Runaway Slave Announcement
I found this article about a runaway Slave from Trujillo Bajo that appeared in 1847.
Slavery; History and Resources
Slavery is an integral part of our history that goes back to the time of the colonization of Puerto Rico. Many who have ancestors from Puerto Rico may descend from an enslaved person and may not know it. However, with the popularity of DNA testing, many are discovering their connection to Africa. Although it is known that we are a mix of Europeans, Africans, and Indigenous Natives. Of course, there are exceptions to this. It depends on how far back you have traced your family tree. If your ancestors have been residing in Puerto since the 18th century, I am sure there is a Pardo or Enslaved ancestor in your tree.
I have not found an African Slave, although I show a percentage of African ethnicity. I have my suspicions, but unfortunately, the records I need to review are missing or do not exist. So sadly, I may never know which ancestor descends from Africa. The ancestor in question would have most likely married an Indigenous line, as I show a few lines that are Pardos. But I am not sure of that.
To understand all of this, you need to know the history of the slave trade, especially as it pertains to the Caribbean. That will be a part of this section of my website as I collect more content. But going back to my African Ethnicity results, my results are below.
- When you see the breakdown of your ethnicities, you will see a percentage are from Africa. Here is mine from Ancestry.com.
Resources Available
This list will continue to grow as I collect relevant information about the history of slavery in Puerto Rico. The below links will take you to various historical content on slavery in Puerto Rico, transcriptions, and slave schedules. Good luck!
- Freedom and how the Enslaved Obtained it
- 1872 Slave Schedule for Puerto Rico by District
- Enslaved Registry Census 1868 to 1873 (Coming soon)
- Enslaved Residents of Puerto Rico; 1868 to 1873
- Puerto Rican Family Records Volume: Slaves and their descendants
- Puerto Rican Civil Court Documents Collection, Box 1, Folder 1, 1844-1845.
- The collection consists of civil court case records from the Appellate Court “Corte de Primera Instancia” and some verbal trials “juicios verbales.”