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Stolen Relations

@stolenrelations.bsky.social

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Official Bluesky of Stolen Relations: Recovering Stories of Indigenous Enslavement in the Americas. Housed at the Brown Center for Digital Scholarship @browncds.bsky.social; PI Linford Fisher @linford.bsky.social. stolenrelations.org

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Stolen Relations @stolenrelations.bsky.social · Jun 23

(1/3) Stolen Relations has been launched for a month! Thanks to the hard work of hundreds of partners and researchers, stolenrelations.org currently has records of upwards of 7,000 individuals and many pieces of art and storytelling that help to flesh out the stories of unfree Indigenous people.

Stolen Relations: Recovering Stories of Indigenous Enslavement in the Americas

Stolen Relations seeks to recover stories of Indigenous slavery in the Americas. The website has a database as well as a map, timeline, interviews, and curricular materials.

stolenrelations.org

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Stolen Relations @stolenrelations.bsky.social · 1d

(3/3) Included in the LOC manuscript collection are the papers of the Federal Writers Project, a 1930s interview project of those who lived through enslavement. These papers notably consider enslavement from the perspective of enslaved people, rather than that of legal owners and masters.

An example of a document from the Library of Congress:
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MEMORIES OF UNCLE JACKSON
I was born in 1851, in the yard where my owner lived next door to the City Hall. I remember when they was finishin' up the City Hall. I also remember the foreman, Mr. James Walker, he was general manager. The overseen (overseer) was Mr. Keen. I remember all the bricklayers; they all was colored. The man that plastered the City Hall was named George Price, he plastered it inside. The men that plastered the City Hall outside and put those colum's up in the front, their names was Robert Finey and William Finey, they both was colored. Jim Art is now a contractor an' builder. He done a lot of work 'round Wilmin'ton.

Stolen Relations @stolenrelations.bsky.social · 1d

(2/3) Primarily concerning self-emancipations, sales, and captures of people, Chronicling America is unique for its geographical range. Including papers from the Southern and Western US as well as the non-contiguous states and territories, it shows the truly hemispheric nature of Native unfreedom.

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Stolen Relations @stolenrelations.bsky.social · 1d

(1/3) The Library of Congress, @librarycongress.bsky.social, which houses Chronicling America, a digital collection of American newspapers, and a manuscript collection, is another example of the range of sources used to find unfree Native people across the historical record.

#indigenoushistory

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Stolen Relations @stolenrelations.bsky.social · 8d

(3/3) Though no equivalent holiday exists in the United States, we ask you today to take a moment to remember the cultural violence also perpetuated by American boarding schools between the 1870s and late 1900s as part of a continued system of Indigenous unfreedom.

Stolen Relations @stolenrelations.bsky.social · 8d

(2/3) On Orange Shirt Day, it is important to recognize the way that centuries of enslavement and servitude of Indigenous people led to the residential school system, and the fact that the students of such schools were often exploited for their labor and stolen from their families and relations.

Stolen Relations @stolenrelations.bsky.social · 8d

(1/3) Orange Shirt Day, or the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, is a Canadian day of remembrance for the forced assimilation and cultural genocide experienced by Indigenous children in the Canadian boarding school system.

#orangeshirtday #indigenoushistory #boardingschools #history

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Stolen Relations @stolenrelations.bsky.social · 8d

(3/3) Specifically, Stolen Relations has worked with manuscripts of town hall minutes, correspondences, and especially, indenture and apprenticeship contracts, to understand the role of Rhode Island’s unfree Indigenous population in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Stolen Relations @stolenrelations.bsky.social · 8d

(2/3) Currently hosting more than 100,000 printed books and over 1,100 manuscript collections, the library tells the story of Rhode Island, emphasizing the role of individuals that have been repeatedly marginalized and ignored by earlier narratives of the state’s history.
www.rihs.org

The Rhode Island Historical Society – The Rhode Island Historical Society is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and sharing Rhode Island's history.

www.rihs.org

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Stolen Relations @stolenrelations.bsky.social · 8d

(1/3) The Rhode Island Historical Society, a historical society based in Providence, RI, which maintains the Mary Elizabeth Robinson Research Center, is another example of the range of sources used to find unfree Native people across the historical record.

