Children in the Slave Trade
Advertisement for Sale of Newly Arrived Africans, Charleston, July 24, 1769 [Advertisement]
Annotation
This image is of an advertisement for a nearly equal number of adults and children from Sierra Leone at a Charleston Auction. This image is important for several reasons, namely because one should see what an auction advertisement looks like, but also because the number of boys and girls is nearly equal to that of the number of men and women imported. Other things that should be pointed out is the information given in an auction advertisement. The information given is meant to not only provide as much information as possible for buyers, but it is also an indicator of planter demand during the time of the auction. Lastly, the sketches of Africans on the advertisement are an indicator of how Africans are viewed at this time. Not only do the facial features of the Africans appear exaggerated and stereotypically 'African', but both figures are very muscular and imply that the Africans for sale are strong and physically fit. The artist was careful to include both adults and children in the sketches, so as to catch the eye of interested buyers looking to invest in younger slaves.
Source
Handler, Jerome S., and Michael L. Tuite, Jr. "Advertisement for Sale of Newly Arrived Africans, Charleston, July 24, 1769." <a class="external" href="http://hitchcock.itc.virginia.edu/Slavery/index.php">The Atlantic Slave Trade and Slave Trade in the Americas: A Visual Record</a>, <a class="external" href=http://hitchcock.itc.virginia.edu/Slavery/details.php?categorynum=6&categoryName=Slave%20Sales%20and%20Auctions:%20African%20Coast%20and%20the%20Americas&theRecord=69&recordCount=73>http://hitchcock.itc.virginia.edu/Slavery/details.php?categorynum=6&categoryName=Slave%20Sales%20and%20Auctions:%20African%20Coast%20and%20the%20Americas&theRecord=69&recordCount=73</a> (accessed July 3, 2008). Annotated by Colleen A. Vasconcellos.
How to Cite This Source
Colleen A. Vasconcellos, "Children in the Slave Trade," in Children and Youth in History, Item #141, https://cyh.rrchnm.org/items/show/141 (accessed August 10, 2021).
- Introduction
- Primary Sources
- The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano: Kidnapping [Excerpt]
- The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano: Slave Ship [Excerpt]
- The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano: Middle Passage [Excerpt]
- The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano: Slave Auction [Excerpt]
- The Dolben's Act of 1788 [Government Document]
- Request: Playden Onely to the Royal African Company, 1721 [Official Document]
- Advertisement for Sale of Newly Arrived Africans, Charleston, July 24, 1769 [Advertisement]
- Captured Africans Liberated from a Slaving Vessel, East Africa, 1884 [Image]
- Slave Coffle, Central Africa, 1861 [Image]
- A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture A Native of Africa, but Resident Above Sixty Years in the United States of America Related by Himself [Excerpt]
- Thoughts and Sentiments on the Evil of Slavery: Slave Coffle [Excerpt]
- Thoughts and Sentiments on the Evil of Slavery: Middle Passage [Excerpt]
- Children in the Slave Trade [Table]
- Teaching
- Resources
