HeinOnline’s Slavery in America and the World: History, Culture & Law collection brings together a multitude of essential legal materials on slavery in the United States and the English-speaking world. This includes every statute passed by every colony and state on slavery, every federal statute dealing with slavery, and all reported state and federal cases on slavery. Our case coverage extends into the 20th century because long after slavery ended, courts were still resolving issues emanating from slavery. We have provided more than a thousand pamphlets and books on slavery from the 19th century. We have also included many modern histories of slavery. Within this library is a section containing all modern law review articles on the subject.
Judicial Cases
Judicial Cases Concerning American Slavery and the Negro is a well-known set edited by Helen Tunnicliff Catterall. Browse the five volumes using the + symbols next to each volume number, or search the title using the search bar located above the contents. View the image-based PDF of the original material by clicking on any volume.
In addition to the Catterall set, U.S. Supreme Court and other federal cases pertaining to slavery have been included in this subcollection. U.S. Supreme Court cases are organized by year range, and federal cases are broken out by each circuit, district, or superior court. Click any year range (or year from within each federal court’s listing) to display a list of slavery-related cases. Click a case title to access its full text.
Slavery Statutes
Slavery in America and the World includes every statute passed by the federal government, as well as every colony and state, on slavery. In the Slavery Statutes subcollection, click United States or any of the state options to view a list of statutes for each category. The United States category is broken down by major and other laws, and each state is broken down by assembly and session. Click any law to view a PDF version of the original full-text act.
University of North Carolina Press (UNC Press) Titles
Thanks to an agreement with UNC Press, Slavery in America and the World features 50 full-color, current titles related to slavery. For more than 90 years, the University of North Carolina Press has earned national and international recognition for quality books and the thoughtful way they are published. A fundamental commitment to publishing excellence defines UNC Press, made possible by the generous support of individual and institutional donors who created its endowment.
Unique Tools & Features
Slavery Quick Finder
Paul Finkelman, along with Hein’s editorial staff, categorized each book and pamphlet within the collection based on four factors. The Slavery Quick Finder, located in the All Titles subcollection, enables users to locate documents based on the document’s position on slavery, document type, jurisdiction, and topic. For example, selecting position: anti-slavery, document type: cases and trials, jurisdiction: United States, and topic: Fugitive Slave Act produces several results:
Also, browse all titles to view a comprehensive list of available books and pamphlets. Each document’s position on slavery, document type, jurisdiction, and topic(s) can be found to the right of each title.
Editor’s Picks
Look for gold star symbols throughout Slavery in America and the World. These indicate titles selected by Paul Finkelman as some of the most important titles found in the collection. Clicking on a gold star will open an in-depth explanation of the title’s significance.
Full Text Searching
Search the full text of all documents and metadata included in the database using the main search bar, located at the top of the page.
The Advanced Search option enables users to perform a more specific search. For example, search for slave* AND abolish* in Slavery Statutes.
Search results can be refined using the facets on the left side of the page. Terms matching search criteria are boldfaced. Use the tools located on the right side of each search result to download, print, or email the material, or save any document to a MyHein personal research account.
Click any document’s title to view the image-based PDF.
For additional help, check out our dedicated LibGuide.