Bounded Lives, Bounded Places : Free Black Society in Colonial New Orleans, 1769–1803

During Louisiana’s Spanish colonial period, economic, political, and military conditions combined with local cultural and legal traditions to favor the growth and development of a substantial group of free blacks. In Bounded Lives, Bounded Places , Kimberly S. Hanger explores the origin of antebellum New Orleans’ large, influential, and propertied free black—or libre —population, one that was unique in the South. Hanger examines the issues libres confronted as they individually and collectively contested their ambiguous status in a complexly stratified society. Drawing on rare archives in Louisiana and Spain, Hanger reconstructs the world of late-eighteenth-century New Orleans from the perspective of its free black residents, and documents the common experiences and enterprises that helped solidify libres ’ sense of group identity. Over the course of three and a half decades of Spanish rule, free people of African descent in New Orleans made their greatest advances in terms of legal rights and privileges, demographic expansion, vocational responsibilities, and social standing. Although not all blacks in Spanish New Orleans yearned for expanded opportunity, Hanger shows that those who did were more likely to succeed under Spain’s dominion than under the governance of France, Great Britain, or the United States. The advent of U.S. rule brought restrictions to both manumission and free black activities in New Orleans. Nonetheless, the colonial libre population became the foundation for the city’s prosperous and much acclaimed Creoles of Color during the antebellum era.

during Louisiana’s Spanish Colonial Period, Economic, Political, And Military Conditions Combined With Local Cultural And Legal Traditions To Favor The Growth And Development Of A Substantial Group Of Free Blacks. In bounded Lives, Bounded Places, Kimberly S. Hanger Explores The Origin Of Antebellum New Orleans’ Large, Influential, And Propertied Free Black—or libre—population, One That Was Unique In The South. Hanger Examines The Issues libres Confronted As They Individually And Collectively Contested Their Ambiguous Status In A Complexly Stratified Society.
drawing On Rare Archives In Louisiana And Spain, Hanger Reconstructs The World Of Late-eighteenth-century New Orleans From The Perspective Of Its Free Black Residents, And Documents The Common Experiences And Enterprises That Helped Solidify libres’ Sense Of Group Identity. Over The Course Of Three And A Half Decades Of Spanish Rule, Free People Of African Descent In New Orleans Made Their Greatest Advances In Terms Of Legal Rights And Privileges, Demographic Expansion, Vocational Responsibilities, And Social Standing. Although Not All Blacks In Spanish New Orleans Yearned For Expanded Opportunity, Hanger Shows That Those Who Did Were More Likely To Succeed Under Spain’s Dominion Than Under The Governance Of France, Great Britain, Or The United States.
the Advent Of U.s. Rule Brought Restrictions To Both Manumission And Free Black Activities In New Orleans. Nonetheless, The Colonial libre Population Became The Foundation For The City’s Prosperous And Much Acclaimed Creoles Of Color During The Antebellum Era.

william And Mary Quarterly

the Great Strength Of Hanger's Work Is Her Presentation Of An Enormous Amount Of Information From Copious, Underutilized Colonial Sources. She Is The First Scholar Of Colonial Louisiana To Comb The New Orleans Notarial Archives, Which Old Thousands Of Pages Of Contracts, Wills, Bills Of Sale, And Affidavits....bounded Lives, Bounded Places Is An Important Contribution To The Scholarship On Louisiana. It Reveals That, For All The Qualities That Set The Colony Apart, It And The Later State Were Not Immune To The Forces Inclining America Toward A Fractured Identity That Has Yet To Be Knitted Back Together.

During Louisiana’s Spanish colonial period, economic, political, and military conditions combined with local cultural and legal traditions to favor the growth and development of a substantial group of free blacks. In __Bounded Lives, Bounded Places__, Kimberly S. Hanger explores the origin of antebellum New Orleans’ large, influential, and propertied free black—or __libre__—population, one that was unique in the South. Hanger examines the issues __libres__ confronted as they individually and collectively contested their ambiguous status in a complexly stratified society. Drawing on rare archives in Louisiana and Spain, Hanger reconstructs the world of late-eighteenth-century New Orleans from the perspective of its free black residents, and documents the common experiences and enterprises that helped solidify __libres__’ sense of group identity. Over the course of three and a half decades of Spanish rule, free people of African descent in New Orleans made their greatest advances in terms of legal rights and privileges, demographic expansion, vocational responsibilities, and social standing. Although not all blacks in Spanish New Orleans yearned for expanded opportunity, Hanger shows that those who did were more likely to succeed under Spain’s dominion than under the governance of France, Great Britain, or the United States. The advent of U.S. rule brought restrictions to both manumission and free black activities in New Orleans. Nonetheless, the colonial __libre__ population became the foundation for the city’s prosperous and much acclaimed Creoles of Color during the antebellum era. Avenues To Freedom. -- Work And Property Accumulation. -- Family Values And Kinship Strategies. -- A Privilege And Honor To Serve. -- Cultural And Political Activities. -- Epilogue. -- Appendix: Regulations Governing The Free Black Militia. Kimberly S. Hanger. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Examines Louisiana's history during the Spanish colonial period of the late eighteenth century, describing economic, political, and military conditions, along with the social conditions and rights granted to the antebellum population of freed slaves that lived in New Orleans under Spanish rule Introduction -- 1 Avenues to Freedom -- 2 Work and Property Accumulation -- 3 "Family Values" and Kinship Strategies -- 4 A Privilege and Honor to Serve -- 5 Cultural and Political Activities -- Epilogue -- Appendix: Regulations Governing the Free Black Militia