To Be Sold - Enslaved Family Advertisement Colonial Historical Poster

This haunting colonial-era newspaper advertisement announces the sale of an enslaved family: "A Likely negro Man, his Wife and Child." The brief notice describes the man as "capable of doing all sorts of Plantation Work, and a good Miller," and the woman as "exceeding fit for a Farmer, being capable of doing any Work, belonging to a House in the Country." The family is offered "at reasonable Rates" with inquiries directed to the printer.

The advertisement's matter-of-fact tone reveals the normalized horror of slavery in colonial America, where families could be bought and sold as units of labor. The emphasis on their skills and versatility reflects how enslaved people were valued solely for their economic productivity, while the mention of their child underscores the generational nature of bondage—children born into slavery inherited their mother's enslaved status.

Historical Context: Newspaper advertisements like this one were the primary means of buying and selling enslaved people in colonial America. The phrase "Likely negro" was common terminology indicating a person deemed healthy and capable of hard labor. While this family appears to be sold together, there was no legal protection preventing their separation—one of slavery's cruelest aspects. The casual reference to "reasonable Rates" and the printer serving as intermediary demonstrates how deeply embedded human trafficking was in everyday colonial commerce.

This poster preserves a painful but essential piece of American history, honoring the memory of this unnamed family and countless others whose lives were reduced to classified advertisements.

Available in multiple sizes with your choice of black or natural wood frame, or unframed for custom display.