Slaves' Midsummer Holiday
The Slaves' Midsummer Holiday, when slave laborers were permitted a few days off, occurred after crops were laid by and before harvesting began. On 28 Aug. 1862 Catherine Ann Devereux Edmondston of Halifax County wrote in her diary that it was "the Negroes Midsummer holiday, and as all of them but Fanny & Dolly have gone down to the Plantation dinner, the premises are deserted." She referred to "the annual three days holiday" as if it occurred regularly. In sections of the South with large slave populations, summer was a likely time for a slave insurrection and one that whites often dreaded for that reason. The Nat Turner Rebellion at Southampton County, Va., occurred on 21 Aug. 1831.
Reference:
Beth G. Crabtree and James E. Patton, eds., Journal of a Secesh Lady: The Diary of Catherine Ann Devereux Edmondston, 1860-1866 (1979).
Image Credits:
Slaves Planting Rice. Image courtesy of the State Archives of North Carolina, call #: N_77_7_4, Raleigh, N.C.
1 January 2006 | Powell, William S.
Add a comment
PLEASE NOTE: NCpedia provides the comments feature as a way for viewers to engage with the resources. Comments are not published until reviewed by NCpedia editors at the State Library of NC, and the editors reserve the right to not publish any comment submitted that is considered inappropriate for this resource. NCpedia will not publish personal contact information in comments, questions, or responses. If you would like a reply by email, note that some email servers, such as public school accounts, are blocked from accepting messages from outside email servers or domains. If you prefer not to leave an email address, check back at your NCpedia comment for a reply. Please allow one business day for replies from NCpedia. Complete guidelines are available at https://ncpedia.org/about.