Black Litigants in the Antebellum American South

By Kimberly M. Welch,

Book cover of Black Litigants in the Antebellum American South

Book description

In the antebellum Natchez district, in the heart of slave country, black people sued white people in all-white courtrooms. They sued to enforce the terms of their contracts, recover unpaid debts, recuperate back wages, and claim damages for assault. They sued in conflicts over property and personal status. And they…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Black Litigants in the Antebellum American South as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Black people, enslaved and free, sued whites in court in Mississippi and Louisiana, and sometimes they won. 

Welch researched hundreds of documents in some archives off the beaten path. She discovered a hitherto unknown chapter of African American life which changes our perspective on the legal system. 

I felt inspired by the courage and resilience of the litigants. 

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