Black Rhode Islanders

Last will and testament, August 1735

Sale of real estate to settle debts, August 1747

Petition regarding the purchase of unsound negro girl, June 1755

Petition of negro woman to sell real estate, June 1763

Petition regarding the enticement of negro woman away from owner, June 1765

Petition regarding the purchase and sale of disobedient negro woman and child out of state, November 1781

Manumission of Peter Venter, August 1785

Petition for compensation for slave who enlisted in state service in 1778 during the War, January 1790

Petition regarding the losses as a result of Negro Man who enlisted in the State Service in 1778, January 1790

Petition of abolitionist Voluntary Society for Charter of Incorporation, June 1790

Petition of owner for compensation after slave enlisted in state service in 1778 during the War, February 1793

Memorial on American Convention on Abolition of Slavery, June 1825

Petition of the Colored people for relief against taxes, January 1831

Petition and Act of the Providence African Society for Mutual Relief, June 1833

Petition of Abolitionists for use of Courthouse, June 1836

Memorial Regarding the Abolition of Slavery (Town Samples), January 1838

Memorial Remonstrance against resolution of Congress relative to anti-slavery petitions, January 1838

Petition of the Kent County Young Men's Anti-Slavery Society relating to the Resolution of Congress, January 1838

Petition That Their Property May Be Taxed, June 1841

Petition to abolish distinction of color, January 1844

Memorial to amend constitution to prohibit slavery in all states, June 1844

Petition of Freewill Baptist Antislavery Society for Charter, February 1857

Accounts of negro slaves enlisted into Continental Battalions, 1778

Act allowing slaves to enlist in the Continental Battalion, February 1778

Act allowing slaves to enlist in the Continental Battalion, February 1778

Act authorizing that person may not be taken out of the state without consent, October 1779

Act concerning runaway slaves: No ferryman/boatman shall carry away slaves without certificate, October 1714

Act forbidding forced covenant bond, 1652

Act incorporating the Society for abolishing Slavery, June 1790

Act repealing Part of the Act respecting the Manumission of Slaves, October 1785

Act that T. Johnson be delivered to his master, October 1803

Acts related to the Manumission of Slaves, June 1767

An Act Authorizing the Manumission of Negroes and the gradual abolition of Slavery (Draft), December 1783

Rhode Island passed the earliest law prohibiting “perpetual servitude” in 1652. The law was largely ignored, leading to the passage of additional laws in the 18th century. This law states that people born after March 1784 will not be “servants for life or slaves.”

An Act for laying a Duty on Negro Slaves that shall be Imported into this Colony, February 1711

An Act for the more speedy tryal of such Negro and Indians as shall be found Purloining and Stealing, September 9, 1718

An Act in addition to an Act for Freeing Slaves, February 1755

An Act in Amendment of Chapter 149 of the General Statutes  Of Marriage, January 1881

An Act in amendment of the "An Act relative to Slaves, and their Manumission and Support", March 5, 1804

An Act prohibiting the importation of negros into this Colony, November 1775

An Act relating to freeing Molatto and Negro slaves, 1728

An Act respecting equal access to public schools, January 1866

An Act to prevent Persons keeping House in this Colony, from entertaining Indians, Negros or Mulattos Servants or Slaves, 1750