Slave Neighborhoods

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Dr. Anthony E. Kaye (1962-2017) in his book “Joining Places, Slave Neighborhoods in the Old South”, gave definitions of the various types of personal intimate relationships that occurred during the time of enslavement. “…The ties of kinship, religion, work, sociability and struggle defined each neighborhood. Slaves from nearby plantations formed close relationships with one another. Slaves joined together in celebration... Dances; religious services; Christmas; prayer meetings; AND WEDDINGS! Slaves had their own definitions of courtship, which are remarkably similar to the dating rituals of today...” Finding a mate for life was difficult during slavery time; however, by creating their own neighborhoods men and women could meet people from outside their group. “The Natchez District had been divided into five counties: Wilkinson, Adams, Jefferson, Claiborne and Warren. As cotton production boomed, the slave population grew! In 1830, slaves outnumbered the rest of the population by two to one and continued to grow over the next four decades. The division of counties meant nothing to the slaves as they began to establish their own "neighborhoods" within the slave population. The definition of the term "neighborhood" …show more content…

His decision was made as a business decision. Slave women were expected to marry by 13 or 14 and produce at least 4 or 5 children by the age of 20. Slaves should be prolific and to grow the slave population for the slave master. Pension files of those men from Poplar Hill that served during the Civil War revealed information about various relationships. Couple separation and extremely young marriages (as young as 12 or 13) were documented in the military pension records of those men who served during the Civil War. The marriage of Philip Ceeny and Letty Holland was one of the documented early marriages on Poplar Hill. Philip was sold to Scott along with Delaney in

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