First (Unfree) State: The History of Human Bondage in Delaware

This talk will survey the history and legacies of slavery and related forms of human bondage in Delaware, from the colonial period into the nineteenth-century. Contrary to the common wisdom in the Diamond State, slavery was neither marginal nor limited in Delaware. Right up to the end of the Civil War, it was critical to the state’s political economy, both below and above the canal – and its legacies still shape our landscape today. Drawing on examples from Newark’s past, this lecture will showcase the sources and methods that researchers have used to piece together a new, more accurate assessment of the impact slavery has had on Delawareans.

Dael A. Norwood is associate professor of history at UD, where he teaches courses on US history, the history of capitalism, and the history of Delaware. From 2021 to 2025, he co-chaired the UDARI Legacies of Enslavement Committee, which coordinated research into the history of racial injustice and inequality in Delaware.

Host or Publisher Newark Historical Society & Museum