AUCTIONS
In Frederic Bancroft’s book, Slave Trading in the Old South, he explained the buying and selling of slaves. Selling and buying slaves was considered a business. City residents generally were very interested in attending public auctions. Slave traders who lived in the city were listed in public directories (Bancroft 1996, 96). Slaves were often advertised the same way we see advertisements for homes and cars. The slave auction document often listed the names of general agents, brokers, commission merchants and auctioneers. Slaves were viewed as commodities. Slaves advertisements could be seen all over the city of Charleston, especially in places were large crowds of people were known to congregate.
The buying and selling was done in areas of downtown. The following streets were well known selling points: Broad Street, Chalmers Street, Queen Street, and Meeting Street. The Custom House and The Old Exchange buildings were also selling points. The Old Slave Mart, also known as Ryan’s Mart, located on Chalmers Street was one of the main selling points for slaves. Chalmers Street is a cobblestone street located off Meeting Street. Several of the slave auctions that we will examine were held at Ryan’s Mart. The City of Charleston purchased the slave mart in 1975. It will be opened as museum. The name of it is The Old Slave Mart Museum. Nearly all of the buying and selling was done in this small section of the city. The Old Exchange Building at the foot of Broad Street was the place were thousands of Africans and slaves were displayed for prospective buyers to see the quality of their potential purchases. “Negroes were displayed individually and in groups at the front of the building as auctioneers, planters, traders and curious onlookers watched” (Bancroft 1996, 164-166). At the end of the 1850’s, Charleston surpassed Richmond as a selling market. On page 175 of Bancroft’s book, he lists the names of Charleston traders, auctioneers and brokers from 1859 to 1860. (Bancroft 1996, 175).
Many of the slave auctions that we will examine include lists of qualifications and a disease that the slaves may have had. Many of the slaves were stripped naked for prospective buyers to inspect for signs of diseases and scars. “Slaves were inspected at Ryan’s Nigger Jail on Queen Street or The Charleston Jail on Magazine Street” (Bancroft 1996, 178).
PRICES FOR SLAVES
As the practice of slavery grew, so did the price of slaves. Prices were comparative. Slaves labeled as "superior" commanded between $1000 and $1200 at auction (Bancroft 1996, 177).
Many families were sold and separated during slave auctions. Some slaves were sold in lots others were sold individually. Slave women in good health were sold for $300 to $500. Healthy young male slaves were sold for about $100 to $1500. Children of slaves sold for $150 to $200 (Black History 2004).
NAMING OF SLAVES
Slave masters usually gave names to their slaves. Many of the given slave names were contained on the slave auctions. Slave parents generally named their own children. Many times, this right or privilege was taken away from them. Eugene Genovese writes in Roll, Jordan, Roll that on patriarchal plantations, "oftentimes there were large numbers who were given pompous, classical or comical names" (Genovese 1974, 447). Many slave parents resisted these comical names. The slave auction lists contained these types of names less frequently.
Many of the names that seemed strange or ridiculous to whites had African origins. Many Africans would name a child after a day of the week or the month of birth. South Carolina slaves rarely gave up this practice. “For example, a slave with the name Quack would be taken by whites unfamiliar with the name would interpret it to be in bad taste or the punishment of some slave master” (Genovese 1974, 448). The real meaning of Quack is derived from Quaco in African, which means a male child born on Wednesday. A girl named Squash probably got the name from Quashee, which means a female born on Sunday. Cuffe is common name seen in the slave auction documents. The origins of Cuffe are African also. It means an African born on a Friday.
Over time, Africans anglicized many of the names in their own unique way. So a person unfamiliar with the naming of slaves and the origin of slave names may look at an auction list of names and conclude or assume that many of the names are nonsensical or comical but in all actuality, they are deeply rooted in African culture and tradition. |
