Baltimore a slave city. Now and then.


Baltimore was a slave city, and while it attracted a sizeable number of fugitives from slavery intent upon remaining there, it also served as an important way station, and a beginning of the final leg of the journey out of the South.

In the early 19th century, Baltimore had one of the largest slave populations among cities in the United States. The 1790 U.S. Census recorded that about 25% of the city's population were enslaved individuals. However, as the 19th century progressed, Baltimore experienced a gradual decline in its slave population due to manumissions (freedoms granted by slaveholders) and gradual emancipation laws.

Baltimore also played a significant role in the Underground Railroad, a network of secret routes and safe houses used by enslaved individuals to escape to free states or Canada.

One of the most prominent figures associated with Baltimore's history of slavery is Frederick Douglass. He became a renowned abolitionist, writer, and orator, advocating for the abolition of slavery and equal rights for African Americans. Baltimore was a significant part of Douglass's life, and he returned to the city frequently to give speeches and organize anti-slavery activities.

Like many cities in the United States, Baltimore continues to grapple with the legacy.

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