This is a list of largest slave sales in the United States, as measured by number of people listed for sale at one time, usually all derived from the same plantation or network of plantations due to death or debt of owner. Note: In compensation for advertising the sale, housing the "product" prior to the auction, and managing the transactions, traders typically took 2.5% of the sales.[1]
| Sale | Number of people listed | Start Date | Location | Owner(s) | Trader | Est. total value | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Ball Jr. estate auction[2] | 600 | 1835-02-24 | Charleston, South Carolina | John Ball Jr. | Jervey, Waring & White | US$222,800 (equivalent to $6,580,506 in 2023) | Ball's heir Ann Ball bought 215 of the 600 for US$79,855 (equivalent to $2,358,556 in 2023) |
| Joseph Bond estate auction[1] | 566 | 1860-01-03 | Albany, Georgia | Joseph Bond | US$580,150 (equivalent to $19,673,531 in 2023) | ||
| Great Slave Auction[3] | 436 | 1859-03-02 | Savannah, Georgia | Pierce Mease Butler | Joseph Bryan | US$303,850 (equivalent to $10,303,891 in 2023) |
See also==
References==
- ^ a b Bancroft, Frederic (2023) [1931]. Slave Trading in the Old South. Southern Classics Series. Introduction by Michael Tadman. Columbia, S.C.: University of South Carolina Press. pp. 174 (2.5% for brokers), 354–355 (Bond). ISBN 978-1-64336-427-8.
- ^ McIntyre, Jennifer Berry Hawes,Gavin (2023-06-16). "How a Grad Student Uncovered the Largest Known Slave Auction in the U.S." ProPublica. Retrieved 2023-07-17.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "A GREAT SLAVE AUCTION IN GEORGIA". South Australian Advertiser. 1859-07-05. Retrieved 2023-07-17.