Charleston slave badge from 1816 for Mechanic No. 39
date: label: Date
content: 1816
name: label: Created by
content: John Joseph Lafar, American, 1784 - 1849
notes: label: Description
content: This is a square metal slave badge with clipped corners. On the recto is text that reads ”CHARLESTON [stamped]” across the top. Under that is “1816 [stamped] / MECHANIC [stamped] / No. [stamped] 39 [punched] .” On the verso is a stamped cartouche at the center top with the maker's name “LAFAR.” 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: 2022.5.31
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: 2 × 1 15/16 in. (5.1 × 5 cm)