Louisianan Slave Database1

Running Head: Slave Database

Project #2

Louisiana Slave Database 1718-1820

Marvin Merriweather

Tuskegee University

October 19,2010
 Louisianan Slave Database2

Descriptive Paragraph: Given all the information collected from the Louisiana slave database

on sex of all respondents more than half of those apart of this study where male. A total of

56.43% of all respondents, where male. Unfortunately, the women where close with a total of

43.57% of the total respondents.

Interpretive Paragraph: Based on the information I have learned from African American

history classes the ratio of men to women that were slaves, men were always told outnumbered

the women due to their capability to do field work. The findings are based on slaves that were in

the Louisianan region therefore the type of work varied because of this.
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Descriptive Paragraph: Based on the given information from the Louisiana slave database there

were about seven different races that were slaves during this time. These races were made up of

Grif, Indian, Black, Mulatto, Quadroon, Octroon, and Metis. Of all the races that were slaves in

Louisiana at this time the number of black where high with 84.1% while 6.65% were missing.

The only other race that was prominent at the time were the mulatto.

Interpretive Paragraph: Given the data collected from the Louisianan slave database it is clear

that all of the slaves at the time where black, because of all people of color where discriminated

against. I firmly believe that this information might be fairly inaccurate due to the
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undereducated slaves. All slaves were considered black at this time no matter where they came

from.

Descriptive Paragraph: Based on the information collected from the Louisiana slave database,

it is clear to say that a high percentage of slaves tried to run away. The data shows that a total of

94.9% of slaves had tried to run away. While only 3.3% of slaves had consorted with runaways.

Finally only 1.8% of slaves complained about runaways.

Interpretive Paragraph: After reviewing that data on runaways apart of the Louisiana slave

database it clarifies a lot of misconceptions that I have on slaves. I was under the assumption that

most of the slaves did try or were successful in running away. It is a misconception that slaves
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were too scared to runaway due to disciplinary methods that were used. And only a low number

of respondents complained about runaways and there were a high number of “uncle toms” as

portrayed in movies.

Descriptive Paragraph: The origins, in which slaves originated from that were respondents of

the Louisiana region, came from Creole, Africans, Caribbean, Angio, and Indians. Based on the

information a total of 62.2% of those slaves in the Louisana area where undefined. About 24.2%

of all slaves where Africans and next to them Creoles where the third highest with 9.7%.
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Interpretive Paragraph: Even though the number of slaves where high it is clear to say only a

small percentage of slaves were of African descent. Next to that is the origin of creoles. I think

that the reason there is a high percentage of slaves that were undefined is because not a lot of

records where not kept on where the actual slaves originated from.
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Descriptive Paragraph: Based on the data collected in the Louisiana slave database the slaves

that were a part of the Louisiana region were from various regions of Africa. These regions

consisted of Senegambia, Sierra Leone, Gold Coast, Bright of Benin, Central Africa, and

Mozambique Nation. Majority of the slaves originated from Senegambia with 30.5% followed

by Central Africa with 18.7% and Bright of Benin with 15% of slaves coming from this region of

Africa

Interpretive Paragraph: Given all of the information collected from the Louisianan slave

database those people captured slaves from areas highly populated with Africans. I believe that

the reason they chose a lot these regions was because of the closeness to the sea and easy

transportation of the slaves. Finally the I believe the African region is high because no matter

what part of Africa they came from those who captured them did not document the actual place.
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Summary and Conclusion

After finally reviewing all data obtained in the Louisiana slave database it can clearly be

stated that the majority of the slave were of African descent. About fifty percent of all slaves

apart of the study were women and the other half were men. It is also clear that that the people

that were responsible for capturing slaves did not keep documentation of where the slaves came

from or either the information was lost in some way.

I think that the individuals whom collected and complied the data on the Louisianan

slaves did extensive research did a great job. I think that this information can be deemed valuable

because not only can it be used for historic reference it can also be used to help individuals trace

back their lineage s well as family origination. The Data collected also helps reveal the truth

about a lot of misconceptions of how slaves are portrayed in through the media. The information

obtained well help further the education and the struggle that our ancestors had to endure though

the years of slavery. Participating in this project has help me become more aware of my past and

I plan to look further into this information.

Louisianan Slave Database9
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Codebook

Graph 1: SEX
1 = female
2 = male
9 = sex is unidentified

Graph 2=RACE
01 = Grif (usually means mixed black/Indian)
02 = Indian
03 = Black

Graph 3= ORIGIN
1 = Creole
2 = African
3 = Caribbean
4 = Anglo
5 = Indian
6 = Other
7 = Unidentified

Graph4 =RUNAWAY
1 = Slave had actually run away.
2 = Slave had sheltered, hidden, and or traded with a runaway slave or slaves.
3 = Slave testified about runaways but was not a runaway and was not involved, or accused of
being involved with runaways.
04 = Mulatto
05 = Quadroon, Quarteron
06 = octoroon

Graph 5: AFREGION
1 = Senegambia
2 = Sierra Leone
3 = Gold Coast
4 = Bright of Benin
5 = Bright of Biafra
6 = Central Africa
7 = Mozambique
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8 = Nation Unidentified
9 = Africans Only

Syntax

DATASET ACTIVATE DataSet1.

GRAPH
/PIE=PCT BY sex
/TITLE="R's by Sex"
/SUBTITLE='Number of Respondents by sex'
/FOOTNOTE='Louisiana Slave Database' '1718-1820'.

GRAPH
/BAR(SIMPLE)=PCT BY race
/TITLE="R's by Race"
/SUBTITLE='Number of Respondents by Race'
/FOOTNOTE='Louisiana Slave Database' '1718-1820'.

GRAPH
/BAR(SIMPLE)=PCT BY runaway
/TITLE="R's by Runaway"
/SUBTITLE='Number of Respondents by Runaway'
/FOOTNOTE='Louisiana Slave Database' '1718-1820'.

GRAPH
/BAR(SIMPLE)=PCT BY origin
/TITLE="R's by Orgin"
/SUBTITLE='Number of Respondents by Orgin'
/FOOTNOTE='Louisiana Slave Database' '1718-1820'.

GRAPH
/BAR(SIMPLE)=PCT BY afregion
/TITLE="R's by African Orgin"
/SUBTITLE='Number of Respondents by African Orgin'
/FOOTNOTE='Louisiana Slave Database' '1718-1820
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