page_title: History of slavery in Illinois
hierarchical_section_title: History of slavery in Illinois
caption_attribution_description: English: Rare Illustation Painting of Slave Of Fox Indians In w:Illinois Country Or Nepissing Indians In French Colonial Canada from Estampes et photographie, OF-4(A)-FOL, Bibliothèque nationale de France (Prints and Photography, OF-4 (A) -FOL, National Library of France)
context_page_description: Slavery in Illinois existed for more than a century. Illinois did not become a state until 1818, but earlier regional systems of government had already established slavery. France introduced African slavery to the Illinois Country in the early eighteenth century. French and other inhabitants of Illinois continued the practice of owning slaves throughout the Illinois Country's period of British rule, as well as after its transfer to the new United States in 1783 as Illinois County, Virginia. The Northwest Ordinance banned slavery in Illinois and the rest of the Northwest Territory. Nonetheless, slavery remained a contentious issue, through the period when Illinois was part of the Indiana Territory and the Illinois Territory and some slaves remained in bondage after statehood until their gradual emancipation by the Illinois Supreme Court. Thus the history of slavery in Illnois covers several sometimes overlapping periods: French; British; Virginia; United States Northwest Territory, Indiana Territory, Illinois Territory and the State of Illinois.
  During the early decades of statehood, the number of slaves in Illinois dwindled.
context_section_description: Slavery in Illinois existed for more than a century. Illinois did not become a state until 1818, but earlier regional systems of government had already established slavery.  France introduced African slavery to the Illinois Country in the early eighteenth century. French and other inhabitants of Illinois continued the practice of owning slaves throughout the Illinois Country's period of British rule (1763-1783), as well as after its transfer to the new United States in 1783 as Illinois County, Virginia. The Northwest Ordinance (1787) banned slavery in Illinois and the rest of the Northwest Territory.  Nonetheless, slavery remained a contentious issue, through the period when Illinois was part of the Indiana Territory and the Illinois Territory and some slaves remained in bondage after statehood until their gradual emancipation by the Illinois Supreme Court.  Thus the history of slavery in Illnois covers several sometimes overlapping periods: French (c. 1660s-1764); British (c. 1763-1783); Virginia (c. 1778-1785); United States Northwest Territory (1787-1800), Indiana Territory (1800-1809), Illinois Territory (1809-1818) and the State of Illinois (after 1818). 
  During the early decades of statehood, the number of slaves in Illinois dwindled. In the decade before the American Civil War an anti-Black law was adopted in the state which made it difficult for new Black emigrants to enter or live in Illinois.  Near the close of the civil war, Illinois repealed that law and became the first state to ratify the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which abolished slavery nationally.
caption: Indian slave of the Fox tribe either in the Illinois Country or the Nipissing tribe in upper French Colonial Canada, circa 1732
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