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

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