9/14/99
Ancestral Digs Conference Room
The Genealogy Forum at America On Line
9:PM Eastern Time.
Louisiana Research
GFS Angela:
GOOD EVENING EVERYONE!!!!
\Welcome to a special event this evening.
Our formal presentation will begin in about 4 minutes.
we are all excited about hearing about the work of Dr. Hall.
GHall1929:
Hello. Happy to be here. Thanks for the invite
GFS Alva:
Hello Dr. Hall, Welcome !
GFS VKN:
Hello Dr Hall !!!
DebbienVA:
Good evening Dr. Hall
Selma's computer is not working, so she will be on the phone with
me, and I will transmit Selma is on the phone, and says to tell
Dr. Hall, who she met at the Slavery Conf, hello
GHall1929:
Hi, Selma. The conference at Williamsburg?
DebbienVA: Yes, she met you there
.
GHall1929:
Hello, hello, delighted to be here
Thanks for inviting me*
GFS Angela:
I think we are almost ready to begin our presentation for the
evening.We are most fortunate to have a special visitor among us.
Some of you especially those of you who research
Colonial Louisiana, and St. Domingue
may already be familiar with her work.
We are fortunate to have among us
he creator of an amazing new CD about
to be released to the public in October.
In advance of that event Dr. Gwen Hall has
agreed to come and to visit our chat room to
speak about her research.
GFS Alva will tell you a few things about Dr. Hall.
Afterwards I shall ask a few questions to her,
and then we shall open the floor for any questions
that you may have as researchers.
GFS Alva----the floor is yours.
GFS Alva:
It is my very great privilege and pleasure to introduce
Professor Gwendolyn Midlo Hall !!!!!
Dr. Hall is a graduate of Tulane, and rec'd her Masters from
he University of the Americas, and doctorate from Univ of
Michigan.
She has taught and lectured at several universities, most recently
at Rutgers in N. Jersey.
Most probably the most familiar book of hers to our group
of researchers is: Africans in Colonial Louisiana: Development of
Afro-Creole Culture in the 18th Century".
But she has several other books that we should sample, such as:
"Social Control in Slave Plantation Societies- A Comparison of
St. Domingue and Cuba" !!
Dr. Hall has a brand new CD of Louisiana slaves coming out
with almost 100,000 names of slaves!
A number of African "nations" will be listed as a point of origin
for some of these slaves, and many arrived in Louisiana from the
East Coast! Time period covered is 1719-1820!!!
This CD will be of inestimable value to researchers.
She also has a new book coming out in 2000!! which we are looking
forward to.
Please welcome WARMLY..... Dr. Gwen Hall.
...
GFS Angela:
Thank you Alva!!!
GHall1929:
Correction - there are about 104,000 records, almost all of
them with names of slaves linked to names of masters,
And almost 10,000 give the African ethnicity of the slaves.
It is very early, so it will take a lot of research for
researchers to go back that far
But it is the only way to link with specific African nations.
GFS Angela:
Dr. Hall before we begin,
I have a few questions that I would
like to ask you directly before we
open the floor to the room
for direct questions.
GFS Angela:
1. You have a fascinating background in history having
written a book on Africans in Colonial Louisiana.
How did this interest develop?
GHall1929:
I was born in New Orleans in 1929
Grew up during the Great Depression
My father was the only lawyer in the state
Who would accept police brutality complaints by black folks
I spent my childhood hearing all about it
And was horrified by the environment of those days
And I thought maybe studying history could help me understand
What was going on around me
I didn't like the history I was being taught
So I decided to study and write my own.
When I was studying the Pointe Coupee conspiracy testimony
I saw that some of the slaves testifying had
Identified their African nations
So I started to look at other documents in the courthouse in
Pointe Coupee Parish And found a lot of African nations identified
And African names as well
So I created this database about 15 years ago
And have been expanding it and developing it ever since.*
GFS Angela:
You began to collect the names for the CD years ago?
How long did the process actually take to compile the data?
GHall1929:
Yes. Began in 1984. And part of this went into
Africans in Colonial LA. It took 15 years,
including at least 6 years full time work for me
And I had some help from research assistants while I had a grant
From the National Endowment for the Humanities
It was a massive project*
GFS Angela:
As a professional you are a historian more than a genealogist.
When did you see the genealogical value of the data?
GHall1929:
I'm not really a genealogist
But I worked at the Mormon Branch Library while researching
Africans in Colonial Louisiana
And realized how dedicated genealogists are
I usually found a lot more genealogists in historical archives
and in courthouses than historians
And I've learned to respect genealogists*
GFS Angela:
How many persons worked with you to compile the data?
Or was this a lone venture?
