LA Slave Database 1

Running Head: Louisiana Slave Database

Project

The Louisiana Slave Database

Eboni S. Austin

Social Work 300

Ms. McArthur

March 20, 2010

Sex of Louisiana Slaves

Source: The Louisiana Slave Database

DESCRIPTIVE: The above graph displays the percentage of the gender of the slaves. There

were an extremely high percentage of female slaves. The female population is represented by

62.0%. The male slave population was almost half of the female population. 37.2% of the slave

population was males. Among the slave population were a few slaves whose sex was not

identified. These slaves constituted for .8% of the graph.

INTERPRETIVE: Slavery was a time period that was filled with hardships and pain. Many

families were destroyed during this time. Slaves were used to do various tasks. The sex of the

slave was important because it determined the duties they were given. The number of females

was high because they were more useful for housework, taking care of the mater’s children and

picking cotton. The males’ number might have been low because some may have tried to

runaway or lynched because of defiance.

Age Groups of Louisiana Slaves

Source: The Louisiana Slave Database

DESCRIPTIVE: The graph above is the age groups of the slaves. 25% of the slaves’ ages were

missing. 15% were 0-4 years and 7% were 5-9. 4% of the slaves fell into the age groups of 10-

14, 15-19, 25-29 and 45-49. 5% of the slaves were 20-24, 9% were 30-34 and 6% were 40-44.

There were few slaves who were 55-64. Only 2% of the slaves were 55-59 and 3% were 60-64.

INTERPRETIVE: The slaves’ age was very important. The younger slaves were capable of

performing more duties than the older slaves. The younger slaves were taught a trade and the

slave masters were able to receive more labor out of the young worker. Middle age workers may

have done housework, blacksmiths, cotton pickers, etc. The older workers were considered

useless. Often times, the older workers would be released or killed. The slave masters did not

want to keep someone that were not able to perform the required duties. The older slaves were

victims to diseases and the slave masters did not want to care for them. Many slaves were not

educated, therefore, they did not know their age. This could explain the high percentage of

missing ages.
 LA Slave Database 4

Race of Louisiana Slaves

Source:
Source:The
TheLouisiana
LouisianaSlave
SlaveDatabase
Database

DESCRIPTIVE: There were other races, besides black, who were slaves. The graph above

shows the percentages of other races of slaves. There is a very low percent of slaves who race

was missing, with a percent of 7%. About 5% of the slaves were grif, 2% Indian and less than

one percent of the slaves were metis (white and Indian). 53% of the slaves were Black and 31%

were mulatto. 5% of the slaves were quadroon.

INTERPRETIVE: The slave population was a mixture of slaves. The graph shows that the

slaves were taken from other places and sold to slave masters in Louisiana. This mixture caused

children to have a number of ethnic backgrounds. Often times, there would be discrimination

among the slaves who were not fully black. The slaves who were lighter may have been favored

by the slave masters. Also, the mixed children were evident that the slave master might have had

an affair with a slave.

Race of the Louisiana Slaves’ Master

Source: The Louisiana Slave Database

DESCRIPTIVE: Slaves were owned by wealthy individuals who purchased them. These

individuals’ race is listed in the graph above. The graph also shows that slave masters were not

only white. The races of the slave masters were grif, Indian, Black, Mulatto, Quadroon, Other,

Missing and White. The majority of slave owners were white. 84% of the slave owners were

white. The percentages of the other races were extremely low. Only 7% of the slave masters in

Louisiana were Black.

INTERPRETIVE: The individuals who typically owned slaves were White males. They were

wealthy and were able to afford to buy as many slaves as they needed. It may come as a surprise

to others that there were slave owner who were Black. Though it was a very small percentage of

Black slave masters, many may have been shocked to discover that Blacks owned slaves and that

the Black slave masters enslaved their own people. These slaves that were bought by the slave

masters were put to work to perform various tasks on the slave master’s land.
 LA Slave Database 6

Origin of Louisiana Slaves

Source: The Louisiana Slave Database

DESCRIPTIVE: All of the slaves who were put to work on the slave master’s land did not

originate from Louisiana. The graph provides the origin of the Louisiana slaves. The areas that

were highlighted were Creoles, Africans, Caribbean, Anglo, Indians, Other and Unidentified.

