Legacy of Slavery in Maryland: “Slave Statistics”

“Slave Statistics” consists of 7,289 records derived from lists of enslaved individuals in Anne Arundel and Montgomery counties as of November 1, 1864, the date when the Constitution of 1864, which abolished slavery in the state of Maryland, took effect. Maryland remained in the Union during the Civil War, despite the divided loyalties of her people. Because Maryland was a Union state, Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation did not free Maryland slaves. Many enslaved people, however, had taken advantage of the war's confusion to leave their enslavers earlier, some by joining the Union Army. Hoping that the federal government would repay the state's loyalty and compensate its citizens for the chattels lost, the General Assembly ordered that a listing be made of all slaveholders and their slaves as of November 1, 1864. The federal government never compensated the owners, but these records, called “Slave Statistics,” are the only evidence available of enslaved people and owners at the time of state emancipation. The Maryland State Archives retains the Slave Statistics reports for 1867-1869 for eight Maryland counties; the dataset includes information from two of the eight counties, Anne Arundel and Montgomery. The dataset includes all information on the original lists, including names of enslavers; county and district of residence; names of enslaved individuals and their physical condition, term of servitude, and Union Army service, including regiment; record date; and compensation (if applicable).