1997 LIBERIAN ELECTIONS RESULTS

Will Freed Slaves if They Emigrated to African Nation

A recently uncovered deed in the Roanoke County Courthouse reveals a previously untold story: a transfer not of property from one person to another, but a transfer of human “property” from slavery to freedom.

This deed can be summarized in a sentence: Malinda Walton Craig, a prominent and wealthy widow, offered to emancipate 13 of her slaves provided that they relocate to Liberia, West Africa. The text of the deed, dated November 2, 1857, and recorded in Deed Book F, pages 37-38, is reproduced here:

M. O. Craig’s Deed of Emancipation to Reuben Burks and others

Know all men by these presents that I, Malinda O. Craig of the County of Roanoke and State of Virginia, has manumitted, emancipated, and set free the following named slaves, together with the future increase of the females, to wit Reuben, called Reuben Burks and aged about 45 years; Patrick, called Patrick Leftwich, aged 41 years, Anthony Leftwich, brother of Patrick, aged about 29 years; Esther, called Esther Webster, aged about 45 and sister to Patrick and Anthony; Sam, called Sam Dill, aged about 29 years; Charles Dill, aged about 25 years; Elijah Dill, aged about 25 years; Jane Dill, aged about 23 years (the last four being children of Esther); Maria Jenkins, aged about 21 years, Sally Jenkins, aged about 19 years, Henry Jenkins, aged about 15 years; Emma Jenkins, aged about 11 years; and Wiatt Jenkins, aged about 8 years, the last five also children of Esther; all of the above named slaves being of a dark complexion. And I hereby declare the said Reuben and others named above to be entirely liberated from slavery and entitled to all the rights and privileges of free persons with which it is in my power to [grant?] them, but with the express understanding and on the condition that they and each of them are to emigrate to the Republic of Liberia in Africa for which purpose alone the deed of emancipation is executed, and to be void for all other purposes.

THE CONSTITUTION OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF LIBERIA

THE CONSTITUTION OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF LIBERIA Adopted by the Board of Directors of the American Colonization Society, January 5, 1839

Article XXIII.

The right of trial by jury, and the right of petition, shall be inviolate

Article XXVII.

The military shall at all times, and in all cases, be in subjection to the civil power

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