19th Century Civilian Dress

[Alani]

I am writing an article about the 18th & 19th Century, and seeking assistance with the period clothing. I would like to have descriptions of period garb for:

1. Slave on a Plantation
2. Indentured Servant on a Plantation
3. Plantation owner, and his wife and children.
4. Slave in an Urban Setting
5. Indentured Servant in an Urban Setting
6. Slave owner in an Urban Setting

In other words, I am attempting to distinguish the clothing of various classes of people from the 18th & 19th Century.

All assistance is appreciated.

Welcome to the forums!
We ask that all posts be signed with your full first and last name; you can create an automatic signature in your user profile that will add your name to each post.
Thanks,
Elizabeth Clark, Moderation Board

[Emmanuel Dabney]

Re: 19th Century Civilian Dress

I don't know much about the 18th century, you may wish to call/e-mail/visit Colonial Williamsburg as they do have a wealth of information on particularly the slaves of Peyton Randolph and his wife, Betty as well as the slaves that were a part of the estate of the Governor's Palace. They had (don't know if it's been replaced) an exhibit that featured a livery suit.

I wish also to take time to make a distinguishing remark about slavery and the plantation. There are field hands, domestic servants, and special occupation people (for example, a blacksmith). And there are distinct cultural and social distinctions between these people. For example in more than one account domestics thought they were the best slaves in a particular setting. And there was very little socializing or harmony amongst many field hands and domestics. However, that's another topic, yet one of the reasons was due to the ways in which each dressed, respectively.

Now I offer some books you may wish to seek out:

1. Foster, Helen Bradley. New Raiments of Self: African American Clothing in the Antebellum South. New York: Berg. 1997.

Ms. Foster's book is my favorite book to consult.

2. The Negro in Virginia. Winston-Salem: John F. Blair. 1994.

Does have at least one good reference to a liveried slave (18th century) with powdered wig, etc.

3. Jordan, Ervin L., Jr. Black Confederates and Afro-Yankees. Charlottesville: University Pres of Virginia. 1995.

Brief remarks on slave clothing, one interesting case of a free black man who purchased a Confederate Lieutenant's uniform in 1861, etc.

4. A Woman's War: Southern Women, Civil War, and the Confederate Legacy. Richmond: University Press of Virginia. 1996.

Not a definitive book on garnering information on slave clothing, there are images of slaves and freed blacks. A couple of my favorite images are two black women from New Berne and an abolitionist woman from the North sent them both silk dresses, etc. after New Berne fell to the Union soldier in early 1862. They are photographed in the book. This was, in my opinion, one of the best exhibits at MoC in recent years. Though now I am a fan of "The Confederate Nation."

5. Wilson, Jackie Napoleon. Hidden Witness: African-American Images from the Dawn of Photography to the Civil War. 2000.

Quite a few free black photographs in here.

6. Before Freedom Came: African-American Life in the Antebellum South. Richmond: University Press of Virginia. 1991.

This is my second favorite book to access. Numerous images of slaves and recently freed slaves, commentary from slaveowners, court cases, slaves, urban life, etc. Another well done job by the Museum of the Confederacy.