GHall1929:
One Tulane graduate student, Phil MacLeod
Worked on the project for about 3 years full time
He is now Latin American bibliographer
At the Latin American Library at Tulane
There were others who worked for shorter periods of time
Greg Osborne came from Los Angeles when the NEH project started
And he worked full time on it for about a year
He now works at the Louisiana Room of the New Orleans Public
Library. He is a walking encyclopedia of free people of color under
slavery in Louisiana
I sometimes had a hard time getting him to stop researching his
own family On my time
But I really appreciate his dedication.
He is a very active and knowledgeable genealogist
Ulysse Ricard worked for most of a full year on the project
When it started. He was also a dedicated genealogist
And a brilliant linguist. He and I were the only ones
Who could read both the French and the Spanish documents
He was given a year's leave of absence from the Amistad Research
Center, where he was chief archivist.
Unfortunately, he got very sick almost as soon as the project
started And he died 2 years later.
He was almost blind throughout that whole first year
It was tragic: a brilliant young man
The CD is dedicated to his memory
GHall1929:
There were a few other researchers who worked for shorter periods
Mabel Macias, a Cuban-American, worked for almost a year
And she did excellent work.
There were 2 other people who each worked for a few weeks
Over the summers
The vast majority of the documents were in French
Many others were in Spanish And the rest in English
Last spring I translated all the comments, skills, illnesses,
etc. into English so the database can be read easily*
GFS Angela:
How far back in Louisiana history do your records extend?
GHall1929:
They begin with 1719.
Those are all Atlantic Slave Trade ships
And do not have names of slaves, only the numbers of slaves
on each voyage, where it came from
And sometimes age categories like child or adult, and gender.
Then by 1723 we have some slaves recorded in civil documents
Like sales, testimony of slaves in court cases
And estate inventories.
About one-third were slaves listed on estate inventories
There are over 1,000 records about runaway slaves
And 575 testimony by slaves
Most of the documents are sales or individual slaves
Or groups of slaves
And over 4,000 are emancipations of slaves
Masters are listed for inventories
Sellers and buyers are listed as well
As are family relationships among slaves
The database covers all parishes of Louisiana which existed
Through 1820.
There is a map on the CD so you can locate these parishes.*
GFS Angela:
Were private collections used and was there any resistance
from anyone in your use of this information?
GHall1929:
No. They were all public documents
Found in archives, but mainly in courthouses
Throughout the state.
The greatest resistance was an arson fire.
In the courthouse in Pointe Coupee.
After Africans in Colonial Louisiana came out
Because it showed the level of racial passing
Among "white" families.
But fortunately the Mormons had all the documents
On microfilm, anyway.*
GFS Angela:
One final question---an important one----
When and where can the CD be purchased and for how much?
GHall1929:
The easiest way is on Amazon.com.
Type in my name under author
And you can order it
.
GFS Angela:
What is the official title?
GHall1929:
Databases for the Study of Afro-Louisiana History & Genealogy
It costs $45.
I insisted on a low price
So people could afford to buy it and play with it
To find their ancestors.
But it will be used by scholars, too
Because there is a lot of information in there.
For linguists as well as for historians.
I did all the technical work myself
I got support for the research
From the French and the Spanish Ministries of Culture
Because they were very interested in the documents in
the United States in their languages.
So that's why I could keep the price down.*
GFS Angela:
I am sure that many people have questions. We shall allow our
members to ask question.
Please indicate your question with the symbol "?"
....and all comments please indicate with the symbol
" ! " You will be called in order.
GFS Alva will monitor the queue.
DebbienVA:
(These are Selma's questions.)
How can you use your CD with the Transatlantic Slave Trade
database?
Are the slaves directly from Africa or by way of other slaving
countries?
GHall1929:
I have an article coming out
Which links my database with the Atlantic Slave Trade Database
Comparing origins shown on this database.
And my own research about Atlantic slave trade voyages to
Louisiana
With the "nations" of slaves listed in Louisiana documents.
Over time and place.
The African slaves were almost all directly from Africa
But for those who spent some time elsewhere
There is a field called VIA
Which shows where they came from after Africa and before
Louisiana
If they actually lived elsewhere
Almost all the slaves transshipped from the Caribbean
Had just arrived from Africa
It shows origins from the English states as well
And the few who were born in the Caribbean
It shows which island.*
Bradld:
Will the CD give first names, surnames and ages?
GHall1929:
Yes, it has first, last names, genders, ages, and status
EG., there is a field that shows
If there was a free person of African descent
Involved as master, buyer, seller, or the deceased
In probate documents.*
Aadancer2:
Was the Pointe Coupee conspiracy the fire you mentioned?"
GHall1929:
The fire was of the beautiful colonial documents
GHall1929: Bound in books.
they were so badly charred
That no one is allowed to touch them
It included the Pointe Coupee Conspiracy documents
But I have a xerox of them.
