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A madman's will : John Randolph, 400 slaves, and the mirage of freedom / Gregory May.

May, Gregory, 1953- (author.).

Summary:

"Few legal cases in American history are as riveting as the controversy surrounding the will of Virginia Senator John Randolph (1773-1833), which--almost inexplicably--freed all 383 of his slaves in one of the largest and most publicized manumissions in American history. With this groundbreaking investigation, historian Gregory May now reveals a more surprising story, showing how madness and scandal shaped John Randolph's wildly shifting attitudes toward his slaves--and how endemic prejudice in the North ultimately deprived the freedmen of the land Randolph had promised them. Sweeping from the legal spectacle of the contested will through the freedmen's dramatic flight and horrific reception in Ohio, A Madman's Will is an extraordinary saga about the alluring promise of freedom and its tragic limitations"-- Provided by publisher.

Record details

  • ISBN: 9781324092216
  • ISBN: 1324092211
  • Physical Description: xxiii, 382 pages : illustrations, maps, genealogical tables ; 24 cm
  • Edition: First edition
  • Publisher: New York : Liveright Publishing Corporation, a division of W.W. Norton & Company, [2023]

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Formatted Contents Note:
Randolph-Tucker family tree -- A death in Philadelphia -- Burial at Roanoke -- Rumors -- Heirs at law -- Search for the will -- The slaves' defenders -- A celebrity trial -- The meaning of madness -- John White's Roanoke -- A decade in chancery -- Promised land -- Another Canaan -- Appendix A. People and places -- Appendix B. Chronology -- Appendix C. Manumission register.
Subject: Randolph, John, 1773-1833 > Will.
Randolph, John, 1773-1833 > Estate.
Enslaved persons > Emancipation > Virginia > History > 19th century.
Probate law and practice > Virginia > History > 19th century.
Freed persons > Legal status, laws, etc. > Ohio > History > 19th century.
Freed persons > Ohio > History > 19th century.
African Americans > Ohio > History > 19th century.

Available copies

  • 16 of 16 copies available at NC Cardinal. (Show)
  • 1 of 1 copy available at Onslow County Public Library.

Holds

  • 0 current holds with 16 total copies.
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Location Call Number / Copy Notes Barcode Shelving Location Status Due Date
Swansboro Branch Library 306.362 MAY (Text) 36015000575700 Adult Nonfiction Available -

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1001 . ‡aMay, Gregory, ‡d1953- ‡eauthor. ‡0(CARDINAL)866949
24512. ‡aA madman's will : ‡bJohn Randolph, 400 slaves, and the mirage of freedom / ‡cGregory May.
24630. ‡aJohn Randolph, 400 slaves, and the mirage of freedom
2463 . ‡aJohn Randolph, four hundred slaves, and the mirage of freedom
250 . ‡aFirst edition
264 1. ‡aNew York : ‡bLiveright Publishing Corporation, a division of W.W. Norton & Company, ‡c[2023]
264 4. ‡c©2023
300 . ‡axxiii, 382 pages : ‡billustrations, maps, genealogical tables ; ‡c24 cm
336 . ‡atext ‡btxt ‡2rdacontent
336 . ‡astill image ‡bsti ‡2rdacontent
336 . ‡acartographic image ‡bcri ‡2rdacontent
337 . ‡aunmediated ‡bn ‡2rdamedia
338 . ‡avolume ‡bnc ‡2rdacarrier
504 . ‡aIncludes bibliographical references and index.
5050 . ‡aRandolph-Tucker family tree -- A death in Philadelphia -- Burial at Roanoke -- Rumors -- Heirs at law -- Search for the will -- The slaves' defenders -- A celebrity trial -- The meaning of madness -- John White's Roanoke -- A decade in chancery -- Promised land -- Another Canaan -- Appendix A. People and places -- Appendix B. Chronology -- Appendix C. Manumission register.
520 . ‡a"Few legal cases in American history are as riveting as the controversy surrounding the will of Virginia Senator John Randolph (1773-1833), which--almost inexplicably--freed all 383 of his slaves in one of the largest and most publicized manumissions in American history. With this groundbreaking investigation, historian Gregory May now reveals a more surprising story, showing how madness and scandal shaped John Randolph's wildly shifting attitudes toward his slaves--and how endemic prejudice in the North ultimately deprived the freedmen of the land Randolph had promised them. Sweeping from the legal spectacle of the contested will through the freedmen's dramatic flight and horrific reception in Ohio, A Madman's Will is an extraordinary saga about the alluring promise of freedom and its tragic limitations"-- ‡cProvided by publisher.
60010. ‡aRandolph, John, ‡d1773-1833 ‡xWill.
60010. ‡aRandolph, John, ‡d1773-1833 ‡xEstate.
650 0. ‡aEnslaved persons ‡xEmancipation ‡zVirginia ‡xHistory ‡y19th century.
650 0. ‡aProbate law and practice ‡zVirginia ‡xHistory ‡y19th century.
650 0. ‡aFreed persons ‡xLegal status, laws, etc. ‡zOhio ‡xHistory ‡y19th century.
650 0. ‡aFreed persons ‡zOhio ‡xHistory ‡y19th century.
650 0. ‡aAfrican Americans ‡zOhio ‡xHistory ‡y19th century.
85640. ‡uhttps://digitization.ncpedia.org/digitization/request/request.php?tcn=13820392 ‡ySuggest this title for digitization ‡9GHL
902 . ‡aMARCIVE 202306
902 . ‡aMARCIVE 202309
902 . ‡aMARCIVE 202312
902 . ‡aMARCIVE 202403
901 . ‡a13820392 ‡bOCoLC ‡c13820392 ‡tbiblio ‡sSystem Local