Black History
1853 State of Mississippi Manuscript Slavery Document Account of a "Negro" Slave Auction of 36 Named Slaves!
February 21, 1853-Dated, Manuscript Document Regarding the “Report of Sale of Negroes... in front of the Capitol in the City of Jackson... proceed to Sell Thirty Six negroes... to the highest bidders...,” Selling for $31,661.00, Hinds County, Mississippi, Choice Very Fine.
February 21, 1853-Dated, Manuscript Legal Filed Official Document reporting one the “Report of Sale of Negroes... in front of the Capitol in the City of Jackson... proceed to Sell Thirty Six negroes... to the highest bidders...,” 4 pages, measuring 7.75” x 12.5”, State of Mississippi, Hinds County. This is an incredible authentic Slave Auction Document, one of the very best Black History and Slavery accounts of a "Negroe" Slave Auction disposing of an estate of 36 named Slaves, with the proceeds to pay outstanding debts due by the deceased Slave owner. Nicely written and easily readable in deep brown ink on pale blue lightly lined period wove legal size paper. and is docketed on the verso of the final page. Two sheets are secured along the top margin edge with salmon color silk ribbon. There are a couple of trivial fold edge splits not affecting text and a tiny 3mm ink burn hole at the center of the second page, touching some text.

An superb original inside look at the legally performed Slave Auction trade, showing the disposition and sale of 36 "Negroes" to the highest bidder at auction. It appears that attempts were actually made in this Auction to keep families together if possible. Even noted was the birth of a child, which occurred just after the Auction, and thereby also indicating that one of the Slaves was very Pregnant with child at the time of Auction. This documented report shows a detailed accounting, being listed by "Slave Name," Highest Bidder and Price Paid. The exacting detail with each individual Slave named and priced, throws the reader into the brutal reality of the period in the South and specifically in Jackson, Mississippi. Below is a partial transcript of the report of sale. A scarce, sobering accounting and insight at Slavery in pre-Civil War America:

"... of the estate of George Skipworth deceased- respectfully reports that by virtue of the order of this honorable court ... authorizing her to sell property of said state for the payment of debts described in her application ... in front of the capital of the City of Jackson in the County between the hours prescribed by law proceed to sell thirty six negroes belonging to said estate to the highest bidder, on a credit of ten months from the day of sale; and did then and there so expose for sale at public outcry the said Negroes until the same was fully concluded, for a full account of which said sale with the names of purchasers and the highest amounts bid for said negroes your executrix begs leave to refer your honor to the account of sales herewith filed and marked exhibit A .... amounting in an aggregate to the sum of $31,661.00". (The Auction Sales were also grouped together by family).