Annotations

The following annotations to The Life and Sufferings of Leonard Black were compiled in the fall 2013 by Ezie Ozoma and Russell Towner, first-year students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, as a class project in Professor William L. Andrews's First-Year Seminar on Slavery and Freedom in African American Literature and Film. We welcome any corrections, additions, or suggested revisions of these annotations. Send feedback to docsouth@listserv.unc.edu.

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Page 5

Annarundel County — county in Maryland; county seat of which is Annapolis, the capital of Maryland.

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Page 6

"peculiar institution" — a euphemism for slavery.

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Page 7

johnny-cake — cornmeal flatcake originated by indigenous North Americans.

Methodist church — a Protestant denomination of Christianity.

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Page 8

pantaloons — close-fitting trousers usually having straps passing under the instep and worn especially in the 19th century.

lindsey slip — an undergarment made of coarse, sturdy fabric.

pot liquor — the leftover broth in a pot after cooking greens.

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Page 10

All is not gold that shines, nor silver that glitters — well-known saying derived from a line in William Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice (1600).

collier — a producer of coal or maker of charcoal.

Baltimore — a port city in Maryland.

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Page 11

hallooed — to cry or shout.

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Page 12

Hagar of Old — Abraham's concubine and the mother of his son Ishmael in the Old Testament book of Genesis.

"Thou, God, seest me." — a common verse spoken by Hagar from Genesis 16:13.

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Page 13

iron-toothed rake — a tool used for yard work.

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Page 15

Joseph and his brethren — The most favored of the sons of the Hebrew patriarch, Jacob.

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Page 17

cowhide — a strong heavy flexible whip, usually made of braided leather.

withal — in addition.

King Herod — Ruler of Judea in 37 BC, portrayed as ruthless and cruel.

Ahab — seventh king of the northern kingdom of Israel, portrayed as wicked in the Old Testament.

Beelzebub — A name for the Devil.

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Page 19

pence — plural form of penny.

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Page 20

St. James — a letter in the New Testament.

"Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." — James 4:7

"Give us of your oil, for our lamps have gone out." — Matthew 25:8.

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Page 21

Nantucket — an island 30 miles south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

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Page 22

Judas — the betrayer of Jesus in the New Testament; anyone who betrays another under the guise of friendship.

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Page 24

Quaker — a member of the Society of Friends, a radical Protestant sect of Christianity.

Boston — the capital of Massachusetts and the largest city in New England.

Georgia — a state on the southern seacost of the United States.

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Page 26

grist mill — a mill for grinding grain.

Dutchman — a native of Holland.

overruling Providence — God

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Page 27

Richmond — the capital of Virginia.

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Page 28

we let ourselves out — to work for someone for a specified period of time in exchange for regular wages.

Brunswick — New Brunsick, a town in New Jersey.

gig — a light two-wheeled carriage pulled by one horse.

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Page 29

to catch a weasel asleep — people who are watchful and always on the alert; or who cannot be surprised.

New York — a state in the northeastern United States.

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Page 30

Newark — largest city in the state of New Jersey.

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Page 33

Providence — the capital of Rhode Island, United States.

bosom — part of a garment that covers the chest or breasts.

dickey — a collar for a shirt, usually worn with a tuxedo.

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Page 35

frock — a loose garment with wide sleeves, similar to a woman's dress.

Turk — a person of Turkish descent.

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Page 36

Portland — the largest city in Maine.

West Indies — the string of islands in the Caribbean Sea.

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Page 37

board — a person is provided with a place to live as well as meals in exchange for money or services.

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Page 38

Belknap-street Church — church in Boston, Massachusetts, where Rev. Mr. Black settled.

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Page 39

Gospel — the teaching of Christ.

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sons of men — In the Old Testament a synonym for "man" or "humankind"

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Page 41

President Wayland — Francis Wayland, educator and president of Brown University in Providence, R.I.

Mr. Ashur — Jeremiah Ashur, African American Baptist clergyman.

Sabbath School — school meeting on Sundays for religious teaching.

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Page 42

Zachariah — an Old Testament prophet.

Woonsocket — a city in Rhode Island; lies directly south of the Massachusetts state line.

lock — a device for raising and lowering boats between different heights of water.

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Page 43

Waterford — a village one mile from Woonsocket, Rhode Island.

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Page 44

victual — food or provisions.

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Page 45

Apostle Paul — early Christian evangelist, author of a number of letters in the New Testament.

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Page 46

shorn lamb — a lamb that has been sheared of its wool.

David of old — David, King of Israel, author of many Old Testament psalms.

"I found trouble and sorrow, then called I upon the name of the Lord." — Psalms 116:3-4

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Page 47

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, the son of man must be lifted up." — John 3:14.

lamb — symbol for Christ in the Bible.

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Page 48

New Bedford — a city in Massachusetts known for its large fishing port; about 60 miles southeast of Boston.

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Page 50

Holy Writ — another term for the Holy Bible.

saith — archaic third person singular present of say.

"Do unto all men as you would have them do unto you" — Matthew 7:12.

"Love thy neighbor as thyself. This is the law and the prophets" — Matthew 22:39-40

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Page 51

chattels — personal possessions.

Father of mercies — God

Aye — an affirmative answer or assent.

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Page 52

Thomas Jefferson — (1743-1826) American founding father and principle author of the Declaration of Independence.

King Solomon — a king of Israel (970-931 BC) and the son of David, the second king of the United Kingdom of Israel.

Queen Bathsheba — mother of Solomon, who succeeded David as king.

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Page 53

"He that despiseth you, despiseth me." — Luke 10:16.

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Page 54

massa — master

lub — love

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Page 56

scape-goat — a sacrifice on which is laid the sins of others.

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Page 58

Heaven — a place of peace and rest for Christians who are saved.

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