Nineteenth Century Race, Gender, and Consumerism in Virginia

Summary

This paper uses historical and archaeological evidence to which consumer goods were available to enslaved men and women in nineteenth century Virginia. At the scale of local markets and stores, supply and variable adherence to laws constrained which goods were available to slaves who were able to purchase or trade for them. By comparing purchases of enslaved African Americans with purchases of whites at the same store, I assess which goods were accessible to each group. I use archaeological data to evaluate the relative significance of various goods. Then I consider what choices among these goods by men and women reveal about needs, desires, opportunities, and risks.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage