If Jane Should Want to be Sold: Stories of Enslavement, Indenture and Freedom in Little Com, 2016 | State Archives Catalog

Scope and Contents: The Historical Society’s latest project uses hundreds of primary source documents to bring to light the lives of people of African, Native American, and European descent who were enslaved and forcibly indentured in Little Compton between 1674 and 1816.  The project has been sponsored by the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities, the Newport Country Fund, The Rhode Island Foundation and The Ocean State Charities Trust as well as over 70 local donors. Entitled If Jane Should Want to Be Sold, Stories of Enslavement, Indenture and Freedom in Little Compton, Rhode Island the Historical Society’s new book is based on three years of primary source research and tells the true stories of people like Jane who were enslaved by Little Compton families. Jane’s story includes a decision whether or not to be sold, a marriage, a move to another community, and the loss of a son in the Revolution. The Revolution also factors into the story of Boston Wilbor, an enslaved man who secured his freedom by volunteering to serve in the Rhode Island First Regiment. Jane and Boston are just two of the dozens of men, women and children whose stories appear in the 300 page, full-color, softcover book. - Little Compton Historical Society (https://lchistorical.wordpress.com/2016/06/05/2016-season/)