Armed Slaves: The Possession of Firearms by Enslaved Persons at Kingsley Plantation, FL

Summary

Kingsley Plantation, in Duval County, Florida, is located on a tranquil island that has seen many dynamic eras in its past. Fort George Island’s largest slave owner was Zephaniah Kingsley, the slave trading Africaphile that owned the plantation in the early nineteenth century. Recent excavations of the slave quarters at Kingsley Plantation have revealed the presence of firearms of various types in every domestic context investigated. These weapons were of the most up-to-date technology available and in a variety of sizes, suggesting a purpose beyond the hunting of game animals. This paper will present the archaeological evidence of firearms at Kingsley Plantation and explore the social and political settings and circumstances that led Zephaniah Kingsley to arm his slaves.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Enslavement and the Black Diaspora   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2014

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): SYM-73,04