What was slavery like in Rhode Island?

Rhode Island fueled its rum trade by trafficking humans in Africa and the Carribean. Enslaved people performed numerous types of free labor throughout New England, and Clark-Pujara says that this northern slavery was just as brutal as it was in the South.

What did slaves do in Rhode Island colony?

The Provisioning Trades and the Narragansett Planters The most substantial contribution made by the labor of enslaved people in Rhode Island to the growth of its maritime economy was their production of agricultural commodities for export to the slave colonies in the British West Indies.

When did slavery start in RI?

Sometime after 1638, the first African slaves entered Rhode Island. They were sparse in the colony throughout the 17th century, with only 175 total African slaves in 1680.

How did slavery end in Rhode Island?

In 1652, Rhode Island passed a law abolishing African slavery, similar to those governing indentured European servants, where “black mankinde” could not be indentured more than ten years. The law was evidently never enforced and the demand for cheap labor prevailed.

Was there slaves in Rhode Island?

That 1652 municipal law was superseded by a 1703 law passed by the Rhode Island General Assembly that legally recognized black and Native American slavery and whites as their owners. “By 1750 Rhode Island had the highest percentage of enslaved people in New England.

Were there slaves in Newport RI?

Newport was the hub of New England’s slave trade, and at its height, slaves made up one-fifth of its population. Yet little is known about their day-to-day lives.

Where were slaves sold in Newport RI?

On June 23, 1761, Capt. Samuel Holmes advertised the sale of “Slaves, just imported from the coast of Africa, consisting of very healthy likely Men, Women, Boys, Girls” at his wharf on Newport harbor.

Who owned slaves in Rhode Island?

Most enslaved people imported into the colony of Rhode Island were bought by owners of farms in what we call today “South County” (technically, Washington County) and what in the 18th century was called “the Narragansett Country” (technically, King’s County).