At my collection at the Amistad Research Center.
There are databases and spreadsheets
By Paul LaChance and by Jeffrey & Virginia Gould as well
On the CD
LaChance has censuses, mainly from the French period.
Gould has Pensacola and Mobile censuses as well
I have the 1778 Census databased for New orleans
Which I databased directly in the Archives in Seville
From the original manuscript census.*
DebbienVA:
Selma wants to know how many slaves were imported to LA between
1719-1820?
GHall1929:
We have to guess -
There are over 8,000 slaves on the database
Who arrived via Atlantic slave trade voyages,
And about 2500 thru transshipment from the Caribbean,
But there had to be more than that.
We simply don't have all the documents
Besides, there was a lot of smuggling in of Africans
After the African slave trade was outlawed.
This is a problem in historical demography
Which we are talking about, but no clear solution is available.*
GFS VKN:
Dr. Hall what are the Nations of origin of the 10,000 identified
ethnics ?
GHall1929:
The main ones were" Bambara, Mandinga, Fulbe, Moor, Wolof
Kisi, Canga, Fon (Dahomey), Mina (from Togo), Konkomba (Bight of
Benin), Hausa, Yoruba, Congo, and Makua
There were many other "nations" but in very small numbers.
Usually only one or two.
I have a list of numbers and percentages.
Of Africans of various nations. In an HTML file
Which I can send out over the web.
With all the names of slaves and masters, buyers, sellers, freers.*
GFS Angela:
Let me note that the data will be available soon on the WEB.
VKN has received the file.
Aadancer2:
Do you know of anyone doing your type of work in the Caribbean?
And thanks for answering.
GHall1929:
There is work done in Cuba
But I don't think it has been databased.
There is a Costa Rican historian, Rima Caceres
Who is helping organize some Caribbean and Latin American
projects. She will be at the conference at Howard University
This Friday and Saturday where I will be speaking
And we expect to start scheming.
About standardizing the databases being developed
In Latin America and the Caribbean.*
CREATVCNCP:
Valencia and others, this demonstrates why I am going after a
grant. It really helps to have funding to help with the research
and resources.
Dr. Hall, Someone mentioned earlier that you had written
a book on social structures of Slavery on
Carribean plantations. Do you draw any parallels between
those and the "caste system" on
antebellum plantations in Deep South???
GHall1929:
I made a few remarks at the end of the book
That's a big question
And a very interesting one.
Which I can't go into here.
CREATVCNCP:
It's a big issue! :-)
GHall1929:
But a lot was implied in the book you mentioned
Which discusses how slave systems changed over time
Depending on prevailing conditions
And the impact of the slaves themselves
Rather than the way the history is usually dealt with.
Assuming that all power was in the hands of the masters.
And the slave system depended entirely upon their benevolence.
Especially I argued against the myth.
That the Spanish slave system was mild.*
Rostew:
Do you have an estimate of the numbers of Africans who left
Louisana and went to other states
GHall1929:
That's a little late for the time I researched.
Most slaves were coming into Louisiana from the East Coast.
And some of them were being shipped out to Miss & AL as well as
upstate and northwest LA during that time.
I do have a field (as you might guess) which shows
Where the master they were sold to lived.
and where the seller lived as well.
But that is, of course, only partial information.
GFS VKN:
Dr. Hall in summary what do you identify as your most
significant findings?
GHall1929:
African "nations" of origin and their clustering by time,
place and language group. I'll send you a copy of my essay
when it is finished.
GFS Angela:
Why don't we formally end the Q & A and thank Dr. Hall
while we can do so with full enthusiasm.
I am sure that she will remain
to take further questions.
Thank you so very very much
or visiting our chat, Dr. Hall!!!
I mentioned to a colleague that I don't even
research Louisiana and I intend to purchase the CD.
GHall1929:
Surely, one of your ancestors was from LA
If you go far back enough. Right?*
Rostew:
This will surely inspire us all to renew the search for the African
ancestor.
CREATVCNCP:
Mine were more like AOG (All Over GA), Dr. Hall! :-)
Rostew:
Look... we must all purchase the CD, then utilize the method
and collect data from our own localities.
GHall1929:
Hi, Rostew! I remember our great times in Chicago a few years
back.Tell all my friends there hello.*
Rostew:
It's great to "see" you again, GHALL!!!
I will do so
GFS VKN: applause Applause!!!
GFS Angela: thank you thank you thank you!!!
GFS Angela: clap clap clap clap clap !!!!!!!!!!!!!
GFS Alva: clap clap clap clap clap..... this was WONDERFUL !!
DebbienVA: CLAP!! CLAP!! CLAP!! CLAP!!!!!!!!
