The Reference Desk
Have you ever fallen down a rabbit hole into an obscure topic and suddenly need to know all the details and consume all the media related to it? You've found your people. Every other Wednesday, librarians Hailee and Katie take turns sharing the topic that has them bewitched. After a deep-dive into the subject-du-jour, fill your "to read" list with their related book recommendations.
The Reference Desk
The African Cemetery at Higgs Beach
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The Reference Desk
In this previously-Patreon-only episode, Katie shares the story behind the African Cemetery located at Higgs Beach in Key West.
In 1860, three slave ships were intercepted en route to Cuba and diverted to Key West. While most of the African refugees onboard were eventually transported to Liberia, 295 died in Key West. Their graves now comprise the only known cemetery in the U.S. of African refugees during the international slave trade.
Sources:
- Lincoln's Evolving Thoughts On Slavery, And Freedom: NPR
- The American Colonization Society - White House Historical Association
- How a Movement to Send Formerly Enslaved People to Africa Created Liberia
- The African American Experience at Fort Jefferson, 1847-1876
- Slavery at Fort Taylor & Fort Jefferson
- Africans in America/Part 1/The Slave Deck
- The Slave-Trade: The New York Times
- Floridian Businessman, Politician, Marshal
- Burial Ground Marks Slave Rescue Effort - The Washington Post
- More AFRICAN CEMETERY 1860 | MelFisher.org
- African Cemetery at Higgs Beach