Timeline

Casar of Andover's Case for Freedom

The story of Cesar of Andover, MA, who in 1772 sued and won his freedom nearly two decades before slavery was abolished in Massachusetts, established important legal precedent for ending the judicial upholding of slavery in the state. Cesar's successful case inspired enslaved people across the region to win their freedom through the courts.

From NorthShoreSlavery: " A captive who arrived in New England directly from Africa speaking no English, Caesar, twelve years old, was purchased at dock side by Timothy Fuller of Middleton. Taylor sent him to Samuel Taylor of Reading to be taught leather-dressing. At the end of three years, Fuller sold Caesar to Edward Hircum. Caesar negotiated an oral contract with Taylor that, in return for Taylor buying Caesar from Hircum, Caesar would earn enough in six years to repay Taylor at Taylor's profit and Taylor would free Caesar. Taylor broke this oral contract by selling Caesar after the second year. Caesar sued for his freedom on the basis of the broken contract and, with John Lowell as his attorney, won his freedom from an ECCP jury and in Taylor's SCJ 1772 appeal."

Jeanne Pickering, a local historian who operates the website North Shore Slavery, explored Casar's case and its impact with attendees of A Community of Changemakers: Black Activism in Essex County held at Salem State University, March 25 2023. More freedom cases from Essex County, as well as records of people of African Descent who lived in 18th century Essex County, can be found at NorthShoreSlavery.org.

Self Emancipation In Salem

In 1776, the Declaration of Independence claimed the British colonies of North America had a right to liberty. Enslaved people listened to their enslavers discuss their rights to freedom. They understood the implications for their own lives and chose to act on the ideals colonists professed.

In 1774, an enslaved man named Obed escaped his enslavers in Salem, MA. This advertisement calling for his arrest and return is a record of his successful self-emancipation. Obed was not alone; other stories of enslaved Africans and people of African descent liberating themselves, and others, can be be explored at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site.

Nora Halloran, Park Ranger at Salem Maritime National Historic Site, explored these Revolutionary Era newspaper advertisements with attendees of A Community of Changemakers: Black Activism in Essex County held at Salem State University, March 25 2023.

Juno Larcom Claims her Freedom

Juno Larcom was a Black and Indigenous woman enslaved by the Larcom family of Beverly, Massachusetts. In the 1760s, Juno's family was forcibly separated by their enlsavers. Juno's husband Jethro and three of their children were sold to different households. In response to this act of violence, Juno charged David Larcom, the head of the Larcom estate, with "trespass and assault" against her family, and sued for her for her and her childrens' freedom in 1774. Though this petition was thrown out after David Larcom's death, Juno declared herself and her children free, which was not contested by the Larcom estate. Juno changed her surname to "Freeman," and earned a living for herself and her children in Beverly.

A copy of Juno's plea for freedom in 1774 is shown here, from Historic Beverly's collections. It reads: "Sir, please you honor, my mother come to Capt. Hinny sixty odd years ago and my mother was an injun [sic] woman. She came from ronok (Roanoke?) in North Carolina. My mistress tells me and other people and I have served her 46 years and above and my master Larcom has sold two or three of my children for 7-04-10 and now I am uneasy by reason of selling my children. And now gentlemen of the jury and judges ye Weather or not I hadn't ought to be set at Liberty."

Further exploration of the Larcom/Freeman family's stories can be found in parts 2 and 4 of "Set at Liberty: Stories of the Enslaved in a New England Town", a digital exhibit hosted by Historic Beverly.

Lucy Keller of Historic Beverly guided symposium attendees through the primary sources documenting the Larcom family history at A Community of Changemakers: Black Activism in Essex County held at Salem State University, March 25 2023.

Fortune Haskell Petitions for Freedom

In 1777, Fortune, an enslaved man in Gloucester, asked advice from an attorney on laws regarding his enslavement because he found his 27-years of "bondage grievous to bear in such a land of light and liberty." Fortune made it clear that Deacon Nathaniel Haskell had enslaved him illegally. Fortune surely knew that Attorney John Lowell had won freedom suits for others on this point.

Gloucester’s Deacon Haskell granted Fortune his freedom almost immediately. This rare letter provides essential context for the freedom release held by the Cape Ann Museum. Fortune's letter dispels any possible notion of a benevolent enslaver granting his enslaved man's manumission out of munificent generosity.

Credit Line: Research by Lise Breen, MS AM 1582 (180). Houghton Library, Harvard University

Massachusetts Constitution "Ends" Slavery

When the English settled in Essex County in the 1620’s they were not only seeking religious freedom, but also land and economic opportunities. Farming and maritime trades were their focus. Puritans had already settled in some Carribean Islands. In 1636 Marblehead and Salem built the 120-ton ship “Desire.” Its first voyage’s purpose was to take 15 Native American native boys and 2 Native women captured in the Pequot War to Providence Island, a puritan colony off the coast of Central America. The Captain was directed to sell the captives and purchase enslaved Africans to provide labor in Massachusetts. [Source marbleheadmuseum.org]

From the 1630’s until the middle of the 19th century Essex County provisioned the Carribean islands with fish, draft animals, and agricultural products that allowed the Islands to focus their economy on growing crops such as sugar cane with enslaved labor. Many Essex County families invested in or owned these plantations and imported enslaved Africans and Native Americans to provide labor there and here. Essex County records document both free and enslaved Africans from the 1640s. While the 1780 Massachusetts Constitution is said to have ended slavery in Massachusetts, often emancipation occurred gradually as forms of “indenture” were continued.