#history #indigenoushistory #research

The Rhode Island Historical Society Mary Elizabeth Robinson Research Center, in Providence, Rhode Island

An example of a document from the Rhode Island Historical Society:
This Indenture made the [empty space] day of June In the yeare one thousand seven Hundred and fifteene wittnesseth that Bette Tientiahchu widow to the Late Deceased John Tientiahchu Indian and Inhabitant within the Township of Providence In the Colony of Road Island and said providence plantations Have by these presents put placed and Bound my Daughter Hannah Tientiahchu being a fatherlis Child as a servant with Martha Sheldon of the Town of providence and Colony of Road Island a fore said and as a servant with her the said Martha Sheldon to Dwell Her Heirs and Assigns from the day of the Date of these presents untill the said Hannah shall Come to be of the Age Eighteene yeares the said Hannah being at the time of the Insealing and Deliveri of these presents Come to be of the Age of ten [empty space] by and Durering all which time and terms the said Hannah shall Her said mistris Martha Sheldon well and faithfully serve In all such Lawfull business as the said Hannah shall be put unto according to her power will and ability and Honestly and obediently In all things shall Behave Her self towards her said mistirs: and orderly and Honestly towards all the family of the said Martha Sheldon: and the said Martha Sheldon for her part promiseth the said Hannah In the knowledg and occupation of House Hold work which she useth after the best manner that she Can or may coach or Instruct or Cause to be taught and Informed as much as there Unto Beloungeth or In any wise appertaineth and also Dureing all the said terme to find unto the said servant meat Drink Linnin woollen Hose shoose and other things needfull or meet for a servant and to Let the said Hannah have two sutes of apparriel at the End of said terme one for Holladaies and another for worke daies In witness where I have here unto set my Hand and seal the Day and yeare first above written

Signed sealed and Delivered

In the presence of ^^^^^

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Stolen Relations @stolenrelations.bsky.social · 12d

(3/3) Sampson’s self-emancipation and John’s departure were advertised two days later, in the hopes of returning Sampson to his Indenture and bringing John to justice for leaving the ship and aiding Sampson’s escape. Source: America’s Historical Newspapers. Newport Mercury, October 9, 1769.

RAN AWAY from the Subscriber, the 27th of this inst. Sept. from on board the sloop Dolphin, Sampson Ezekiel, a Mustee, indented servant, about 24 years of age, with curled black hair, sometimes tied up, his forehead shaved, a wellset fellow: Had on a dark homespun Jacket, no stockings, canvas shoes, and pinchback buckles, who plays well on the fiddle: And also one John Saunders, (an Indian) about the same age, a short, wellset fellow, pitted with the small-pox, who was shipped to go a whaling voyage on board said sloop, and received forty-five pounds to perform the same; which two fellows in the night, broke open two chests in said sloop, stole and carried away two checked shirts and one Keg of rum, and stole the boat. Whoever takes up and secures said Sampson, that he may be brought to justice, and the master receive him again, shall have five dollars reward, and four dollars reward for bringing the said John Saunders to justice and all necessary charges paid, by me

LILLIBRIDGE WORTH.

Newport, Sept. 29, 1769. [78]

Stolen Relations @stolenrelations.bsky.social · 12d

(2/3) They left the sloop during the night of September 27, taking with them shirts, a keg of rum, and a boat. This shared departure may reflect the shared experiences of two Native men and a level of comradery, in spite of the different categorizations imposed on them by Lillibridge Worth.

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Stolen Relations @stolenrelations.bsky.social · 12d

(1/3) Tomorrow marks 256 years since Sampson Ezekiel, a multi-racial Indigenous Indentured man, and John Saunders, an Indigenous wage laborer, escaped together from a sloop, in Newport, RI. In doing so, they ended Sampson’s unfreedom under Lillibridge Worth. At the time, they were both about 24.

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Stolen Relations @stolenrelations.bsky.social · 12d

California and Nevada have designated today as Native American Day, a holiday meant to celebrate the culture of Indigenous Americans and their role in American society. Though not a federal holiday, we ask you to offer this same appreciation to Native people nationally today and every day.

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Stolen Relations @stolenrelations.bsky.social · 19d

(3/3) The advertisement was published without any guess as to where Elles might have gone after his self-emancipation and never reprinted with or without additional information, making his fate unclear. Source: America’s Historical Newspapers. Boston News Letter, September 29, 1707.

Advertisements.

Ranaway from his Master, Samuel Wentworth of Boston Merchant, on Saturday the 20 Currant, An Indian Man, Servant, named John Elles, aged about 23 years, of low Stature, a round well favour’d face, short hair: Having on a round puffe and quilted Cap, a double breasted Kersey Jacket, and round toe’d Shoes; he was bred at Mr. Ebenezar Billings’s on the Road between Boston and Rhode-Island, and bought by his Master of Mr. Ephraim Pray. Whoever shall apprehend the said Servant, and him safely convey to his said Master, or give any true Intelligence of him, so as that he may have him again, shall be well rewarded, besides all necessary Charges paid.

