Black Pearls of Genealogy

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Slave Ships and Manifest

Slave ship manifests from the 1800s are rich historical documents that provide a detailed account of the transatlantic slave trade, a tragic and significant chapter in human history. These manifests, which were essentially pre-printed fill-in-the-blank forms, included comprehensive information about the ships, voyages, enslaved individuals, and the logistics of the trade.

  • Ship and Voyage Details: Manifests contained specific details about the ship, including its name, the captain’s name, and the ports of departure and arrival.

They also noted the dates when the customs collector certified these details.

  • Regulations Compliance: Following the 1807 Act that outlawed the slave trade, strict regulations were imposed on the transportation of slaves. Ships over 40 tons were required to provide detailed manifests to customs officials, including information about each enslaved individual on board. This compliance with legal requirements was a critical aspect of these manifests​​.

  • Description of Enslaved Individuals: Manifests provided detailed descriptions of each enslaved person, including their name, age, sex, height, and skin color, which was often described using terms like black, brown, yellow, tawney, dark, or copper. This information gives insights into the demographics of the enslaved population, including their ages, which ranged from infants to individuals in their forties​​​​.

  • Ownership and Destination Information: The manifests included the name and residence of each enslaved person’s owner or shipper. They also indicated whether the individuals were being transported for sale, service, or labor, providing a glimpse into the economic and social aspects of the slave trade​​.

Extensive Data Collection: The Slave Voyages website, which compiles data from these manifests, details over 36,000 slave trading voyages between Africa and the New World, along with 11,400 intra-American voyages. This database includes information on approximately 92,000 Africans forced into these journeys. It is the result of decades of research, drawing upon data from libraries and archives across the Atlantic world, and offers interactive features for analysis, including maps and 3-D animations. These manifests are not just historical records; they represent the lives and experiences of hundreds of thousands of individuals. They serve as a stark reminder of the human cost of the transatlantic slave trade and provide essential data for understanding this period. The detailed information they contain continues to be a vital resource for historians, genealogists, and descendants seeking to trace their ancestry and understand the broader impact of slavery.
SlaveVoyages

Locating Slave Ship Manifests Online

It's worth noting that while slave ship manifests are important resources, they are not always complete or accurate. Many enslaved individuals were treated as commodities rather than individuals, and records may have been intentionally manipulated or lost over time. Nonetheless, these documents play a crucial role in helping people piece together their ancestral stories and connect with their heritage.