Free African Americans were required by law to depart the Commonwealth
within one year.

Gene Betit
Ph. D., Georgetown University Summer 1977

On Fri, May 27, 2022 at 10:51 AM Karen Sutton <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Greetings all,
>
> Please take a moment to read this paragraph, and let me know what you
> think. It is a quotation from a Northumberland County, VA Order Book.
> Question: Please tell me what this entry says to you? Do you think the free
> blacks wanted to leave or were forced to leave?
>
> “October 14, 1850”
> It appearing to this court by satisfactory evidence that there are a number
> of free negroes about to removed from this county out of the commonwealth
> of Va. at their own coast and whence by our making appropriations for the
> removal of free persons of color and for other purposes passed the 11th.
> March 1850 which -------- directs that it shall be the duty of the county
> and cooperating courts to charge the legal tax for the seal of the court
> and ---- of every copy of registration by them to every free negro and to
> acco. (accommodate) with the auditor of such tax being to raise a fund for
> the remova1 of free negroes out of this Commonwealth. Therefore the court
> dot direct its clerk: not to charge the tax aforesaid to any free negro who
> obtains his papers for the purpose of removing out of the Commonwealth at
> his or her own costs."
>
> Thanks.
>
> --
>
> Stay Safe and Well!
>
>
> Karen E. Sutton
>
>
> Karen E. Sutton, Ph.D.
>
> Class of Fall 2021
>
> Dept of History/Geography, Museum
>
> Studies and Historic Preservation
>
> Morgan State University
>
> 1700 E. Cold Spring Lane
>
> Baltimore, MD  21251
>
> [log in to unmask]
>
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