Question

runaway ads

run away from capt. nathanael clark, of charlestown, on saturday the 17th current, a negro man named illegible, about 20 years of age, a lusty well set illegible... whoever takes up said negro, and brings him to his said master, shall have sufficient reward. - boston news-letter, 1704

run away from his master william pigeon esq; of kittery, in the province of maine, a negro man, named illegible, aged about 20 years, speaks good english, illegible to brunswick, falmouth or scarborough, or to any other place to hide himself, or from thence to pass for a free man, and so to accomack with his late master’s horses, and black hat. whoever that takes up said negro, or brings to his master the ear of boston, shall be well rewarded for his pains, and all reasonable charges paid besides. - boston news-letter, 1705

run away from mr. joseph knowles of newport in rhode-island, houswright, on the 1st of april last, a negro man servant, named cuffe, about 28 years of age, a pretty tall fellow, speaks broken english, is of a very black complexion, illegible on his face, wears a cap & a half hat, no shoes with him a large bundle of clothing, a broad cloth coat, and a pair of blue illegible breeches, a striped linen great coat with pummel jacket, a illegible and a pair of blue illegible for a shift, and blue stockings, & thin linen camlet to the said master of newport or to mr. joseph brown distiller, or mr. vialdo’s distillery in boston, shall have forty shillings reward & all necessary charges paid. he supposed the said negro has a forged pass & designs to get off to sea. - new england weekly journal, 1721

other runaway ads from various sources

1. what are the common elements that would be included in runaway slave ads?

1. what does the physical description of the runaways reveal about life in bondage?

1. how do these ads help/hurt in including enslaved people into the historical record?

Explanation:

Question 1

To identify common elements in runaway slave ads, we analyze the provided ads:

• Personal Details: Name (e.g., Cuffee, Cesar, Tom), age (e.g., 28 years, 30 years), origin (e.g., from Mr. William Pepperell, Mr. Joseph Knowles).
• Physical Description: Skin color (Negro, Black), clothing (e.g., linen jacket, striped stocking, leather breeches), distinguishing marks (e.g., scar on face, branded for his pains).
• Behavior/Traits: Language (e.g., speaks good English), skills (e.g., tailor, can write), escape details (e.g., when and how they ran, direction).
• Reward/Consequences: Reward offered (e.g., Forty Shillings, money for capture), warning (e.g., not to harbor, legal action for those who do).

Physical descriptions in ads reveal:

• Hard Labor: Marks like "branded for his pains" or scars suggest abuse/injury from work or punishment.
• Control Over Appearance: Specific clothing details (e.g., linen jacket, striped stocking) show enslaved people had limited choice in attire, often provided by owners.
• Dehumanization: Descriptions focus on utility (skills, labor) rather than personhood, emphasizing their role as property.
• Attempts at Individuality: Details like unique scars or clothing hints at personal identity, despite enslavement.

• Help: Ads document enslaved people’s existence, names, and lives, preserving details (e.g., skills, relationships) that might otherwise be lost. They provide primary sources for studying slavery.
• Hurt: Ads frame enslaved people as property (focus on capture, reward), reinforcing dehumanization. They center the owner’s perspective, minimizing the enslaved’s agency or humanity.

Answer:

Common elements in runaway slave ads include:

• Personal details (name, age, owner, origin).
• Physical description (skin color, clothing, distinguishing marks).
• Behavioral/trait details (language, skills, escape context).
• Reward/warning (bounty for capture, legal threats for harboring).

Question 2