Judith Giesberg’s 'Last Seen: Finding Family After Slavery' archives over 4,500 ads from formerly enslaved people seeking lost relatives. Originating from the 1830s to the 1920s, these advertisements illustrate the harsh realities of slavery, including the low success rate of reunions. Giesberg contrasts popular narratives of slavery with the deeper, often painful truths encapsulated in these ads, detailing how they reflect the tragic separation of families, particularly highlighting the disturbing practice of child sales. Her book offers critical insights into the lived experiences of enslaved people rather than providing reunion outcomes.
The ads serve as portals into 'the lived experience of slavery,' countering myths and showcasing how Black people were sold and resold multiple times.
Giesberg emphasizes that the ads reflect a grim truth about slavery, where selling children away from their mothers was the rule, not the exception.
Collection
[
|
...
]