41% of the slaves were Creoles. 4% of slaves were Africans, approximately 1% was Caribbean

and Indians, less than 1% of slaves were either Anglo or other. 53% of slaves were unidentified.

INTERPRETIVE: The graph gives an understanding that all of the Louisiana slaves were

originally from somewhere else. Slaves were sold to slave masters. Most of the slaves’ origin

was unidentified. After purchasing a slave, the slave master may have not cared on where the

slave came from. These slaves were taken from their native land in order to provide cheap labor

to their slave master.

Louisiana Slaves with White Fathers

Source: The Louisiana Slave Database

DESCRIPTIVE: The graph above is those slaves who had white fathers. There was an

extremely high rate of missing cases. 80% of the slave fathers were missing. 6% of the slaves’

fathers were certainly to be white. Then, it was a 14% chance that the slaves’ father could

probably be white. The white man that helped fathered the child could only been the white slave

master.

INTERPRETIVE: Female slaves had to endure sexual assault from their White slave master.

Often times, the female would become pregnant. There may have not been a doctor that was

willing to give a Black woman an abortion, therefore, she had to keep the baby. The rate of

missing cases may be high because the White slave masters may have tried to cover up the affair

they had with the female slave. Once the child is born and he or she is extremely light, the slave

master’s wife may discover the infidelity. The next issue that is presented is the treatment of the

new baby.
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Summary and Conclusion:

Slavery made its mark in history by being a time filled with hardships and death. Slaves

were taken from other countries and states and sold to wealthy slave owners. Slaves were used to

do a number of tasks on the slave masters’ land. Females’ jobs were in the house or on the fields.

Males learned trades in order to assist the slave owners. Males were considered the aggressive

slaves. They received the most beatings and it was very few of them in Louisiana. Often times,

they were beaten, raped, lynched and over worked. They did not have any rights according to the

slave master. They could not learn to read or write, therefore, they would sneak to learn it on

their own. The Louisiana Slave Database provided data that was used to see how many male and

female slaves were in Louisiana, their age and race, and origin. It also provided the slave

master’s race and whether the slaves had a white father.

The Louisiana Slave Database provided information about the slaves in Louisiana. The

female population is represented by 62.0%. The male slave population was almost half of the

female population. 37.2% of the slave population was males. Among the slave population were a

few slaves whose sex was not identified. These slaves constituted for .8% of the graph. 25% of

the slaves’ ages were missing. 15% were 0-4 years and 7% were 5-9. 4% of the slaves fell into

the age groups of 10-14, 15-19, 25-29 and 45-49. 5% of the slaves were 20-24, 9% were 30-34

and 6% were 40-44. There were few slaves who were 55-64. Only 2% of the slaves were 55-59

and 3% were 60-64. Many slaves were not educated, therefore, they did not know their age. This

could explain the high percentage of missing ages. The races of the slave masters were grif,

Indian, Black, Mulatto, Quadroon, Other, Missing and White. The majority of slave owners were

white. 84% of the slave owners were white. The percentages of the other races were extremely

low. Only 7% of the slave masters in Louisiana were Black. Slaves originated from various
 LA Slave Database 9

backgrounds such as Creoles, Africans, Caribbean, Anglo, Indians, Other and Unidentified. 41%

of the slaves were Creoles. 4% of slaves were Africans, approximately 1% was Caribbean and

Indians, less than 1% of slaves were either Anglo or other. 53% of slaves were unidentified.

80% of the slave fathers were missing. 6% of the slaves’ fathers were certainly to be white.

Then, it was a 14% chance that the slaves’ father could probably be white. The white man that

helped fathered the child could only been the white slave master. All of these percentages are

evidences about the slaves in Louisiana.

MAP: Kenya
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