Enslaved Africans and their descendants made inestimable contributions to the political, economic, social, and cultural development of Arkansas, yet their activities and experiences as individuals have heretofore been mostly invisible. To help correct this, Special Collections presents this guide to materials in its holdings pertaining to enslaved and formerly enslaved persons.   

Transactional documents found in Special Collections’ manuscript collections most profoundly touched upon the lives of enslaved persons.  They often contain details such as the name and age of enslaved individuals, their familial relations, and geographic locations.  They also reveal the names of enslavers, which can prove to be invaluable aids for further research; events impacting the enslavers’ families, homes, and localities likewise impacted the enslaved persons in their custody.  Also, prior to 1870, information on enslaved persons is found under the names of their enslavers in documents such as census records. 

In addition to manuscript collections, Special Collections and the University of Arkansas Libraries include numerous primary and secondary sources pertaining to enslaved and formerly enslaved persons.  Most notable among these are narrative accounts of their experiences collected by workers for the Works Progress Administration.  The Libraries also collect or have online access to numerous journals and newspapers featuring relevant articles and genealogical materials.