Work

An Archaeology of Convict Leasing in the American South

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Between the mid-nineteenth and mid-twentieth centuries, thousands of men, women, and children in the American South were forced to labor for private businesses and individuals under the convict lease system. This system disproportionately impacted Black men and boys, although it also ensnared Black women and girls as well as poor white men, women, and children. Motivated by the financial gains achieved through leasing prisoners, states ensured that the system continued despite numerous highly-publicized human rights violations. Although numerous scholars and grassroots activists have brought attention to the history of convict leasing, historical archaeology has only engaged with the phenomenon in a limited capacity. In this article, we call for archaeologists, and archaeologists of the African Diaspora in particular, to engage with sites and materialities of convict leasing more directly. Our article outlines a potential path forward for such a research program.

Source: Carolina Digital Repository (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

DOI: 10.17615/gz9d-w663

Authors: Westmont, V. Camille, Colclasure, Cayla B.

Institution: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Language: English

Topic: Historical and Cultural Archaeology Studies

Subfield: Anthropology

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Reduced inequalities, Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: green

Funder: American Council of Learned Societies