A Guide to the History of Slavery in Maryland
At the end of the twentieth and the beginning of the twenty-first centuries, slavery and its legacy have gained a prominent place in the American consciousness. It has been the subject of numerous movies, TV documentaries, radio ex-positions, monuments, museum exhibits, as well as books, CDs, and websites. Its place in American culture has informed American politics, with presidential visits to slave factories on the west coast of Africa, congressional hearings, legislative apologies, lawsuits and, of course, the vexed matter of reparations. In such an environment, slavery and its role in Maryland’s history—as well as the state’s curricular mandate—demand that chattel bondage be addressed in classrooms and other forums. This Guide to the History of Slavery in Maryland provides a brief, but comprehensive, overview of the history of slavery in the state. Built upon the most recent scholarship, this Guide offers teachers and students a starting point with which to begin their own exploration of an institution that, in so many ways, has made their world.