Til Death or Distance Do We Part: Documenting Marriages of Enslaved and Emancipated Persons

Despite the challenges faced in maintaining marital relationships, along with the absence of legal recognition of their unions, enslaved couples formed deep and lasting bonds and considered themselves “husband and wife,” as evidenced by many extant documents. This presentation examines how emancipation opened doors for formerly enslaved couples to achieve legal recognition of their marriages and legitimization for their children.