African American Resources for Virginia: Difference between revisions

Half of the Virginia free black population lived in the Tidewater region during the nineteenth century. In 1860, one-third lived in towns and cities.<ref>''The Free Negro in Virginia,'' 14-15.</ref> Counties with the largest populations of free African Americans in '''1790 '''(more than 450) were [[Accomack County, Virginia|Accomack]], [[Dinwiddie County, Virginia|Dinwiddie]], [[Henrico County, Virginia|Henrico]], [[Nansemond County, Virginia|Nansemond]], [[Northampton County, Virginia|Northampton]], and [[Southampton County, Virginia|Southampton]]. Counties with more than 250 free blacks were [[Campbell County, Virginia|Campbell]], [[Charles City County, Virginia|Charles City]], [[Chesterfield County, Virginia|Chesterfield]], [[Goochland County, Virginia|Goochland]], [[Isle of Wight County, Virginia|Isle of Wight]], [[Mecklenburg County, Virginia|Mecklenburg]], [[Norfolk County, Virginia|Norfolk]], [[Prince George County, Virginia|Prince George]], [[Surry County, Virginia|Surry]], [[Sussex County, Virginia|Sussex]], and [[York County, Virginia|York]].<br>70 years later, in '''1860''', many of these people's descendants appear to have continued to live in the same areas. Counties with more than '''1500''' free colored people were [[Accomack County, Virginia|Accomack]], [[Dinwiddie County, Virginia|Dinwiddie]], [[Henrico County, Virginia|Henrico]], [[Nansemond County, Virginia|Nansemond]], [[Norfolk County, Virginia|Norfolk]], and [[Southampton County, Virginia|Southampton]].<ref name="no" /> The town of [[Petersburg, Virginia|Petersburg]] in 1830 (Dinwiddie County) had 3440 white inhabitants, 2850 slaves, and 2032 free blacks, making the black population the majority.<ref>''The Free Negro in Virginia,'' 14.</ref><br>