 1662)
• DOMINICA
• DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
• DOMINICANS, THE
• DORANTES, ESTEBAN DE (ca. 1500-1539)
• DOS REIS, MARIA FIRMINA
• DOUGLAS, SIR JAMES (1803-1877)
• DOUGLASS, FREDERICK (1818-1895)
• DUMAS, THOMAS-ALEXANDRE (THOMASALEXANDRE DAVY DE LA PAILLETERIE) (1762-1806)
• DUNMORE, JOHN MURRAY, EARL OF (1732-1809)
• DURÁN, DIEGO (1721-1795)
• DU SABLE, JEAN-BAPTISTE POINTE (ca. 1745-1814 or 1818)
• DUTCH CARIBBEAN ISLANDS
• E
• ECUADOR
• EDUCATION AND LITERACY
• ELLISON, WILLIAM “APRIL” (1790-1861)
• EL SALVADOR
• EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION
• EMIGRATION AND COLONIZATION
• ENCYCLOPÉDIE
• ENRIQUEZ, MIGUEL (1672-1743)
• EQUIANO, OLAUDAH (Gustavus Vassa) (17457-1797)
• ESCALERA PLOT
• EXODUSTER MOVEMENT
• F
• FAMILY
• FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS WITH SLAVES
• FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS WITH WHITES
• FÉDON’S REBELLION (1795-1796)
• FENIX
• FILLMORE, MILLARD (1800-1874)
• FIVE AFRICANS BROUGHT TO ENGLAND IN 1555
• FLEETWOOD, CHRISTIAN ABRAHAM
• FLORIDA
• FONSECA GALVÂO, CÀNDIDO DA (DOM OBÁ II) (ca. 1845-1890)
• FORD, WEST (early 1780s-1863)
• FORTEN FAMILY
• FRANCE
• FREEDMEN’S BUREAU
• FREEMASONRY
• FRENCH CARIBBEAN
• FRENCH REVOLUTION
• FREYRE, GILBERTO (1900-1987)
• FUGITIVE SLAVE ACT OF 1850 (Fugitive Slave Law)
• G
• GANNIBAL, ABRAM PETROVICH (1696-1781)
• GARNET, HENRY HIGHLAND (1815-1882)
• GARRIDO, JUAN (active 1501-1538)
• GENDER ATTITUDES
• GEORGIA
• GIBBS, MIFFLIN WISTAR (1823-1915)
• GILL, ANN (1781-1865)
• GONÇALVES TEIXEIRA E SOUSA, ANTONIO (1812-1861)
• GORDON, GEORGE WILLIAM (1820-1865)
• GRAND UNITED ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS
• GRANT, ULYSSES S. (1822-1885)
• GRÉGOIRE, HENRI (ABBÉ GRÉGOIRE) (1750-1831)
• GUATEMALA
• GUERRERO slave ship
• GUERRERO SALDAÑA, VICENTE (1782-1831)
• GUYANA
• H
• HAITI
• HAITIAN REVOLUTION
• HALL, PRINCE (ca. 1735-1807)
• HARRISON, WILLIAM HENRY (1773-1841)
• HAYNES, LEMUEL (1753-1833)
• HEALERS
• HEALY FAMILY
• HEMINGS, SALLY, CHILDREN OF
• HIGHER EDUCATION
• HONDURAS
• HOUSE, CALLIE (1861-1928)
• HOUSEKEEPERS
• HUGUES, VICTOR (1764-1826)
• HULL, AGRIPPA (1759-1848)
• I
• IBN SORI, ABDUL-RAHMAN IBRAHIM (ca. 1762-1829)
• ILLINOIS
• INDIANA
• INDIAN WARS, UNITED STATES
• INDIGO CULTIVATION
• INLAND WEST OF THE UNITED STATES
• INTERRACIAL MARRIAGE
• IOWA
• ISABEL OF BRAGANÇA (PRINCESS IMPERIAL)
• ISLAM
• J
• JACKSON, ANDREW (1767-1845)
• JACOBS, HARRIET (1813-1897)
• JAMAICA
• JEFFERSON, THOMAS (1743-1826)
• JESUITS
• JESÚS, URSULA DE (1604-1666)
• JOHNSON, ANDREW (1808-1875)
• JONES, ABSALOM (1746-1818)
• JONES, JEHU, JR. (1786-1852)
• JORDON, EDWARD (1801-1869)
• JOSEPH, JOHN (ca. 1831-1858)
• JOURNALISM
• K
• KANSAS
• KENTUCKY
• KINGSLEY, ANNA (ANTA MAJIGEEN NJAAY) (ca. 1793-1870)
• KU KLUX KLAN
• L
• LA ESCALERA PLOT
