Negro Reservations

[Kaptin Kurk]

Is it possible, with a PoD after January 1st, 1782, for the North American black slave population to be "settled" on reservations, rather than incorporated into the body politic as geographically distributed subserviants? Similary to Native Americans, could there be large swaths of territory by the late 19th - early 20th Century that are basically "self-governed" black reservations officially (not unofficial ghettos.)

 

[IchBinDieKaiser]

There are a couple of options for things similar to what you are looking for. The American Colonization Society tried to resettle blacks in Africa, and Abraham Lincoln thought about resettling blacks in Latin America. You could have something like reservations after the civil war if the whole "40 acres and a mule" thing goes through.

 

[Jape]

There are a couple of options for things similar to what you are looking for. The American Colonization Society tried to resettle blacks in Africa, and Abraham Lincoln thought about resettling blacks in Latin America. You could have something like reservations after the civil war if the whole "40 acres and a mule" thing goes through.

I remember there being a TL on here where Lincoln serves out his two terms. The Homestead Act is coupled with the Freeman Bureau to see the 'Scramble for Freedom' out West. Perhaps a similar situation could see voluntary 'reservations' as free blacks head out to the Frontier, leading to black majority towns and counties maybe even states?

 

[The Kiat]

I don't know why, but for some reason I always pictured Florida (or the swampy parts of it at least) being turned into a negro-only territory/State.

 

[Tripwire]

This seems entirely plausible given sentiments at the time, except that I can't imagine whites would give up any large valuable swath of territory, and most of the West has been divvied up by the time of the ACW. But maybe desperation could force the government to act somehow.

 

[Blair]

This seems entirely plausible given sentiments at the time, except that I can't imagine whites would give up any large valuable swath of territory, and most of the West has been divvied up by the time of the ACW. But maybe desperation could force the government to act somehow.

I doubt they would get valuable land, just like the Indians they would get the tracks already proven to be worthless.

 

[Tank Cdr]

Despite the fact that blacks had been freed from slavery they are still too important to the economy. They are still doing most of the menial labor so I do not really see a scenario where they are resettled anywhere. The only way something like that could happen would be if a really radical pro-black faction takes control of the federal government after the Civil War. Perhaps if the group that killed Lincoln had succeeded in killing everyone on their hit list?!? The radicals now in power could force the south, and any other part of the country that does not want to participate, into true equality for African-Americans. No segregation, no "Jim Crow" laws, forced integration in schools, employment, etc, all enforced by "Yankee" bayonets. Such a scenario would probably lead to armed resistance, and not just in the South. Once that gets settled you would probably see the rise of a strong "let's get rid of them" movement, however it would probably be a back to Africa movement, possibly to Liberia. The bottom line is that it would take something really extraordinary for any kind of reservation idea to happen.

 

[iori]

Amerindians were given reservations either to recognize their seperate quasi-sovereign existance or as reparations for their original land being taken and overall they were not a very large group numerically.

African Americans on the other hand are an integrated part of the general population (even at the time) and were very numerous, numbering in the millions and comprising 14.1% of the population in 1860.

 

[elkarlo]

This seems entirely plausible given sentiments at the time, except that I can't imagine whites would give up any large valuable swath of territory, and most of the West has been divvied up by the time of the ACW. But maybe desperation could force the government to act somehow.

What if there was a large maroon colony in Florida/ Georgia? Would they let it be? That could act as a reservation if it is allowed to exist

Edit, what if Florida was Spanish longer and developed a large maroon community? Would the US break out up?