Speaker 1: Right now, it's time for the Way Black History Fact.
Speaker 1: In Today's Way Black History Fact is sponsored by Underground
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Speaker 1: Today's Underground Beach Club. I'll be honest, I sourced it
Speaker 1: from an individual on Instagram. She goes by the name
Speaker 1: of Gingers Naps Gingers Underscore Naps. I thought that was
Speaker 1: kind of cute, but I did go and research these myself.
Speaker 1: I just want to give credit to the kind of
Speaker 1: the inspiration. So we're going to discuss a couple of
Speaker 1: things that were illegal for black people to do in
Speaker 1: the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and we're going to have
Speaker 1: a particular focus on dogs. I have a good friend
Speaker 1: of mine that works with unsheltered individuals keeping them with
Speaker 1: their animals because they provide a lot of health benefits,
Speaker 1: and so I've been beginning to appreciate how having an animal,
Speaker 1: dog or a cat can certainly bring a necessary element
Speaker 1: people's lives, and for black people, it was illegal once
Speaker 1: upon a time. So one of the things that was
Speaker 1: illegal having a dog without a white person registered as
Speaker 1: the actual owner. This was true in Charleston, South Carolina,
Speaker 1: in eighteen eighteen having a dog in the home, which
Speaker 1: officers were allowed to enter and freely search for dogs,
Speaker 1: unlike white owned homes. This was true in Augusta, Georgia,
Speaker 1: in eighteen forty six, passing through certain counties accompanied by
Speaker 1: dogs without written permission from the white person that owned
Speaker 1: either the dog or the black person. This was true
Speaker 1: in Virginia eighteen fifty five, having either a dog or
Speaker 1: a gun without a license. They were equal offenses. This
Speaker 1: was true Maryland eighteen fifty nine, being free and having
Speaker 1: a dog without a license, But it was also illegal
Speaker 1: for marshals to sell black people said license. In other words,
Speaker 1: it could not sell you a license, and it was
Speaker 1: illegal to have a dog without a license. This was
Speaker 1: true in Montgomery, Alabama, eighteen sixty one. Punishments for violating
Speaker 1: said laws. Quote. It shall and may be lawful for
Speaker 1: any person or persons to kill and destroy such said
Speaker 1: dog or dogs, and to bring the said slave before
Speaker 1: the next magistrate, who shall, on due proof of his offense,
Speaker 1: order the said slaves such correction as he shall judge reasonable,
Speaker 1: not exceeding thirty lashes. This is true Tennessee seventeen fifty three.
Speaker 1: Moving on quote, if there shall be found upon said
Speaker 1: premises any dog or dogs not returned to or clerk
Speaker 1: of Council, as aforesaid by owner or owners of said
Speaker 1: negro or negroes, by the guardian of said free person,
Speaker 1: or persons of color, to kill the same, this is true. Georgia,
Speaker 1: eighteen forty six. No free negroes shall keep any dog
Speaker 1: without a license from a justice of the peace, and
Speaker 1: but one with such a license and any reason, and
Speaker 1: any person may kill any dog kept contrary to this section.
Speaker 1: The license AfOR said to be enforced for one year only,
Speaker 1: but may be renewed. This is true. Maryland, eighteen fifty nine.
Speaker 1: Let's go down here. Every slave who shall keep a
Speaker 1: dog in the city shall receive any number of stripes
Speaker 1: not exceeding thirty nine, unless the owner of the slave
Speaker 1: will pay a fine of five dollars. Every free negro
Speaker 1: who shall keep a dog on his or her premises
Speaker 1: or under his or her control in the city without
Speaker 1: a license from the mayor, shall be fined five dollars.
Speaker 1: This again Montgomery, Alabama, eighteen sixty one. And just so
Speaker 1: you know, South Carolina was particularly cruel. Not only do
Speaker 1: they have the strict laws barring black dog keeping, but
Speaker 1: they also enforce these laws by sending people to the workhouse.
Speaker 1: If you don't know what the workhouse is, it's a
Speaker 1: site or the nearly exclusive corporal punishment of his slave people.
Speaker 1: It was located directly adjacent to the city jail, and
Speaker 1: slavers who did not want to sully their own hands
Speaker 1: by disciplining their slaves would pay a fee in order
Speaker 1: to have someone else commit this cruel act for them
Speaker 1: in their stead. And again you can find out more
Speaker 1: about this and you can please follow Gingers, Underscore, naps
Speaker 1: on ig and j