Thomas Wright's Diary

Glossary

A few frequently used words. In Thomas's world
Hope this helps while reading.

Abolitionist

Takes a political position against slavery, takes action by helping escaped slaves.

Slavery Terms

Bondsperson
A person held in servitude as human property to another, this is an alternative term to Slavery, it suggests a position controlled by law.

Chattel

A term used for enslaved African American, a human being is equated to live stock or tangible items.

Coffle

A group of enslaved individuals transported together for sale.

Emancipation

Freeing of slaves in law in fact. Emancipation may or may not include abolition of slavery.

Fugitive

Escaped or runway slave. A criminal act meaning seeker of freedom.

Gin or cotton gin

A machine that separates the seeds from cotton.

Manumit/ Manumission

This word refers to freeing an individual or group of slaves, by Will, purchase, legal petition, or legislation. The enslaved person save up from jobs to hire, or sale of goods. To buy freedom

Fancy Girl.
Fair enough skin to be considered white. Often well educated, fairly privileged back ground. Sold for use as concubines or prostitutes.

Secession

The act or process of withdrawing allegiance to and participation within a sovereign political jurisdiction.

Underground Railroad

A covert system of travel either guided or unguided.

Station
A haven for traveling slaves a stop over, for rest and food.

Stationmaster

Person who provided shelter or a hiding place for runaway slaves.

Union

United States or the States that did not secede

Yank/ Yankee, Blue belly
Union soldier

Neutral/ Border States
States that were slave states, but did not secede

Confederacy

Those slave States that seceded from the Union

Reb/ Rebel, Johnny Reb.
Confederate soldier.

Jumping the Broom or Stick

The way Slaves Formalized a marriage, some owners,  did allow a wedding by a Minister. Depending on the Farm or Plantation. They either jumped over one or two brooms forward or backward. I never found the meaning of jumping this way. One speculation was it defined jumping into a life together. Found another, Anglo Saxons jumped a broom placed at the threshold, signifying they entered as husband and wife. Till distance separates us, said instead of till death we part. Meaning they could be sold not as a family.

Miscegenation

The Marriage of mixed races, whites marrying
Blacks, Native Americans, Asians. Laws forbidding the marriage of none European descent. Most states even those in the north had these laws. Loving v Virgina overturned those laws left in the south.
Decided in the United States Supreme Court, 1967.
Some states went as far to give a percentage race.
Some states wouldn't allow marriage up to 1/8 black.

                              Degrees of Blackness

Mulatto mixed race white and black parentage.

Quadroon or quarteron a person with one white parent one mulatto parent 3/4 white 1/4 black.

Octoroon, metif a person who has one white parent and a quadroon parent, they would be considered seven eighths white one eighth black.

Sextaroon one sixteenth black, parents full blooded white and an octoroon.

Demi-meamelouc A person is 1/32 black- parents full blooded white and a sextaroon

Sangmelee A person who is 1/64 black a full blooded white and a meamelouc.

Griffe A person whose parents are full blooded black and mulatto 3/4 black and 1/4 white.

Marabou A person who is 5/8 black, full blooded black and a quadroon.

Sacatra A person who is 7/8 black. The parents are full blooded black and a griffe.

These are few, if you see one, not listed let me know I'll add it, and let you know it's meaning. I think this will help some.