Black California, The Fugitive Slave, and the Compromise of 1850

Black California, The Fugitive Slave, and the Compromise of 1850

The history of slavery and sectional debate impacted the formation of California in a variety of ways. California’s admission into the Union and the Compromise of 1850 intensified the sectional conflict over slavery bringing the United States one step closer to Civil War. The hidden history of the slavery debate in the mid-19th century becomes visible in the very placement of California’s eastern border. Additionally, California becomes a central point in Black history as African Americans struggled to keep slavery out of California…and Black people in it.

Afro-Latin History on the Spanish Frontier: Danger and Opportunity

Afro-Latin History on the Spanish Frontier: Danger and Opportunity

In this episode, we explore how life was different for African Americans on the frontier. How those differences translate to both danger and opportunity for persons of African descent in the Spanish and English American territories, and the role Africans played in shaping what was to become the American frontier.