Book Reviews

Alfred L. Brophy, Slaves as Plantiffs Michigan Law Review

Annette Gordon-Reed, Harvard Law School

Margaret M. Russell, California Lawyer

Martha S. Jones, University of Michigan

More data on the St. Louis Freedom Suits

Many of the litigants in the freedom suits were family members.  To see a chart of the composite families, click here.

Although the case files have been posted on the web, click here, many case files do not record the lawsuit’s final disposition.  For that information, one must look to the court’s day book which logs the daily proceedings of all cases.  To see entries about the freedom suits from the court daybook, click here.

Like Suzette and John Merry, Redemption Songs, Chapter 6, another slave in Beauvais-Jarrot's probate was Pelagie Vital Amoureux, who remained on the Missouri side of the river.  Pelagie also used the courts, the courts in Ste. Genevieve.  For more information on Pelagie Vital Amoureux, see http://amoureuxhouse.org/timeline/.

Press Links:

C-SPAN "Slavery and the Freedom Trials"

Des Moines Sunday Register "Exploring Missouri's amazing 'freedom suits' "

Voices of slaves spill out from papers found in dusty old box

Los Angeles Times: "Cries for Freedom Still Ring"

Slate Blog: The Signatures of Hundreds Who Sued For Freedom

Talk of Iowa, Iowa Public Radio: "Suing for Freedom"