• LANGSTON, JOHN MERCER (1829-1897)
• LAS SIETE PARTIDAS
• LAVEAU, MARIE (1801-1881)
• LAWS OF FREE BIRTH
• LECESNE AND ESCOFFERY CASE
• LEE, WILLIAM (ca. 1750-1828)
• LEGAL DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF RACE
• LEMBA, SEBASTIÁN (unknown-1547)
• LIBERIA
• LINCOLN, ABRAHAM (1809-1865)
• LISBOA, ANTÔNIO (O ALEIJADINHO)
• LIVING “AS FREE”
• LONDON, ENGLAND
• LORD DUNMORE
• LOUISIANA
• LOUVERTURE, TOUSSAINT (ca. 1746-1803)
• LYNCHING
• M
• MACEO Y GRAJALES, ANTONIO (1845-1896)
• MACHADO DE ASSIS, JOAQUIM MARÍA (1839-1908)
• MACKANDAL, FRANÇOIS (ca. 1720-1758)
• MADIOU, THOMAS (1814-1884)
• MADISON, JAMES (1751-1836)
• MAINE
• MANUMISSION
• MAROONS
• MARRIAGE BETWEEN FREE AND SLAVE
• MARTÍN DE PORRES, SAINT (1579-1639)
• MARYLAND
• MASSACHUSETTS
• McCABE, EDWIN P. (1850-1920)
• MELUNGEON
• MERCHANT SEAMEN
• MEXICAN-AMERICAN WAR (1846-1848)
• MEXICO
• MEXICO, ABOLITION OF SLAVERY IN (1821-1829)
• MEXICO, CENTRAL AND NORTHERN
• MEXICO, PACIFIC COAST
• MICHIGAN
• MIDWIVES AND TRADITIONAL HEALERS
• MIGRATION
• MILITIA
• MINNESOTA
• MIRANDA, FRANCISCO DE (1750-1816)
• MISCEGENATION
• MISSISSIPPI
• MISSOURI
• MOBILE, ALABAMA
• MONROE, JAMES (1758-1831)
• MONTEZUMA, FRANCISCO GÊ ACAIABA DE (VISCOUNT OF JEQUmNHONHA) (1794-1870)
• MOREAU DE ST-MÉRY, MÉDÉRIC-LOUIS-ÉLIE (1750-1819)
• MORELOS, JOSÉ MARÍA (1765-1815)
• MULATTO
• N
• NAVY
• NEBRASKA
• NEGRO CONVENTION MOVEMENT IN THE UNITED STATES
• NEW HAMPSHIRE
• NEW JERSEY
• NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
• NEW YORK CITY DRAFT RIOTS (1863)
• NEW YORK STATE
• NICARAGUA
• NORTH CAROLINA
• O
• OGÉ, VINCENT (ca. 1750-1791)
• OHIO
• OKLAHOMA
• OLIVIER, VINCENT (ca. 1680-1781)
• “ONE DROP RULE” OF RACIAL IDENTITY
• OREGON
• P
• PADILLA, JOSÉ PRUDENCIO (1784-1828)
• PANAMA
• PANAMA CITY (PANAMÁ CITY)
• PARAGUAY
• PARDO
• PATROCÌNIO, JOSÉ CARLOS DO (1853-1905)
• PAULA BRITO, FRANCISCO DE (1809-1861)
• PAYNE, DANIEL A. (1811-1893)
• PEASANTS
• PEDRO I (1798-1834)
• PEDRO II (1825-1891)
• PÉLAGE, MAGLOIRE (ca. 1766-1813)
• PENNSYLVANIA
• PERSONAL LIBERTY LAWS
• PERU
• PÉTION, ALEXANDRE SABÈS (1770-1818)
• PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
• PIAR, MANUEL (1774-1817)
• PIERCE, FRANKLIN (1804-1869)
• PINTO DA GAMA, LUIS GONZAGA (1830-1882)
• PIRACY
• PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA
• PLANTERS AND PLANTER AGENTS
• POLICE
• POLK, JAMES (1795-1849)
• PORT-AU-PRINCE
• PORTUGAL
• PROSTITUTES AND COURTESANS
• PROTESTANT MAINLINE CHURCHES
• PROTTEN, REBECCA (ca. 1718-ca. 1779)
• PROVISION GROUND FARMING
• PUERTO RICO
• PURVIS, ROBERT (1810-1898)
• Q
• QUOCK WALKER CASE (COMMONWEALTH V. JENNISON)
• R
• RACE AND CAPITALISM
• RACISM AND RACIAL PREJUDICE
• RAIMOND, JULIEN (1744-1801)
• RANCHING
• RAPIER, JAMES T. (1837-1883)
• RAYNAL, GUILLAUME (1711-1796)
• REASON, CHARLES L. (1818-1893)
• REBOUÇAS, ANDRÉ (1838-1898)
