Williams' Gang: A Notorious Slave Trader and His Cargo of Black Convicts

by Jeff Forret

William H. Williams operated a slave pen in Washington, DC, known as the Yellow House, and actively trafficked in enslaved men, women, and children for more than twenty years.

His slave trading activities took an extraordinary turn in 1840 when he purchased twenty-seven enslaved convicts from the Virginia State Penitentiary in Richmond with the understanding that he could carry them outside of the United States for sale.

When Williams conveyed his captives illegally into New Orleans, allegedly while en route to the foreign country of Texas, he prompted a series of courtroom dramas that would last for almost three decades.

Based on court records, newspapers, governors' files, slave manifests, slave narratives, travelers' accounts, and penitentiary data, Williams' Gang examines slave criminality, the coastwise domestic slave trade, and southern jurisprudence as it supplies a compelling portrait of the economy, society, and politics of the Old South.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, African American, American History, American

482 pages, Hardcover

First published January 16, 2020

Reviews

[Valerity (Val) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very thorough history of slave trader William H. Williams of Washington, DC who ran the infamous Yellow House. It was a boarding stable of sorts for slaves who were being held between points of transport, and some were viewed for possible sale. This is also the place where Solomon Northup found himself after being drugged and kidnapped, and where he was later sold into slavery, despite being a free man from New York. He later wrote about his experiences in his autobiography titled Twelve Years A Slave.

Williams’ Gang is filled with information on the state of the slave’s situation in the US and also for various dealers in human chattel, aka bondsmen and women in the 1800s. When in 1840, Williams gets involved in buying 27 convict slaves, who were only to be sold and taken outside the US territory. He had even been made to put up a bond to that effect. But that’s not quite how it worked out, and legal matters ensued that went on for decades. A good read for anyone interested in slavery in this time period of history. Advance electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, author Jeff Forret, and the publisher.

First published on my WordPress blog as seen here:
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[Deanne Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well researched book looking into the little know time of slavery . Every library needs a copy of this book relevant even in today's time.
this Informative and important book.

Published January 16th 2020 by Cambridge University Press
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

[Nemo Nemo · Rating 4 out of 5]

AUTHOR

Discover the Prof. Jeff Forret, the author of Williams' Gang on his page here.

WHO IS THE TARGET AUDIENCE?

Forret's manuscript is an invaluable tool for those wishing to understand and appreciate the mechanisms of the slave trade.

SYNOPSIS

Jeff Forret's work is an extensive and detailed examination of the slave trade from the perspective of William Williams. Williams who hailed from Washington, District of Columbia (DC) where he engaged in the flesh trade at his property known as the Yellow House. The property was more of a human warehouse come sales room for his stock-in-trade his chattels. If selling abducted human beings was not bad enough Williams engaged in kidnapping free men or former freed slaves back into the servitude. The now famous Solomon Northup a free man of New York was thrust into bondage. You may know his name as he was the writer of Twelve Years a Slave. In Twelve Years a Slave he recounted his life experiences as a free man and a slave.

Forret goes on to chronicle the range of William H. Williams’ legal wrangles, and the events surrounding his many court cases arising out of his enslavement of convicts.

CONCLUSION

An excellent primer for any student wishing to gain a greater knowledge of the workings of the United States Slave Trade during the 1800's.

As I read the book I found similarities to the style of writing in a similar work Called Stolen, written by Richard Bell. You can find my review for Stolen here on Litercurious.

Further reading about Williams' Gang can be found here.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to than Jeff Forret, NetGalley, and Cambridge University Press for affording me the opportunity to review Williams' Gang: A Notorious Slave Trader and his Cargo of Black Convicts.

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

William H. Williams operated a slave pen in Washington, DC, known as the Yellow House, and actively trafficked in enslaved men, women, and children for more than twenty years. His slave trading activities took an extraordinary turn in 1840 when he purchased twenty-seven enslaved convicts from the Virginia State Penitentiary in Richmond with the understanding that he could carry them outside of the United States for sale. When Williams conveyed his captives illegally into New Orleans, allegedly while en route to the foreign country of Texas, he prompted a series of courtroom dramas that would last for almost three decades. Based on court records, newspapers, governors' files, slave manifests, slave narratives, travelers' accounts, and penitentiary data, Williams' Gang examines slave criminality, the coastwise domestic slave trade, and southern jurisprudence as it supplies a compelling portrait of the economy, society, and politics of the Old South.

I found that although the subject matter at hand was very interesting to read about, that the book was too much of a bogged-down experience while reading through the text, and it lacked a sense of immediacy that other books in this subject area possess. I understand that because of all the complex moving parts and the need to explain or contextualize multiple fluid aspects of what was happening at the time period depicted that it isn't easy an easy thing to also ensure readability. Also keeping in mind that it's from Cambridge University Press, that it should be expected this book would not be a walk in the park, for lack of a better term. Essentially, I feel it's a well-researched book that is definitely examining an important and often overlooked aspect of the transatlantic slave trade that has not been examined in as much depth, I felt that it could have been more readable. Still, it is a great book and I am not trying to take away at all from the many years of hard work and dedication the author spent in its creation.

[Shim · Rating 4 out of 5]

(I was reading an advance reading copy, but it was presumably identical in content to the final published version.)

A fascinating and at-times terrifying in-depth look at a variety of topics using the sale and transport of a group of convict slaves as a start point. The book is a bit meandering at times, but that seems to be a conscious choice. The in-depth legal and economics discussions may not be for everyone, but I found it pretty interesting, albeit a tad dry. You don't often read about the nitty-gritty details of the slave trade, or the implications that an active (but dying) slave trade have in early American society. The political conflict and economic turmoil leading up to and following the Civil War… And then the long legal battles around slavery and around this specific group of slaves. The legal shenanigans / loopholes are downright surprising as well.

[Julia Simpson-Urrutia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gave me a sense of what enslaved people were up against, all the rules and regulations that made their lives difficult if not miserable. The idea of groups of tied up human beings being marched on country roads anguishes the soul, but that was what slave dealers did--march slaves around. Thus reading about Williams' career gives one an idea of what was considered normal and acceptable. Williams made a lot of money, at a huge damage to his own soul. It is rather weird to understand that the public did not hold slave traders in high esteem, but understood them to be part of the capitalistic machinery. The reader will take away the realization that capitalism, with its no-holds-barred attitude to money making, accepts the potential of death as one price of worldly gain.

[Zuzu Burford · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book well written well researched concerning a little known piece of history. Unfortunately this is an indictment that humanity has to own with this book being in every school library.
I really found this emotionally hard going especially when we know that there are still forms of slavery today .

[Heidi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did not care for this book. I am not sure what I was expecting but it wasn't this. This book has so much additional information that I didn't think pertained to what I wanted to learn about. This book was an ARC so that may have changed and the formatting may have changed but at the time of me reading it, not grabbing me or informing me of anything as it seemed very repetitive.

[Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gives some good insight into the institution of slavery, the transactional process, and it’s impact on society. This is an informative and important read.

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Don · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every library should have a copy of this important title and study on such an relevant issue. I will be buying a copy for my library.

Thanks to Cambridge University Press and NetGalley for providing an early copy to review.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Williams' Gang: A Notorious Slave Trader and His Cargo of Black Convicts was an interesting and a very important read. I highly recommend it. Five stars.

[David Grabitske · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though a thick history of legal proceedings, what is useful is the description of the coastal slave trade.

[Trick Wiley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Getting ready to read this weeend! Will get back with my review!!🙊🙉🙈Will start out with 5 stars then we will see what happens!!