BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY: SLAVERY IN NORTH CAROLINA :

North Carolina like other Southern States relied on slavery to building its economy during the 18th and 19th centuries. Slaves across the state raised crops, did domestic chores, constructed new buildings, sailed ships and performed countless other jobs, all for no pay. The slave trade separated many families and punishment and violence were all to common. Despite the extreme hardship of slavery, enslaved blacks in North Carolina created a strong culture that combines their experiences as slaves with elements of African and west.

Slavery has been part of North Carolina' s history since its settlement by Europeans in the late 1600's and early 1700's many of the slaves  brought to North Carolina were brought from the West Indies or other surrounding Islands. But a significant number were brought from Africa, As records were not kept and homelands of African slaves, it was impossible to know the exert ethnic make up. Because of its geographical position, North Carlina's did not play an important part in the early slave trade. The strings of island that make up its outer banks made it dangerous for slave ships to land there slaves on the coast and most slave traders choose the ports north or south of the state. Only Wilmington was the major exception.