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1864 Black Worker Leaves Delaware for Higher Wages Elsewhere

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:200.00 USD Estimated At:300.00 - 400.00 USD
1864 Black Worker Leaves Delaware for Higher Wages Elsewhere
Black History
1864 Black Worker Left Delaware Seeking Higher Wages
September 3, 1864-Dated, Manuscript Letter Signed, “Harry G(rimshaw?)” where a Black Worker Leaves a Household in Wilmington (Delaware) to Seek Better Wages, Extremely Fine.
This interesting Black History related Letter is to “Lee” (likely a relative), 7.8” x 5” letter, explaining the circumstances in which a Black man wanted to work for a better salary elsewhere. It reads, in part:

“Abner Hollingsworth called this morning to say the ‘darkey’ Henderson Jenkins left them a week since, before going he told Abner he was going to live with John Foster and to receive eighteen dollars per month. Abner says he was a first rate fellow not afraid of work, honest. The women about the house all liked him… the only difficulty was the price of wages. Henderson did not want to work at the regular price of a farm hand. - Harry G.”

Interesting letter, detailing the transition from Civil War to freedom for most African Americans in the border states. Delaware was one of the few Slaveholding states that remained loyal to the Union, and was thus allowed to retain slavery throughout the war; a paid Black laborer, however, was free to seek higher wages!