Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
The USSA Archive is committed to preserving and sharing original, historical documents related to the lived experiences of slavery and abolition in the United States. The collection includes estate records, business ledgers, bills of sale, diaries, letters, printed pamphlets and more. These records provide a valuable window into the daily lives of individuals, families and communities that engaged the systemic realities of chattel slavery in the United States.
The USSA Archive’s primary objectives are 1.) to gather and preserve these documents for future generations and 2.) to make these records accessible to the public including descendant communities, researchers, genealogists, scholars and storytellers. As small acts leaning toward repair, the Archive presents the historical records in a framework designed for respect, health and healing and works to honor the enslaved by recovering and centering their individual names and family connections.
The USSA Archive features a digital interface that equips learners to explore and interact with high-resolution scans of the physical documents. The Archive stands as a living testament to our shared past and challenges learners to confront injustice, to remember those whose voices were silenced and to recognize the enduring resilience across generations.
What is the Archive?
The USSA Archive is committed to preserving and sharing original, historical documents related to the lived experiences of slavery and abolition in the United States. The collection includes estate records, business ledgers, bills of sale, diaries, letters, printed pamphlets and more. These records provide a valuable window into the daily lives of individuals, families and communities that engaged the systemic realities of chattel slavery in the United States.
The USSA Archive’s primary objectives are 1.) to gather and preserve these documents for future generations and 2.) to make these records accessible to the public including descendant communities, researchers, genealogists, scholars and storytellers. As small acts leaning toward repair, the Archive presents the historical records in a framework designed for respect, health and healing and works to honor the enslaved by recovering and centering their individual names and family connections.
The USSA Archive features a digital interface that equips learners to explore and interact with high-resolution scans of the physical documents. The Archive stands as a living testament to our shared past and challenges learners to confront injustice, to remember those whose voices were silenced and to recognize the enduring resilience across generations.
The USSA Archive is privately owned by The Edward E. Haddock, Jr. Family Foundation, with several individuals and companies contributing to its construction and maintenance. The Archive is guided by the collective insight of an Advisory Council composed of a diverse group of experts in related fields.
Who built and maintains it?
The USSA Archive is privately owned by The Edward E. Haddock, Jr. Family Foundation, with several individuals and companies contributing to its construction and maintenance. The Archive is guided by the collective insight of an Advisory Council composed of a diverse group of experts in related fields.
The USSA Archive includes a wide range of records that document daily life, individual experiences and social change in the United States from the Colonial period through Reconstruction. Materials include bills of sale, manumission papers, estate inventories and other financial and property records; governmental and legal documents such as court records, deeds, contracts and tax records; and personal writings including letters, journals and essays. The Archive also contains printed ephemera, notably newspaper advertisements seeking the capture of enslaved people who fled bondage.
What types of records does it include?
The USSA Archive includes a wide range of records that document daily life, individual experiences and social change in the United States from the Colonial period through Reconstruction. Materials include bills of sale, manumission papers, estate inventories and other financial and property records; governmental and legal documents such as court records, deeds, contracts and tax records; and personal writings including letters, journals and essays. The Archive also contains printed ephemera, notably newspaper advertisements seeking the capture of enslaved people who fled bondage.
To search the entire collection, use the search bar in the top-right corner of any page. For more control over search parameters, click on the advanced search link below the search bar. Alternatively, select “Search Collection” from the main navigation, which will take you to the same area as the search bar. If you’re unsure of a keyword to enter, explore the documents by topic or type using the buttons in the main navigation.
How do I start a search?
To search the entire collection, use the search bar in the top-right corner of any page. For more control over search parameters, click on the advanced search link below the search bar. Alternatively, select “Search Collection” from the main navigation, which will take you to the same area as the search bar. If you’re unsure of a keyword to enter, explore the documents by topic or type using the buttons in the main navigation.
When browsing a collection of documents, you can filter them by location, date ranges, and document types using the “Filter Results” menu on the left side of the document list. After setting your filters, simply press “Apply” to filter the list of documents on the right side.
How do I filter by location, time period, or document type?
When browsing a collection of documents, you can filter them by location, date ranges, and document types using the “Filter Results” menu on the left side of the document list. After setting your filters, simply press “Apply” to filter the list of documents on the right side.
The records in the USSA Archive originate from a variety of sources. The majority of these records come from the American South, specifically from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. Smaller selections can be found in other states and regions as well. The collection is organized at the item level by state or geographical region, with further division into different phases of acquisition and processing.
Where do the records come from?
The records in the USSA Archive originate from a variety of sources. The majority of these records come from the American South, specifically from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. Smaller selections can be found in other states and regions as well. The collection is organized at the item level by state or geographical region, with further division into different phases of acquisition and processing.
No, you do not need an account to access the records. All materials are available at no cost to the user and can be accessed without any login or registration requirements. If you would like to download documents or save your search results, then you will need to create an account with the platform used to house the digital material called AM Quartex.
Do I need an account?
No, you do not need an account to access the records. All materials are available at no cost to the user and can be accessed without any login or registration requirements. If you would like to download documents or save your search results, then you will need to create an account with the platform used to house the digital material called AM Quartex.
The USSA Archive preserves 18th and 19th-century documents exactly as they were written, including offensive and outdated language, to provide an accurate view of historical records. To the extent possible, the Archive provides historical context and explanations for the use of such language and emphasizes an anti-racist, human-centered approach to interpretation. The USSA Archive website warns learners visiting the site that some materials may contain derogatory or inflammatory words or phrases. Through these measures, the USSA Archive aims to offer a nuanced understanding of history that promotes learning and discussion about the realities of slavery and racial discrimination in the United States while acknowledging its painful legacy.
