Charleston slave badge from 1811 for Porter No. 37
date: label: Date
content: 1811
name: label: Created by
content: John Joseph Lafar, American, 1784 - 1849
notes: label: Description
content: A convex, four-sided badge with deeply scooped, rounded corners and a hole at the top for suspension. The elements on the front are as follows (top to bottom): *CHARLESTON*" in a lunate bar punch; "1811" bar punched; "PORTER" in a rectangular punch (at a slight angle); and "No" in a square punch followed by an engraved "37". Very fine condition with brown / olive patina and some copper red highlights on the obverse, likely from cleaning after excavation.
place: label: Place made
content: Charleston, 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
label: Topic
content: U.S. History, 1783-1815
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Slavery and Freedom Objects
label: Exhibition
content: Making a Way Out of No Way
label: On View
content: NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Community/Third Floor, 3 050
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2010.27.2
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 15/16 x 1 15/16 in. (5 x 5 cm)