(SLAVERY AND ABOLITION) CUBA Registro General de Libertos de

Sale 2271 - Lot 39

Price Realized: $ 3,840

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Estimate: $ 800 - $ 1,200

LIST OF FREED SLAVES (SLAVERY AND ABOLITION.) CUBA. Registro General de Libertos de la Provincia de Matanzas. Termino Municipal de Cardenas. (General List of Freed Slaves from the Province of Matanzas.) Five large folio pages (31x44 cm), stitched, last leaf with archival paper repair; paper evenly toned, old iron gall ink browned. Cardenas, Cuba, 4 May, 1886

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a rare document listing all of the known "libertos," or "free" slaves in the large province of matanzas. Following the rebellion of 1869-70, there was a decree declaring all of Cuba's slaves to be nominally free. However, the freedom was actually a form of indentured servitude, wherein the slave earned an absurdly low wage and continued to work for the "Patron." The system was called the Patronato. This list of libertos is very detailed, giving each person's name and residence, their mother's name, that of their "patron," their ethnicity--i.e.: "Congo," "Creole," "Macua," and job designation, i.e. domestic or field worker, and so forth. A column marked "Observaciones" indicates how and when they were declared "liberto." Signed on behalf of the Vice-President of the province by a notary with official stamps.