Savannah georgia history slavery. Savannah celebrates more than 250 years of black history and features a number of historic sites and museums that focus on this important piece of the areas past. Almost all of the forced migrants arrived in georgia through the port of savannah. Oglethorpe named the 13th and final american colony georgia after englands king george ii.
Between 1810 and 1830 there was a decrease in the. For the most part this aspect of savannahs history is not much acknowledged. Pay attention because from the moment you have a seat on the bus you will be presented.
Georgia figures significantly in the history of american slavery because of eli whitneys invention of the cotton gin in 1793. By the eve of the american revolution the colony held 16000 slaves. Slave labor quickly became central to the economic success of the georgia colony.
Savannahs recorded history begins in 1733. In its earlier history savannah was a node of the international slave trade too receiving many shipments of captured africans through its port. Although georgia prohibited slave importation in 1798 smuggling was condoned according to a savannah notice that boldly announced the sale of 330 new negroes fom angola olaudah equiano equiano captured as a young child in africa in 1745 later became well known for his autobiography that told of his life as a slave.
Thats the year general james oglethorpe and the 120 passengers of the good ship anne landed on a bluff high along the savannah river in february. Following the settlement of savannah in 1733 slaves from south carolina cleared land tended cattle and labored on farms. This was my second time on this tour and i am overjoyed to have taken it again.
One of the few sites in savannah to explicitly reference the citys history of slavery is the african american. Little is known about the slave population of savannah beyond what can be read in census information. Savannah became its first city.
The slave population in georgia grew rapidly after the ban on slavery was lifted in 1751. Although originally banned from the british colony of georgia the slave population exceeded the free population in savannah by the end of the 18th century 5146 free and 8201 slave in 1800. Discover the important contributions african americans have made to the fabric of savannah through daily specialized tours with footprints of savannah and the freedom trail tour.