JazzyG4202: {{{{{{{APPLAUSE!!!}}}}}}
GFS Marol: Absolutely Wonderful!
JArrin1056: Thanks!
Otey50: Presentation was thoroughly enjoyed!!
Rostew: Clap Clap Clap Clap !!!!!!!!!!! Clap.!!!!!1
GFHVee: CLAP!! CLAP!! CLAP!! CLAP!!!CLAP!! CLAP!! CLAP!! CLAP!!!!!!!!
GFS Angela: fantastic presentation!!!!!!!!!!!
MaryT73352: Thank you!!
GHall1929: Thanks all of you. I really enjoyed it.*
DParmerwoo:
Can we get a copy of the chat? Signed in late!
GFS Angela:
no problem DParmerwoo. We shall post the interview
in a future newsletter!!!
DebbienVA:
Dr. Hall, what are your future research plans?
GHall1929:
Finishing an article called "Africans After the Atlantic Slave
Trade:Randomized, Fragmented, or Clustered?" which argues for
continuity of African communities
From calculations on the database.
DebbienVA: Where will it be published?
GHall1929:
I have a book under contact with Univ. of NC Press.
GFS Alva:
Dr. Hall, Can you tell us a little about your upcoming book?
GHall1929:
Called Race & Ethnicity, Slavery & Freedom: a Comparison of
French, Spanish, and Early American LA (1719-1820).
But I'm speaking a lot these days and I need to stop doing this
So I can finish the book.
Now that the database is finished
hope to have the next book done soon
then in about a decade, maybe I can retire from retirement!*
GFS Angela:
Oh no, never retire, your work is much needed!!!
GHall1929:
It will cover all of Louisiana through 1820
And uses the database a lot.*
Otey50:
Dr. Hall, any presentations planned for Nashville, TN?
GHall1929: NO.
Rostew:
But we need to hear you too...
...
GFS Alva: Los Angeles ?
GHall1929: NO
DebbienVA: Will you come to Virginia--like William & Mary first?
MNHWMAS: San Diego ?
GFS Angela: or Baltimore?
GFS Angela: And where will you be in DC?
GHall1929:
NO PLANS. I'm staying at the Holiday Inn Downtown and speaking
at Howard Univ. This Friday morning.
HJones4963: Where will you be appearing in the coming months, in order.
GHall1929:
I'm then speaking in Baton Rouge, then New York City, then
Toronto, then New Orleans at Dillard Univer by mid-November.*
CREATVCNCP:
Dr. Hall, you mentioned your father and his impact upon you at
the beginning of the chat.
Would you describe him as sort of an Atticus Finch in
"To Kill A Mockingbird?"
GHall1929:
I guess there are some parallels with Atticus Finch and my
father.
CREATVCNCP:
t appears that he gave you a strong social conscience!
GHall1929:
Yes, he did. It runs in the family, right Haywood?
I think my son, Dr. Haywood Hall, is in this chat.
MNHWMAS:
Dr Hall I recently found a possible family connection to the 1811
Slave Revolt in Louisiana.
would you have any information about the slaves that participated.
GHall1929:
All those involved in this revolt are recorded in the CD
GFS Angela:
Well Folks...
the hour is winding down unfortunately.
We have had an incredible evening.
We shall bring this session to a formal close.
As you know we will be here
next week same time, same station.....
you are all welcome to stay and chat....
but I am sure that our presenter
must be worn from all of that typing, too.
We cannot tell you how much
your presence here is appreciated.
Moreover, THANK YOU for the dedication to this
5 year effort and for sharing it with the world.
Many descendants will be forever appreciative of your work.
GFS VKN: Thanx so much again and again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DebbienVA: Thank you, thank you, thank you
GFS Alva: this has been truly wonderful !!! thank you Dr. Hall
Rostew: Yes, thank you for that great presentation.
GFS Angela: Dr. Hall thank you again!!!!!
GHall1929:
Thank all of you. It was great!!!
Yall are doing a great job!!!
DebbienVA: This was absolutely wonderful. Thank you so much. This will be
topped off with Gordon-Reed and Ira Berlin this weekend.
GFS Alva: WOW.... what a week !!
GFS Angela: Debbie, where are they speaking?
DebbienVA: It doesn't get any better than this. Sorry about not being at
Howard U
DebbienVA: they're at the Mariner's Museum
GFS Alva: Good luck to all you guys in harm's way...hurricane...
GFS Alva: will say some prayers for you!
GFS VKN: Yes do take care!!!!!!
GFS Angela: Good night to everyone.
GFS Angela: Thanks for coming.
GFS Angela: Our formal event has closed.
GFS Angela: Have a good evening Dr. Hall.
GHall1929: GOOD EVENING TO ALL OF YOU>AND THANKS AGAIN!!!
GFS Angela: Logs closed.
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