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I am working on a section of my dissertation that I have been looking forward to writing for a while. I'm in my section looking at the community of Harbour Island specifically in order to make an argument that it is a maritime community. Now I do't want to do this by just listing its maritime attributes - I want to get a fuller description of the town as much as I can. This includes addressing things like race relations.
One of the most interesting documents I have regarding race relations and black culture on the island come from the notes of a missionary who also stood as a Justice of the Peace (likely so he could draw in some extra cash). The letter in question relates to a rape case, where a black female slave was gangraped by four of her male peers after, according to one of the accused, she offered to have sex with one of them for money.
There are a lot of interesting things to tease out from the very little I know about the case, but I want to treat the issue with sensitivity as much as I can, because there are a lot of complex issues at hand. I'm planning to run this section by my writing group when I next present, but I though I would put it up here as I go as well. So, that said, here is my description of the case.
Gordon was a commissioned Justice of the Peace, and when Charles Russel accused 4 men of “ravishing” one of his female slaves on May 7, 1799, he was the only justice available. The night of the 6th, the black community held a dance in town. A witness at the trial claimed that he put the woman under his protection for part of the night to protect her from the men who later raped her, fearing that they planned to "induce her to whoredom." One of the accused claimed that she offered to have sex with him for two shillings, and did so "at a small distance from a most public street in Dunmore Town." The other three men followed and took advantage of her. She claimed (Gorden did not have her swear an oath, as she was not a Christian) "that she was against her will enjoyed by them all." Gordon sentence them to 39 lashes each, "...being persuaded that so small a punishment as Thirty Nine Lashes well laid on was much below what Negroes deserved for so shocking Whoredom in Dunmore Town...."
(All references to: Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, Film 97132, Reel 2, William Gordon to Moses Franklin, Esq. and Stephen Haven Esq., May 13 1799. Also it is not clear whether the woman was also to receive lashes.)
One of the most interesting documents I have regarding race relations and black culture on the island come from the notes of a missionary who also stood as a Justice of the Peace (likely so he could draw in some extra cash). The letter in question relates to a rape case, where a black female slave was gangraped by four of her male peers after, according to one of the accused, she offered to have sex with one of them for money.
There are a lot of interesting things to tease out from the very little I know about the case, but I want to treat the issue with sensitivity as much as I can, because there are a lot of complex issues at hand. I'm planning to run this section by my writing group when I next present, but I though I would put it up here as I go as well. So, that said, here is my description of the case.
Gordon was a commissioned Justice of the Peace, and when Charles Russel accused 4 men of “ravishing” one of his female slaves on May 7, 1799, he was the only justice available. The night of the 6th, the black community held a dance in town. A witness at the trial claimed that he put the woman under his protection for part of the night to protect her from the men who later raped her, fearing that they planned to "induce her to whoredom." One of the accused claimed that she offered to have sex with him for two shillings, and did so "at a small distance from a most public street in Dunmore Town." The other three men followed and took advantage of her. She claimed (Gorden did not have her swear an oath, as she was not a Christian) "that she was against her will enjoyed by them all." Gordon sentence them to 39 lashes each, "...being persuaded that so small a punishment as Thirty Nine Lashes well laid on was much below what Negroes deserved for so shocking Whoredom in Dunmore Town...."
(All references to: Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, Film 97132, Reel 2, William Gordon to Moses Franklin, Esq. and Stephen Haven Esq., May 13 1799. Also it is not clear whether the woman was also to receive lashes.)
pensive