Stolen Relations

Collaborative project yields new digital archive on hidden history of Indigenous enslavement Stolen Relations, a public database set to launch on Saturday, May 10, reveals the stories of thousands of Native people forced into servitude across the Americas.

Collaborative project yields new digital archive on hidden history of Indigenous enslavement — 'News from Brown' reports on Stolen Relations, a public database that reveals the stories of thousands of Native people forced into servitude across the Americas.

(3/3) Stolen Relations’ records show that Robert Powell enslaved a minimum of five other Indigenous people of ambiguous geographic origins: Kate, Andrew, Tabitha, George, and Cate. Source: Bermuda under the Sommer Islands Company, 1612-1684, edited by A. C. Hollis Hallett.

(2/3) No geographic origin was provided for Populo, but by 1670, there was a 40-year tradition (stemming from the War for Connecticut, or the Pequot War) of abducting Native people from what would become the United States in militia raids and transporting them to the Caribbean to be sold.

(1/3) Today marks 355 years since an Indigenous man named Populo was sold by Charles Hayward, a ship commander from London, to Robert Powell, a cooper from the Sommer Islands. Populo’s servitude was described as limited in time, but he would not survive another 99 years to see freedom.

Scottish friends of @stolenrelations.bsky.social will be interested in this event!

A runaway newspaper advertisement for freedom seekers Toney and Jack from an 18th century newspaper.

Black and Native peoples lived side by side in slavery on Long Island, New York. And on occasion they also sought freedom together. Read the story of Toney and Jack written by Freedom Seeker intern and Beinecke scholar Amanda Grant, here:
freedom-seekers.org/story/toney-...

(3/3) If you have a digital humanities project that you would like to be listed on this page, please email us at stolenrelations@brown.edu to tell us about it!

(2/3) Five categories of related projects are currently provided on the Stolen Relations website: Boarding Schools, Indigenous History and Culture, Indigenous Language, Land, and Slavery. If you have interest in any of these subjects, please consider checking out these projects to learn more!

(1/3) Stolen Relations is proud to be related with and connected to many other academic projects centering on experiences of Indigeneity and unfreedom. Under Related Websites and Projects on stolenrelations.org/related-webs..., a selection of these projects are linked.

1821, July 24.—A sambo man named William Clarke, belonging to Fathog quarter estate, the property of Sir Simon Haughton Clarke, residing in England, appeared before the Justices and demanded his freedom, stating himself to be the descendant of an American Indian woman; and his claim being investigated by the Justices, it appeared by evidence that he was not the descendant of such Indian woman, and that he had no claim whatsoever to his freedom; he was recommended to return to his master's property, where it is supposed he still remains.

(3/3) One cannot be certain that he was Native, but it would be unjust to prioritize the call of the court (which would have likely been made of other wealthy, slave-owning men) over William’s word about his own history. Returns relating to Slave Population in W. Indies, Berbice and Demerara, 482.

(2/3) He stated that he was “the descendent of an American Indian woman.” Matrilineal Indigeneity would have legally entitled him to his freedom. However, the courts denied his claim of ancestry so he did not receive his legal freedom. He was “recommended” to return to Clarke’s estate.

(1/3) Yesterday marked 204 years since a man named William Clarke appeared in court to attempt to receive emancipation from Sir Simon Haughton Clarke’s Fathog quarter estate in Jamaica. He was described in outdated language by the court as Black and Multiracial.

(2/2) For insights on the research process behind Stolen Relations, the development of the project into its modern form, and how people today have interacted with this history through this project, please feel free to watch our recording of the launch symposium.

(1/2) A new blog post has been published on the Stolen Relations blog at stolenrelations.org/blog/stolen-relations-launch-symposium-summary-pictures-and-videos/! With photos and videos of the May launch symposium included in this post, the content from this symposium is now available to all.

