Collections : [College of William and Mary]

Collection contains a certificate, certified by the State of New York, for a 24 year old Black American mariner, Christopher Bracey. The document includes Bracey's place of birth in Norfolk, Virginia and a physical description of Bracey. The document states that Bracey was a "Freeman and citizen of the United States of America and entitled to be respected accordingly".

Includes printed and manuscript material written in Spanish and originating from Spain and Spanish-speaking countries in North America and South America. The collection is currently being processed and new items will be added on an ongoing basis. For this reason, the indicated date range is approximate at this point. This collection has multiple creators, which have not been indexed at this time.

Four letters from the Letters sent from the offices of the Consulado de S. M. Catolica en Jamaica to the Capitan General de la Isla de Cuba. They were written by consular officers Antonio Brosa and Carlos Duquesnay. Brosa and Duquesnay report on "disorder" and "disruptions" they attribute to enslaved people and "los emancipados."

Letter to Richmond, Virginia slave traders Davis, Deupree and Co., from Virginia physician Conway Davies Whittle inquiring about the rates of sale of 24 enslaved persons owned by Whittle. Age, gender, complexion, and skills are mentioned to describe the enslaved people.

A 10 page estate account inventory record by Daniel Payne, the executor of Lawrence Washington's estate, Wakefield Plantation in Westmoreland Co., VA. The inventory names 18 enslaved people. 3 unnamed enslaved children are also listed. Also included is a postcard with an image of Wakefield.

Collection contains a single letter from D.H. London of Richmond, Virginia to Alex Montgomery, of Lynchburg, Virginia. The contents concern the rental of an enslaved male who works as a cooper. A cooper is a skilled artisan who makes and repairs wooden staved vessels, such as barrels, casks, vats, buckets, and tubs. Historically, cooper's were essential for transporting and storing goods such as water, wine, whiskey, and oil.

Two page document written in Spanish of an agreement to purchase two enslaved persons in the colony of Peru in 1561. Included in the agreement are illustrations of the unique identifying brands on the legs of the two individuals.

This oral history collection encompasses interviews that tell the story of the Bray School, the first extant building dedicated to the education of free and enslaved black children in the United States. The William & Mary Bray School Lab, part of the Williamsburg Bray School Initiative, has been researching and promoting the history of the Bray School and its legacy. Part of this work has entailed conducting oral histories with descendants of Bray School students and those researching or interpreting the Bray School's legacy.

Beaumont's journal details his transatlantic voyage from England to the United States, with stops in New York and finally Richmond, Virginia. Accompanied by his brother William, Beaumont gives a detailed account of his journey. He describes extreme seasickness (pg. 2-3); surviving through an Atlantic Ocean hurricane (pg. 3); the abundant marine life, including whales, sharks, cod, and other large fish; information sharing with other passing ships; confusion about their ship's exact location (pg. 5-6); as well as a detailed narrative of his journey up the James River (pg. 13-21).

A one page letter with a cover sheet from a plantation in Jamaica that mentions a strike. Signed, but the name is hard to make out. Most likely James Townson, but "Thomas" is written in the lower left.