Monthly Archives: March 2012

One of my regular news reading stops on the web is The Daily Beast. Today, they had an interesting article on the survival of hidden slavery in the world, but particularly how it continues to exist in the United States. You … Continue reading →

One of the phenomena of slavery in the Americas was maroonage. Maroons were escaped slaves that rather than trying to make it to the North hid out in the South’s wild places. They survived by hunting and gathering, keeping clandestine … Continue reading →

By Spring 1862, the discussion in the North about slavery increasingly was not whether to free the slaves, but instead about the best way to achieve this goal. Opinion on this question was divided, first, on whether emancipation should be immediate … Continue reading →

One of the most consistently contentious issues during the first year of the Civil War was the relationship of the Union army with fugitive slaves. While the status of slaves of disloyal owners had been settled more-or-less with General Benjamin … Continue reading →

In December 1861, Abraham Lincoln indicated in his annual report to Congress that he was embracing the idea of gradual compensated emancipation in which the freed slaves would be encouraged to emigrate outside the United States. This was a significant … Continue reading →

Associated with emancipation in the Civil War are some iconic images. One of these is a painting entitled “Ride for Liberty” produced by the American artist Eastman Johnson. Johnson claimed the painting was based on an actual incident he witnessed … Continue reading →

As March 1862 began in Washington, D.C., slavery was on the ropes in the nation’s capital. The previous December, a bill had been introduced in Congress providing for compensated emancipation there. By March, this legislation was well on its way … Continue reading →