Thomas Jefferson - Slaves and Slavery

Slaves and Slavery

Thomas Jefferson lived in a Virginia planter society economically dependent on slavery. Although a slaveowner, he believed slavery harmful to both slave and master. His views on the institution of slavery and African slaves are complex; many historians have regarded Jefferson as a foe of slavery, while many others disagree.

Jefferson was opposed to slavery during his youth, a conviction that became greater as he got older. In his initial draft of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson denounced the British government's role in the international slave trade, which he opposed as inhumane. Although he proposed abolishing slavery in all territories to the west after 1800 in his draft of the North West Ordinance of 1784, that provision was stricken by Congress. Neither was slavery prohibited by the 1803 Louisiana Purchase treaty.

Although Jefferson hoped to see the end of slavery, he did not wish to challenge the Virginia culture that relied on slave labor to cultivate tobacco and grain. During his lawyer years, he took on cases involving slavery and on one occasion refused to defend an overseer who whipped a slave to death. He drafted the Virginia law of 1778 prohibiting the importation of enslaved Africans. In the mid-1770s he drafted and proposed a plan of gradual emancipation whereby all slaves born after a certain date would be emancipated. Expansion of slavery was to be limited to only descendants of female slaves until the age of 25, after which they would become free. The bill was not passed; Jefferson favored an amendment. In 1807, Congress passed and Jefferson signed into law a bill prohibiting the transatlantic slave trade beginning on the first day of 1808, the earliest date permitted by the Constitution.

Although opposed to the international slave trade, Jefferson took part in the domestic slave trade. He seldom bought slaves but frequently sold them. After returning from France, he sold fifty slaves to pay the debts he had incurred there. He inherited slaves from both his father, Peter, and his wife's father, John Wayles. Over the course of his life, he owned some 600 slaves, requiring about 130 at any one time to work at Monticello.

Jefferson avoided violence in regard to slavery. In 1800, 27 African American slaves were hanged for conspiracy in Gabriel's Rebellion. Jefferson claimed the hangings were "revenge" while noting the strong public sentiment "that there has been hanging enough". Concerned over public reaction and the slaves' safety, Jefferson attempted to deport the remaining rebellious slaves to Sierra Leone, however they were denied entrance. In 1820, Jefferson opposed the Missouri Compromise, believing that an attempt to limit slavery would lead to war.

Slaves performed in many capacities and carried out most of the activities on Jefferson's plantations. These included agriculture, domestic duties, and textile manufacture. Many slaves were highly skilled in cabinetry and carpentry, blacksmithing and gunsmithing and were often paid extra for such work. At Monticello, Jefferson acted as a patriarch and considered his slaves, whom he referred to as 'servants', part of his 'extended family'. Some slaves, particularly the Hemings family, interacted closely with Jefferson's family.

Jefferson felt a moral obligation and a duty to protect and provide well for his slaves. He provided them with 20 by 12 foot log cabins, each having a fireplace, a sleeping loft and an earthen floor. Jefferson provided clothing to slaves every summer and winter while also providing household goods such as blankets, beds, cooking ware, and other household items. Slaves were allowed to have their own poultry yard and fruit and vegetable gardens which they managed during their spare time. Slaves were also given Sundays, Christmas and Easter off. Children of slaves began working at the age of 10; the girls would spin wool or flax while the boys made nails in Jefferson's nailery. From 16 years of age slave children would either work in the fields or learn a trade. Although slaves could not legally marry, enduring unions were common at Monticello, as it was Jefferson's practice to keep family units together. Slave couples with children were sometimes given their own cabin.

Though there are accounts of whippings by overseers, Jefferson would not allow his slaves to be whipped except as a last resort, and then only on the arms and legs, preferring to penalize the lazy and reward the industrious. According to testimony of slaves and overseers, whippings were rare and administered only for stealing, fighting, or other exceptional cases. Jefferson would not overwork his slaves, expecting them to work no harder than free farmers.

Knowing that the threat of family separation was a strong deterrent, Jefferson's policy with regard to captured runaway slaves was to sell them. He strongly discouraged the use of excessive physical force by his overseers. In his 'Notes on the State of Virginia' he expressed a "strong suspicion" that the Negro was inferior to whites in both the endowments of body and mind.

Jefferson freed two slaves of the Hemings family by manumission and allowed two of Sally Hemings's children, widely believed by historians to be his, to leave the Monticello estate without formal manumission when they came of age; five other slaves, including two more Hemings children, were freed by his will upon his death. Many historians maintain Jefferson's debt prevented him from freeing his slaves; however, many other historians disagree.