A Documented History of Gullah Jack Pritchard and the Denmark Vesey Slave Insurrection of 1822

by Lois a. Walker, Susan R. Silverman

Overview

The Denmark Vesey slave revolt of 1822 was one of the most massive slave revolts ever planned, involving an estimated 9,000 slaves. The plot was discovered only two days before the scheduled uprising. In the aftermath, over 100 slaves were arrested, 35 executed. One of the slaves executed was an African-born conjurer names Gullah Jack Pritchard. He recruited his fellow Angolan countrymen by promising them protection with the magic charms he distributed. His cunning, persuasion and knowledge of African religion induced many to enlist in the ill-fated revolt. Though much has been written about Denmark Vesey, this monograph is the first to detail the importance of Gullah Jack in the insurrection. It integrates original documents along with narrative detailing the life of Gullah Jack prior to and during the planned insurrection. The original documents, providing the flavor of the time, have been duplicated as close to their original format as possible.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780773408111
Publisher:	PSR Press Ltd.
Publication date:	01/01/2001
Pages:	500
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.11(d)

Table of Contents

	Preface	i
	Acknowledgments	iii
	Introduction	v
Chapter 1	From Africa to Charleston Original Documents	1
	The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa, the African	13
	"Slave Trade" (An address to the inhabitants of Europe on the iniquity of the slave trade ...) Niles Register, September 7, 1822	23
Chapter 2	Life in Charleston in the Early 1800's Original Documents	29
	Statistics of South Carolina including a View of its Natural, Civil, and Military History, General and Particular	35
	Zamba, The Life and Adventures of Zamba, an African Negro King; and His Experience of Slavery in South Carolina	49
Chapter 3	Gullah Jack Pritchard's Life in Charleston Original Documents	63
	"South Carolina Genealogies, George Pritchard and Some of His Descendants," The State, July 11, 1909	75
	Obituary, Paul Pritchard, Charleston Courier, June 14, 1837	78
	U. S. Census for 1820. Barnwell District	79
	"Negroes." A Digest of the Ordinances of the City Council of Charleston, from the Year 1783 to Oct. 1844	81
Chapter 4	Discontent Leading Up to the Revolt Original Documents	91
	"The Missouri Question. Mr. King's Speeches," Niles Register, December 4, 1819	103
	"Interments." A Digest of the Ordinances of the City Council of Charleston, from the Year 1783 to Oct. 1844	119
	Recollections of a Southern Matron	125
	Methodism in Charleston: A Narrative of the Chief Events Relating to the Rise and Progress of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C., with Brief Notices of the Early Ministers who Labored in that City	131
	History of the African Methodist Episcopal Church	135
	Act No. 2254 [Manumission], The Statutes at Large of South Carolina	139
Chapter 5	Gullah Jack's Role as a Conjurer Original Documents	143
	The Stranger, Letter to Mr. Powell, editor. South Carolina Gazette, September 17 & 24, 1772	155
	"Folk-Lore and Ethnology. Conjuring and Conjure-Doctors." Southern Workman, July 1895	165
Chapter 6	Gullah Jack's Role in the Insurrection Original Documents	169
	My Life and Times, 1810-1899	181
	Reminiscences of William Hasell Wilson (1811-1902)	187
Chapter 7	Arrests and Trials Original Documents	191
	"The Trial of Gullah Jack, a Negro Man, belonging to Mr. Pritchard." An Official Report of the Trials of Sundry Negroes, charged with an Attempt to Raise an Insurrection in the State of South Carolina preceded by an Introduction and Narrative; and in an appendix, A Report of the Trials of Four White Persons, on Indictments for Attempting to Excite the slaves to Insurrection	205
	Trial and Execution Coverage Charleston Newspapers Charleston Courier The Charleston Mercury and Morning Advertiser	211
	Jun. Aid-de-Camp. General Orders	217
Chapter 8	Charleston in the Aftermath Original Documents	221
	The Petition of M.P. Belknap of the City of Charleston to the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of South Carolina	235
	Memorial of the Citizens of Charleston to the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of South Carolina	239
	The State vs. Andrew S. Rhodes	249
	"South Carolina Legislature," The Charleston Mercury and Morning Advertiser, December 25 & 26, 1822	253
	Petition to the State of South Carolina to be Indemnified for Slaves Tried and Executed	259
	Letters: John Potter to Langdon Cheves; Mary L. Beach to Elizabeth Gilchrist; Anna Hayes Johnson to her cousin	265
	A South Carolinian, "To Our Northern Brethren," A Refutation of the Calumnies Circulated against the Southern and Western States Respecting the Institution and Existence of Slavery among them	273
	The Edinburgh "Scotsman". "The Great Curse of Our Land," Niles Register, September 14, 1822	281
	Federal Writers' Project, Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews with Former Slaves	285
Chapter 9	The Slave Insurrection of 1822 Original Documents	289
	Jun. Intendant, An Account of the Late Intended Insurrection among a Portion of the Blacks of this City	295
	"Servile conspiracy in S. Carolina." Niles Register, September 7, 1822	339
Chapter 10	Effects of Insurrection Original Documents	345
	Law of South Carolina [Negro Seaman's Act] Charleston Courier, January 4, 1823	351
	Elkinson v. Deliesseline, Case No. 4,366, Circuit Court, D. South Carolina, 8 F. Cas. 493; August, 1823	353
	A Member, "The Association" [South Carolina Association], Charleston Courier, July 24, 1823	357
	The History of the South Carolina Military Academy	359
	Rev. Dr. Richard Furman's Exposition of the Views of the Baptists, relative to the Coloured Population of the United States in a Communication to the Governor of South-Carolina	369
	Practical Considerations Founded on the Scriptures, Relative to the Slave Population of South-Carolina	385
	Letter. William Johnson to Thomas Jefferson	393
Chapter 11	Portrayal of the Insurrection Original Documents	395
	A Coloured American. The Late Contemplated Insurrection in Charleston, S. C. with the Execution of Thirty-Six of the Patriots	405
	The Black Man, his Antecedents, His Genius, and His Achievements	417
	Memoirs of Samuel Wragg of South Carolina	425
	Right on the Scaffold, or The Martyrs of 1822	429
	Bibliography	457
	Index	469

Editorial Reviews

This annotated compilation of original documents tells the story of Gullah Jack Pritchard, a pivotal but neglected figure in the slave rebellion led by Denmark Vesey in Charleston, SC, in the summer of 1822. A conjurer in Africa before he was captured and carried to America in the early 1800s, Gullah Jack was so respected by his fellow Angolans that they joined the revolt because he was part of it, believing his magic would protect them. He eluded authorities even after Vesey's execution, and he managed to continue the revolt while the white community took vengeance on local slaves. Walker and Silverman are both associated with Winthrop U., Rock Hill, SC. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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