Right now, it's time for the Way Black History Fact. In Today's Way Black History Fact is sponsored by Underground Beach Club From the Streets to the Beach. For the latest in beachware, visit Underground beach Club dot com and Today's Underground Beach Club. I'll be honest, I sourced it from an individual on Instagram. She goes by the name of Gingers Naps Gingers Underscore Naps. I thought that was kind of cute, but I did go and research these myself. I just want to give credit to the kind of
the inspiration. So we're going to discuss a couple of things that were illegal for black people to do in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and we're going to have
a particular focus on dogs. I have a good friend of mine that works with unsheltered individuals keeping them with their animals because they provide a lot of health benefits, and so I've been beginning to appreciate how having an animal, dog or a cat can certainly bring a necessary element people's lives, and for black people, it was illegal once upon a time. So one of the things that was illegal having a dog without a white person registered as
the actual owner. This was true in Charleston, South Carolina, in eighteen eighteen having a dog in the home, which officers were allowed to enter and freely search for dogs, unlike white owned homes. This was true in Augusta, Georgia, in eighteen forty six, passing through certain counties accompanied by dogs without written permission from the white person that owned either the dog or the black person. This was true in Virginia eighteen fifty five, having either a dog or
a gun without a license. They were equal offenses. This was true Maryland eighteen fifty nine, being free and having a dog without a license, But it was also illegal for marshals to sell black people said license. In other words, it could not sell you a license, and it was illegal to have a dog without a license. This was true in Montgomery, Alabama, eighteen sixty one. Punishments for violating
said laws. Quote. It shall and may be lawful for any person or persons to kill and destroy such said dog or dogs, and to bring the said slave before the next magistrate, who shall, on due proof of his offense, order the said slaves such correction as he shall judge reasonable, not exceeding thirty lashes. This is true Tennessee seventeen fifty three.
Moving on quote, if there shall be found upon said premises any dog or dogs not returned to or clerk of Council, as aforesaid by owner or owners of said negro or negroes, by the guardian of said free person, or persons of color, to kill the same, this is true. Georgia, eighteen forty six. No free negroes shall keep any dog without a license from a justice of the peace, and but one with such a license and any reason, and any person may kill any dog kept contrary to this section.
The license AfOR said to be enforced for one year only, but may be renewed. This is true. Maryland, eighteen fifty nine. Let's go down here. Every slave who shall keep a dog in the city shall receive any number of stripes not exceeding thirty nine, unless the owner of the slave will pay a fine of five dollars. Every free negro who shall keep a dog on his or her premises or under his or her control in the city without a license from the mayor, shall be fined five dollars.
This again Montgomery, Alabama, eighteen sixty one. And just so you know, South Carolina was particularly cruel. Not only do they have the strict laws barring black dog keeping, but they also enforce these laws by sending people to the workhouse. If you don't know what the workhouse is, it's a site or the nearly exclusive corporal punishment of his slave people.
It was located directly adjacent to the city jail, and slavers who did not want to sully their own hands by disciplining their slaves would pay a fee in order to have someone else commit this cruel act for them in their stead. And again you can find out more about this and you can please follow Gingers, Underscore, naps on ig and j