Today in History–March 3–the Library of Congress features the largest recorded slave auction in U.S. history, began on this date in 1859. Referred to as "The Weeping Time", the two-day auction of 436 men, women, and children formerly held by Pierce M. Butler was held pay off Butler's financial losses from the crash of 1857-58 as well as his gambling debts. A journalist's account, What Became of the Slaves on a Georgia Plantation?, includes vivid descriptions of the auction and many of … [Read more...]
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Today in History: Slave Auction
Filed Under: Primary Source Picks Tagged With: 03 03, 12 years a slave, 30 years a slave, antebellum, charles thompson, frances ann kemble, georgia, journal, Louis Hughes, march, march 3, newspaper articles, personal narratives, peter randolph, pierce m. butler, plantation, savannah, slave, slave auction, slave life, slavery, solomon northrup, TH, thirty years a slave, today in history, twelve years a slave, weeping time
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