In this day and age, newspapers rarely print fiction. Of course, there is the occasional magical story written by a third grade class that appears every once a week in the Arts and Entertainment section of the paper, but for the most part, fictional stories of real substance are not published in newspapers anymore. This was not the case in the 1800's. Appearing in The Valley Star each week was...
As the years passed, it seemed that more and more Americans became frustrated with the institution of slavery. But there were many in the South who dissented from this opinion, who held steadfast to the ideal that slavery was a just institution. E.W. Taylor was one of them. Taylor, who moved to Charleston from the North to become a slave owner, enjoyed the perks of ownership to the fullest extent....
One article had the headline, ABOLITION OF SLAVERY IN D.C., the other article, CASH FOR 400 NEGROES, the year was 1837. On January 10, 1837, the issues of slavery and abolition were weighing heavy on the minds of many Americans. The House of Representatives had accepted petitions and memorials on January 9. One of those was from Representative Adams of Massachusetts. His petition was signed by one...
Charles Ball was born in Calvert County, Maryland and was a slave for the biggest part of his life. His narrative starts with telling the reader about his early childhood life and the hardships of staying a family. He stresses to the reader that though many claimed the evils of slavery were getting easier during the times when laws protecting slaves started to come about, but it was in fact the...
On February 28, 1837, almost a week before the inauguration of the new president Martin Van Buren, The Globe, a Washington D.C. newspaper, reflected upon the Presidency of Andrew Jackson and expressed the thanks of the nation for his service. The newspaper editors found a supreme example of gratitude in the people of Albemarle County who had recently appointed a committee to invite the...
On December 19, 1836, Philo, an anonymous member of the Norfolk community, tried to spur popular support for the resettlement of blacks in Africa. He called both Christians and patriots to rally for a cause truly worthy of the friends of the African race. This plan, he said, was consistent with individual rights and the peace, happiness, and prosperity, of the free coloured race ... [and] promises...
It took nearly a month for news of the Battle of San Jacinto to reach the Norfolk newspapers. When it did, it was the main story of the day, labeled Important and Cheering News From Texas. Samuel Houston's Texan army had met with Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna's Mexican forces in a battle and had routed their opponents. Although the Texans attacked with only six hundred men against Santa Anna's...
Slave master John Lewis was stone dead. He was gone, but his 'property' still lived in western Virginia's Berkeley County. After he died, hiring out a slave named Charity on October 30, 1834 meant 15 in his family's pocket immediately. A remaining 82 was due to them later on account. Other slaves were also rented out. W. Russell paid out a sizable 70 for Pompey's labor, while...
Commonly referred to as the “Little Magician' of President Andrew Jackson, Van Buren was a Northern Democrat who did not own slaves. As such, his victory in the 1836 election was by no means inevitable; he was widely considered a compromising Yankee who could not be trusted to respect states' rights or slavery. Southern whites already felt greatly threatened by the perceived expansion...
When the mail arrived in Albemarle County on March 8, 1837, Thomas Jefferson Randolph may have been surprised to receive a letter from R. G. Nicholas informing him that he had been nominated and accepted as Com[missioner] for settling claims to reservations under the Choctaw Treaty. As a prominent gentleman from a well-established Virginian family, Randolph was a natural choice for the position...