Finding Unheard Voices of the Enslaved in Alachua County

The Matheson History Museum welcomes author and historian Coleen DeGroff on Wednesday, September 9 at 7pm to share about her research into the enslaved people that lived in Alachua County and the writing of her book Alachua County Black Book.

Attendees will learn how an unsuccessful effort to change the name of Haile Plantation led to the chance discovery of centuries-old legal records about people enslaved in Alachua County, as well as the people who enslaved them, through the end of the Civil War.

Using excerpts from ancient public documents including bills of sale, wills, and mortgages, Alachua County Black Book traces the half century of slavery in the county, giving a glimpse into the lives of hundreds of enslaved people who were brought here to labor on dozens of plantations before their names and stories disappear to time and memory.