My name is Allison and I am an intern with the Legacy of Slavery in Maryland research department! I have been working with David, who previously posted, specifically about our efforts to transcribe and contextualize some of the massive Poplar Grove Collection in order to make suggestions about slavery on the Eastern Shore, particularly in the 19th century.
I am also a graduate student at University of Maryland, Baltimore County, finishing up my Master's thesis and graduating in May. I have tried to utilize the Poplar Grove collection throughout my thesis, specifically looking at records from John Tilghman and Thomas Emory. It has been a rewarding experience...although the sheer size of the Poplar Grove Collection has kept my research limited.
Ultimately my research and thesis illuminate how Queen Anne's County residents understood the institution of slavery and how they felt about the growing free black population in the wake of Nat Turner's Rebellion. Most whites in Maryland were in shock at the possibility of slave uprising and in 1832 the Maryland Legislature took measures to restrict free blacks' rights. They also supported funding for the Maryland State Colonization Society, which embraced the cause of removing free blacks from the state.
Through analysis of one document in particular--the petition of Queen Anne's County Residents to the MD General Assembly--from February 1832, my study reveals that slaveowners fought for the right to manumit their slaves. But, I also explore how the rhetoric they used mirrors rhetoric used in proslavery arguments from states further South. It seems counter-intuitive that slaveowners would want to manumit their slaves--right? They are in support of slavery...they want to keep slave labor relevant and thriving! But once you read the petition found in the Poplar Grove collection, you see their reasoning more clearly.
Most of the men who signed the petition were slaveowners and they did not like the idea of government intervention in the decisions they made as slaveowners. In the petition they maintain that manumissions will keep labor cheap or free. They occasionally throw in some religious reasoning and they also purport that the "hope of emancipation" keeps slaves from rebelling. Thus, they clearly defend their right to manumit; they consciously used manumission as an effort to control their slaves.
All in all, the document is a marvelous find and I am thankful to the archivists who salvaged it! I defend my thesis this month and will be publishing it through ProQuest Dissertations & Theses. Hopefully I will be able to post a link to the pdf of it at a later date, I'd love for all of you to check it out!
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7 comments:
Good work. There is so much fascinating history that people are either ignorant about or don't ever mention. This type of work is really important because it illuminates our past as Americans.
There's a few films coming out this year that are about slavery as well. Quentin Tarantino is directing a movie about slavery called "Django Unchained" starring Jaimee Foxx and Leonardo Dicaprio.
There's also a movie coming out about Nat Turner's rebellion of 1831 called "Nat Turner Unchained". The Nat Turner movie is going to be gruesome! No holds barred.
Thanks for the comment! I appreciate it! I also think these sorts of investigations and documents are crucial to our understandings of American history, particularly when it deals with the institution of slavery.
I am definitely looking forward to the two films you mentioned, particularly the Nat Turner one.
Nice article, thanks for the information.
This is my families farm :)
is it too late to leave a comment? my friends family lived at poplar grove for many years. She has a book called The Diary of a Maryland Planter Written on a visit to England in 1837 by Gen Thomas Emory. Are you interested in learning about it some more?
I was able to visit the Poplar Grove farm last week. I am so interested in finding out if any documents were ever found related to Emory’s in Delaware. My family descends from the Delaware and Maryland Emory’s. A reply would be appreciated. I am in awe of the work that was undertaken by so many people to catalogue the papers from the farm. Sincerely Deb
Hello Gizzy: Your note above from March 19, 2017 is the first I have ever heard about 'The Diary of a Maryland Planter' by Thomas Emory. He was my g-g-g-g grandfather and I would be over the moon if you can provide me with a copy.
I have a great deal of information about the family and other books written by family members and I woud be happy to share if they interest you.
My phone number is 314-814-1014 and my email address is: rtemory7187@gmail.com
It would be wonderful to hear from you. With sincere thanks,
Richard Tilghman Emory
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