Pursuing Primary Sources

The 1860 Census: Schedule 2

See full example schedule 2 This link opens in a new window

Columns in schedule 2 include:

• Name of slave owners
• Number of slaves
• Age
• Sex
• Color
• Fugitive from the state
• Number manumitted
• Deaf & dumb, blind, insane or idiotic
• Number of slave houses

What do you notice about the information recorded in schedule 2? Here are some things I notice:

• Individual's names are not recorded on this schedule. Instead, they are recorded under the name of their enslaver.
• Information recorded about people in this schedule is small enough to allow two sets of columns appear on each page.
• Column 2 (number of slaves) makes it possible to record information about multiple people with shared characteristics in the same row.
• Information recorded here doesn't give us much of a sense for the person or their life. Details are related to record-keeping and enslaved status.

The information recorded about enslaved inhabitants is scant and dehumanizing. Omissions like this are original evidence of the priorities and viewpoints of people in the past. Especially in legal documents, these omissions have real world consequences and perpetuate harm. Because schedule 2 does not list people by name, it is impossible to use as proof of genealogy or applicability of government benefits.