Stolen Relations @stolenrelations.bsky.social · 19d

(2/3) Though the word “servant” typically refers to temporary unfreedom, Elles’ unfreedom had been purchased from Ephraim Pray. Before that, he was said to have been “bred” at the home of Ebenezar Billings in Southeastern MA, implying a family history of unfreedom.

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Stolen Relations @stolenrelations.bsky.social · 19d

(1/3) Tomorrow marks 318 years since a 23 year old Indigenous man named John Elles escaped servitude under Samuel Wentworth, a Merchant from Boston, MA. Wentworth offered a reward of an unclear amount to anyone who would recapture Elles or provide knowledge on his location leading to his capture.

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Reposted by Stolen Relations

Linford Fisher @linford.bsky.social · 21d

New York City folks -- come learn more about the @stolenrelations.bsky.social project at the Center for Brooklyn History / Brooklyn Public Library on October 20! Also streaming. www.bklynlibrary.org/calendar/cbh...

CBH Talk | Stolen Relations: Recovering the History of Native American Enslavement | Brooklyn Public Library

The Stolen Relations project is a tribally collaborative initiative to recover, interpret, and share with the public the long-hidden history of Native American enslavement. Developed over the past dec...

www.bklynlibrary.org

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Stolen Relations @stolenrelations.bsky.social · 22d

(3/3) Written from a range of perspectives, these documents housed at @jcblibrary.bsky.social tell the stories of a diverse collection of individuals involved in Indigenous slavery, servitude, and capture connected to a range of geographies.

Stolen Relations @stolenrelations.bsky.social · 22d

(2/3) Separated into research categories, the library provides resources for understanding “Slavery and its Legacy,” “Rhode Island Archival and Manuscript Collections,” “Indigenous Languages of the Americas,” and “European Views of the Americas,” in mixed digital and physical mediums.

Stolen Relations @stolenrelations.bsky.social · 22d

(1/3) The John Carter Brown Library @jcblibrary.bsky.social, a history and humanities-centered research library of rare books, manuscripts, maps, and other primary sources at Brown University, is another example of the range of sources used to find unfree Native people across the historical record.

The John Carter Brown Library, located at Brown University

An example of a source from the John Carter Brown Library

An example of a record found at the John Carter Brown Library

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Stolen Relations @stolenrelations.bsky.social · 26d

(3/3) Having been sold to other enslavers, relations with these individuals were likely severed once on Bermuda. Bermuda under the Sommer Islands Company, 1612-1684: Civil Records. Volume III, c. 1620-1684/5. Personal Deeds, Bonds, &c. of Settlers. Registered with the Secretary, page 310.

Memorandum: That upon this date Capt. Robert SEARLES, commander of the ship Port Royall of Jamaica, did then acknowledge to have received of Mr. Richard STAFFORD of Hm, full satisfaction in money and money’s worth for one Indian man called Po[pelo] of Popelo in the River of Somasenta, the said Indian, him the said Mr. STAFFORD or his assigns to serve the full term of ninety-nine years (if he the said Popelo shall so long live). In testimony of the truth of the premises I have hereunto set my hand the day and year above written. Henry TUCKER, Secretary.

Stolen Relations @stolenrelations.bsky.social · 26d

(2/3) Popelo’s enslavers named him for his geographic origins: the River of Somasenta or Popelo on the Yucatan Peninsula. Four days earlier, Searles had sold two other Native people, Whan Tomas and an unnamed man, to enslavers in the region. They were likely Popelo’s relations from before unfreedom.

Stolen Relations @stolenrelations.bsky.social · 26d

(1/3) Yesterday marks 357 years since an Indigenous man named Popelo was sold to Richard Stafford in Hamilton, Bermuda, by the commander of the Port Royall in Jamaica, Robert Searles, for the term of 99 years, or functionally, the rest of Popelo’s life.

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Stolen Relations @stolenrelations.bsky.social · Sep 9

(3/3) These records can be complicated to fully comprehend, as they are written from the perspective of an enslaver and as such, they often attempt to negate identity through practices including not using the names of unfree individuals and reracing them to erase Native identity.

Stolen Relations @stolenrelations.bsky.social · Sep 9

(2/3) Showing cases of self-emancipation, sale between legal owners, capture of self-emancipated enslaved individuals and prisoners in battles, and more, these records provide insight into the lives of unfree individuals in the British colonies and the United States.