Charleston slave badge from 1853 for Mechanic No. 171
date: label: Date
content: 1853
name: label: Created by
content: William M. Rouse, American, 1812 - 1888
notes: label: Description
content: This is a square metal slave badge set on point with sharp corners. On the recto is text that reads ”CHARLESTON [stamped]” across the top. Under that is “1853 [stamped] / MECHANIC [stamped] / 171 [punched].” There is a hole punched at the center top.
place: label: Place used
content: Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Labor
label: Topic
content: Skilled labor
label: Topic
content: Slave hire system
label: Topic
content: Slavery
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Collection title
content: Charleston Slave Hire Badge Collection
label: Classification
content: Slavery and Freedom Objects
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Partial Gift of Harry S. Hutchins, Jr. DDS, Col. (Ret.) and his Family, dedicated to the individuals these Slave Hire Badges represent and their descendants
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2022.5.108
objectType: label: Type
content: slave hire badges
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: No Known Copyright Restrictions
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: metal
label: Dimensions
content: H x W: 1 9/16 × 1 9/16 in. (3.9 × 4 cm)