• REBOUÇAS, ANTÔNIO PEREIRA (1798-1880)
• RECONSTRUCTION IN THE UNITED STATES
• RE-ENSLAVEMENT
• REGULAR ARMY
• REIS, MARIA FIRMINA DOS (1825-1917)
• REVELS, HIRAM (1827-1901)
• RHODE ISLAND
• RIGAUD, ANDRÉ (1761-1811)
• RIVADAVIA, BERNARDINO (1780-1845)
• ROBERTS, JOSEPH JENKINS (1809-1876)
• ROCHA VIEIRA, FRANCISCO SABINO ÁLVARES DA (1796-1846)
• ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
• ROSSIGNOL, ANNE (flourished 1770-1790)
• RUNAWAY SLAVES
• RUSSWURM, JOHN (1799-1851)
• S
• SAINT-DOMINGUE (HAITI)
• SAINT-GEORGES, JOSEPH BOLOGNE, CHEVALIER DE (1745-1799)
• SALEM, PETER (1750-1816)
• SALVADOR, BAHIA, BRAZIL
• SÁNCHEZ, FRANCISCO DEL ROSARIO (1817-1861)
• SANCHO, IGNATIUS (1729-1780)
• SANTANA, JOAQUIM FELIX DE (unknown-1814)
• SANTO DOMINGO
• SCOTT, DRED (1799-1858)
• SEACOLE, MARY (1805-1881)
• SEGREGATION
• SENEGAMBIA
• SEVEN YEARS’ WAR (1756-1763)
• SHARP, GRANVILLE (1735-1813)
• SIERRA LEONE
• SILVA, CHICA DA (ca. 1730-1796)
• SLAVE COAST, BENIN, AND THE BIGHT OF BIAFRA
• SLAVE OWNERS
• SMALLS, ROBERT (1839-1915) American naval officer and politician
• SMITH, VENTURE (1729-1805)
• SOMERSET V. STEWART (SOMERSETT V. STEUART)
• SOUTH AMERICAN WARS OF LIBERATION (1809-1824)
• SOUTH CAROLINA
• SPAIN
• STEWART, MARIA W. (1803-1879)
• STRONG, JONATHAN (ca. 1747/8-1773)
• SUGAR CULTIVATION
• SURINAM
• T
• TANNENBAUM HYPOTHESIS
• TAYLOR, SUSIE BAKER KING (1848-1912)
• TAYLOR, ZACHARY (1784-1850)
• TENNESSEE
• TEN YEARS’ WAR (GREAT WAR OF CUBA)
• TEXAS (TEJAS, LONE STAR STATE)
• TOLTON, AUGUSTINE (1854-1897)
• TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
• TRUTH, SOJOURNER (ca. 1797-1883)
• TUBMAN, HARRIET (ARAMINTA ROSS) (ca. 1822-1913)
• TYE, COLONEL (TITUS CORNELIUS) (1753-1780)
• TYLER, JOHN (1790-1862)
• U
• UNITED STATES, ABOLITION MOVEMENTS IN
• URUGUAY
• U.S. ELECTION OF 1876
• U.S. PRESIDENTS AND FREE BLACKS
• V
• VALDÉS, JOSÉ MANUEL (1767-1843)
• VAN BUREN, MARTIN (1782-1862)
• VASHON FAMILY
• VENEZUELA
• VENEZUELAN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE
• VERACRUZ, MEXICO
• VERMONT
• VESEY, DENMARK (TELEMAQUE) (1767-1822)
• VIRGINIA AND WEST VIRGINIA
• VOTING BEFORE GENERAL ABOLITION, UNITED STATES
• W
• WALKER, DAVID (1785-1830)
• WAR OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE (1775-1783)
• WAR OF MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE (1810-1821)
• WASHINGTON, D.C. (DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, UNITED STATES TERRITORY)
• WASHINGTON, GEORGE (1732-1799)
• WASHINGTON, GEORGE (OF CENTRALIA, WASHINGTON) (1818-1905)
• WASHINGTON, HARRY (dates of birth and death unknown, active 1763-1800)
• WASHINGTON TERRITORY
• WEDDERBURN, ROBERT (1762-1835)
• WEST VIRGINIA
• WHEATLEY, PHILLIS (1753-1784)
• “WHITENING” AND RACIAL PROMOTION
• WILLIAMSBURG, VIRGINIA
• WISCONSIN
• WOODSON, LEWIS (1806-1878)
• Z
• ZAMBO
• ZUMBI (ca. 1655-1695)