Congress and Slavery in the District of Columbia, Part 4

Professor Finkelman, the spring symposium program director, introduced the session. John Michael Vlach talked about his book, From Slavery to Tenancy: African-American Housing Options across the Nineteenth Century. Mary Beth Corrigan spoke on the topic, “'Whether They Be Ours or No, They May Be Heirs of the Kingdom:' The Pursuit of Family Ties among Enslaved People in the District of Columbia.” Mary Kay Ricks spoke on the topic, “The Underground Railroad Escape on the Schooner Pearl: A Convergence of Opportunity, Motivation and Political Action in the Nation’s Capital.” The session was moderated by Judge Rohulamin Quander who is also a genealogical historian of African Americans.

After individual presentations that included slides, the panelists responded to questions from members of the audience.

The U.S. Capitol Historical Society 2007 Spring Conference “Congress and Slavery in the District of Columbia” is the fourth in the series, "The National Capitol in a Nation Divided: Con close