Here are some statutes regarding teaching slaves to read from June
Purcell Guild, _Black Laws of Virginia_, originally published in 1936
and reprinted in 1995 and 1996 by the Afro-American Historical Society
of Fauquier County, Virginia
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"1831. Chapter XXXIX. All meetings of free Negroes or mulattoes at any
school house, church, meeting house or other place for teaching them
reading or writing, either in the day or the night shall be considered
an unlawful assembly. Warrants shall direct any sworn officer to enter
and disperse such Negroes and inflict corporal punishment on the
offenders at the discretion of the justice, not exceeding twenty
lashes. Any white person assembling to instruct free Negroes to read or
write shall be fined not over $50.00, also be imprisoned not exceeding
two months.
"It is further enacted that if any white person for pay shall
assemble with any slaves for the purpose of teaching them to read or
write, he shall for each offense be fined, at the discretion of the
justice, $10.00-$100.00." (p. 176)
"1848. [Chapter X.] Section 39. Every assemblage of slaves or free
Negroes for religious worship, conducted by a slave or free Negro, and
every such assemblage for the purpose of instruction in reading or
writing by whomsoever conducted, and every such assemblage in the night
time under whatsoever pretext shall be unlawful, and the punishment of
any slave or free Negro not exceeding thirty-nine lashes." (p. 167)
The Criminal Code, Chapter 120, of 1848 reiterated the above and
further established that "Any white person assembling with slaves or
free Negroes for purpose of instructing them to read or write, or
associating with them in any unlawful assembly, shall be confined in
jail not exceeding six months and fined not exceeding $100.00. Any such
white person may be required to enter a recognizance with sufficient
security to appear for trial, and in the meantime to keep the peace and
be of good behavior." (p. 179)
Deborah A. Lee
Doctoral Candidate, Cultural Studies
George Mason University
Fairfax, Virginia 22030-4444
>A colleague asked me recently when it was that Virginia, either the
colony
>or
>the Commonwealth, made it "a formal policy to prevent teaching slaves
to
>read." I had thought such a statute was passed in the early 1830s, but
I
>find no evidence to support my impression. I looked in studies of
Virginia
>law and slavery, but did not find an answer to my question. Of course,
the
>statute prescribed punishment for those who taught the slaves;
therefore,
>it might not have been a part of the slave code at all.
>
>I hope someone can help. Thanks.
>
>James R. Sweeney
>Department of History
>Old Dominion University
>Norfolk, VA 23529
>
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