Credit Line: Beth Bower, archivist and historian

Best Sources:

Melish, Joanne Pope “Disowning Slavery: Gradual Emancipation and “Race” in New England, 1780-1860.” 1998: Cornell University Press. Chapter 1: New England Slavery.

Warren, Wendy “New England Bound: Slavery and Colonization in Early America”.

Hardesty, Jared Ross “Black Lives, Native Lands, White Worlds: A History of Slavery in New England.” 2019: Bright Leaf.

Salem School Integration

This page from the American Anti-Slavery Almanac is only one of the many rich primary sources on display at the Peabody Essex Museum’s exhibit on school desegregation in Salem, Let None Be Excluded.

From the description of Let None Be Excluded: “Nineteenth-century Salem residents celebrated the city's early public school system for welcoming and educating children. Despite the system's success, the Salem school committee moved to establish separate schools for Black children in 1834.”

“The sudden decision angered Black residents who launched a nearly decade-long struggle for the educational rights of children of color. Their valiant efforts convinced the Salem School Committee to abolish racially separate public schools in 1844. Salem was one of the first municipalities in the United States to do so. Ten years later, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts became the first state in the nation to pass a law forbidding school committees from classifying students by race.”

Kabria Baumgartner (Northeastern University) and Dan Lipcan (Philips Library, PEM) discussed the creation and purpose of this dynamic exhibit at the symposium, A Community of Changemakers: Black Activism in Essex County held at Salem State University, March 25 2023.

The Estate of Lucretia Brown

Lucretia Brown and her husband Joseph, who were locally known as "Black Joe and Aunt Creese" were prominent community members in 19th century Marblehead. Lucretia, who was born free in Salem in 1773, became famous for her baking, and owned and operated a tavern on Gingerbread Hill with her husband, which became a social center for the town of Marblehead, especially around Election Week.

This 1857 document is a partial copy of Lucretia's final will and property evaluations. Lauren McCormack and Lou Meyi of Marblehead Museum explored the ways this primary source could be used to inform the story of Lucretia Brown with attendees of A Community of Changemakers: Black Activism in Essex County held at Salem State University, March 25 2023. Further exploration of Lucretia and Joseph Brown's story can be found on Marbleahead Museum's website.

Political Activism in Lynn, MA

In 1890, two Black men in Lynn, James Clements and William Tyler, ran for seats on the town's Common Council. Though their bids for election were not successful, Black Lynners did not stop running for public office. In 1972, nearly 100 years later, Vincent F. Jarvis became the first Black elected public official in Lynn when he was elected to the school committee, where he used his position and voice to combat racial discrimination in the city.

Doneeca Thurston, director of the Lynn Museum, used historical newspaper clippings to explore the history of Black political activism in Lynn, at A Community of Changemakers: Black Activism in Essex County held at Salem State University, March 25 2023. The stories explored included the organization of Black political spaces and societies, Black candidates running for public office, and Lynn residents participation in the 1863 March on Washington.

An exhibit exploring the rich history of Lynn's Black community, titled Untold Stories: Community Changemakers will soon be on display at Lynn Museum. Date TBA.

Colored Giants Visit Lynn

The Cleveland Giants were an all-Black baseball team in the Negro Leagues, which were segregated national baseball leagues formed in response to African Americans being excluded from Major League and Minor League baseball teams. This article in the Newburyport Daily Herald announces a game between the Giants and Mayfair 9, to be played in Lynn.

Brian Sheehy, a social studies teacher at North Andover High School, talked about teaching sports history through local primary sources as a way of connecting students with American History at the symposium, A Community of Changemakers: Black Activism in Essex County held at Salem State University, March 25 2023.

More primary sources about race and racism in sports in Essex County can be found in Essex Heritage’s Teaching Hidden Histories module on Race and Racism in Essex County Sports.

Salem State Students Organize

In 1969, Black students at Salem State University organized the campus's first Afro-American Society. This student organization was formed to be a space where Black students could find community, and advocate for their academic and social needs on campus. The Afro-American Society hosted outreach events for Black high school students, and in 1973 members published the "Valentines Day Manifesto," a document presenting a list of demands to Salem State's faculty, in response to a racist incident on campus. Student demands included the hiring of additional Black staff and faculty, an increased effort on the part of the administration to increase Black student enrollment in the college, and the establishment of a Black Studies major and academic courses focused on African American history and culture.

Zobeida Chaffee-Valdes, a graduate student at Northeastern University, led a discussion on Black student organizing at Salem State with attendees of the symposium A Community of Changemakers: Black Activism in Essex County held at Salem State University, March 25 2023.

More primary sources about Black student organizing at Salem State University can be found in Essex Heritage's Teaching Hidden Histories module on Student Activism, and in Salem State University's Archives and Special Collections