(3/3) The essays highlighted within the Learn tab are written from a non-academic perspective to show the wide variety of experiences connected to Indigenous slavery, servitude, and survival. stolenrelations.org/essays/

(2/3) Two of these essays, “A Brief History of Indigenous Enslavement and Servitude” and Indigenous Freedom Suits and the Problem of the Law” were written specifically for the project. These essays allow for better understanding of the scope of Stolen Relations and the primary sources it utilizes.

(1/3) In addition to being a site through which primary sources are made available, Stolen Relations also acts as a repository for essays about subjects related to Indigenous unfreedom, including broad overviews; specific forms of unfreedom; freedom and emancipation; and reconnection and resilience.

(3/3) It is unclear whether this increased reward resulted in Fanny being forced to return to enslavement or whether she remained liminally free. Source: Freedom on the Move. The Daily Picayune, June 30, 1854.

(2/3) The date of her departure was not provided. Originally offering $25 for the return of Fanny, Swailer paid for the ad to be reprinted five times (July 2, 11, 13, 14, and 17) before she doubled the potential reward and paid for two final reprints (July 25 and 26).

(1/3) As of three days from now, 171 years will have passed since an enslaved girl named Fanny’s self-emancipation from Julia Swailer in Gretna, LA, was advertised. Fanny was noted to have been previously known as “Indian Fanny,” but the paper provided no tribal affiliation.

(3/3) Under Get Involved! on stolenrelations.org, please find directions for applying to join the team as a research affiliate, high school or college intern, educational partner, institutional collaborator, or tribal collaborator. We look forward to hearing from you!

(2/3) As Stolen Relations continues to tell these stories, we are always accepting new researchers and contributors. Individuals with relevant documents are always encouraged to email us at stolenrelations@brown.edu.

Stolen Relations: Recovering Stories of Indigenous Enslavement in the Americas Stolen Relations seeks to recover stories of Indigenous slavery in the Americas. The website has a database as well as a map, timeline, interviews, and curricular materials.

(1/3) Stolen Relations has been launched for a month! Thanks to the hard work of hundreds of partners and researchers, stolenrelations.org currently has records of upwards of 7,000 individuals and many pieces of art and storytelling that help to flesh out the stories of unfree Indigenous people.

(3/3) As was printed in many ads, other vessels were specifically warned to not offer Poheag transportation elsewhere. His place of origin is unclear but he was likely confined to Boston after emancipating himself. Source: America’s Historical Newspapers. Boston Post-Boy, June 22, 1772.

(2/3) Schooner packets were often used for transporting cargo and passengers. This means that either George Poheag was forced to travel on the ship, likely away from home or family, or that he was involved in the maritime trade with Daniel Folger and made regular journeys on board the ship.

(1/3) Three days ago marks 253 years since George Poheag, an Indigenous child referred to as a “servant boy” made the choice to emancipate himself from Daniel Folger, from on board the “Schooner Packet” at Long Wharf, Boston. George Poheag, at the time of his self-emancipation, was between 13 and 14

Collaborative project yields new digital archive on hidden history of Indigenous enslavement Stolen Relations, a public database set to launch on Saturday, May 10, reveals the stories of thousands of Native people forced into servitude across the Americas.

Collaborative project yields new digital archive on hidden history of Indigenous enslavement — 'News from Brown' reports on Stolen Relations, a public database that reveals the stories of thousands of Native people forced into servitude across the Americas.

A new website illuminates the history of Indigenous enslavement in New England Historians at Brown University and Tribal members from across New England are launching a project they hope will bring awareness to the historic enslavement of Indigenous people in North America.

Historians at Brown University and Tribal members from across New England are launching a project they hope will bring awareness to the historic enslavement of Indigenous people in North America.

(3/3) The timeline continues past the formal end of slavery in the United States due to legacies of unfreedom and the continued resilience of Indigenous communities, through movements like the American Indian Movement and more recently, the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women movement.

(2/3) Spanning from pre-contact times, to the French, Spanish, and British colonial eras, to the American colonial era up to the present day, the timeline attempts to provide an abbreviated list of events relating to Indigenous slavery and servitude.