Tracing Health Outcomes of Africans Who Were Enslaved in North Florida, Pre- and Post-Emancipation

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Florida stands as a unique case study due to being one of the few states to include Africans who were enslaved in the mortality schedules during the 1800s. The historical backdrop of Northern Florida’s settlement and its deep rooted ties to the institution of slavery sets the stage for a rich examination of pre- and post-emancipation treatment of non-white residents. This study provides a cursory analysis of health outcomes in North Florida, focusing on the difference between Africans who were enslaved and their white contemporaries from the period surrounding the Civil War. Using the mortality schedules obtained from the Florida State Archives, this research explores historical data trends in order to illuminate the health trends surrounding the abolition of slavery in the region. This study approaches the available data with a critical perspective, understanding that challenges and biases inherent historical record-keeping must be considered. Additional research into newspaper articles and other historical sources are used to provide context for the individuals under study. By cross-referencing these records with other documented proof of death, I aim to construct a comprehensive picture of pre and post-emancipation health outcomes, highlighting the enduring impacts of slavery on the well-being of African-Americans in North Florida.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 40471.0