How do you handle offensive or outdated language?
The USSA Archive preserves 18th and 19th-century documents exactly as they were written, including offensive and outdated language, to provide an accurate view of historical records. To the extent possible, the Archive provides historical context and explanations for the use of such language and emphasizes an anti-racist, human-centered approach to interpretation. The USSA Archive website warns learners visiting the site that some materials may contain derogatory or inflammatory words or phrases. Through these measures, the USSA Archive aims to offer a nuanced understanding of history that promotes learning and discussion about the realities of slavery and racial discrimination in the United States while acknowledging its painful legacy.
The Archive has established guidelines for honoring descendant community members by including website functionality to highlight descendant voices, by providing the ability for members of descendant communities to contribute corrections in transcripts related to their family history and by providing high-quality replicas of any documents related to their specific ancestry. The Archive also offers family history resources and tools for exploring genealogy and historical records. The USSA Archive recognizes the importance of involving descendant communities and providing these honored community members with a platform to explore and learn about their heritage.
Are descendant communities involved in the project?
The Archive has established guidelines for honoring descendant community members by including website functionality to highlight descendant voices, by providing the ability for members of descendant communities to contribute corrections in transcripts related to their family history and by providing high-quality replicas of any documents related to their specific ancestry. The Archive also offers family history resources and tools for exploring genealogy and historical records. The USSA Archive recognizes the importance of involving descendant communities and providing these honored community members with a platform to explore and learn about their heritage.
If you encounter something upsetting in the Archive, it is very important to engage the experience in a healthy way. We recommend a series of steps: First, take a moment to process your emotions and thoughts before taking any action. Here are a few tools that may help. Next, consult with historians or cultural heritage professionals who can provide context, interpretation and guidance on how to approach the material. After this, if you believe that a document is particularly disturbing or problematic, consider reporting your concerns to Archive staff here.
What should I do if I see something upsetting?
If you encounter something upsetting in the Archive, it is very important to engage the experience in a healthy way. We recommend a series of steps: First, take a moment to process your emotions and thoughts before taking any action. Here are a few tools that may help. Next, consult with historians or cultural heritage professionals who can provide context, interpretation and guidance on how to approach the material. After this, if you believe that a document is particularly disturbing or problematic, consider reporting your concerns to Archive staff here.
The USSA Archive upholds the dignity of enslaved people through several essential practices. It treats original, handwritten and printed documents with utmost care and respect, acknowledging their painful language and records of injustice. The archive strictly adheres to guidelines for handling sensitive historical content related to slavery, emphasizing the significance of presenting historically marginalized voices in their complete historical context. It firmly commits to anti-racist practices, actively resisting reductive or harmful interpretations that obscure systemic injustices or perpetuate oppressive narratives. By prioritizing the voices of historically marginalized individuals and presenting documents in their full historical context, the archive aims to foster empathy and understanding of the experiences of enslaved people. Its approach is grounded in recognizing that historical documents are not merely objects but evidence of human life holding profound emotional and psychological value for those affected by slavery. Through these practices, the USSA Archive demonstrates its unwavering commitment to respecting the dignity of enslaved people and promoting healing from the wounds of racism.
How are you ensuring that this work respects the dignity of enslaved people?
The USSA Archive upholds the dignity of enslaved people through several essential practices. It treats original, handwritten and printed documents with utmost care and respect, acknowledging their painful language and records of injustice. The archive strictly adheres to guidelines for handling sensitive historical content related to slavery, emphasizing the significance of presenting historically marginalized voices in their complete historical context. It firmly commits to anti-racist practices, actively resisting reductive or harmful interpretations that obscure systemic injustices or perpetuate oppressive narratives. By prioritizing the voices of historically marginalized individuals and presenting documents in their full historical context, the archive aims to foster empathy and understanding of the experiences of enslaved people. Its approach is grounded in recognizing that historical documents are not merely objects but evidence of human life holding profound emotional and psychological value for those affected by slavery. Through these practices, the USSA Archive demonstrates its unwavering commitment to respecting the dignity of enslaved people and promoting healing from the wounds of racism.
Yes, learners visiting the Archive may download Archive documents for personal use including research, education and any non-commercial purpose. Documents may not be downloaded or used for commercial purposes. While all digital materials (documents, transcripts, descriptions and metadata) in the USSA Archive are freely accessible to learners, certain documents may be subject to copyright protection. The Edward E. Haddock Family Foundation believes that most items are in the public domain or have no known copyright restrictions; however, neither the Archive nor the Foundation warrants the accuracy of the copyright information provided and assumes no liability for the use of digital reproductions. Responsibility for determining copyright status and securing any necessary permissions rests solely with the user.
Can I download documents for personal use?
Yes, learners visiting the Archive may download Archive documents for personal use including research, education and any non-commercial purpose. Documents may not be downloaded or used for commercial purposes. While all digital materials (documents, transcripts, descriptions and metadata) in the USSA Archive are freely accessible to learners, certain documents may be subject to copyright protection. The Edward E. Haddock Family Foundation believes that most items are in the public domain or have no known copyright restrictions; however, neither the Archive nor the Foundation warrants the accuracy of the copyright information provided and assumes no liability for the use of digital reproductions. Responsibility for determining copyright status and securing any necessary permissions rests solely with the user.
If you have any comments, concerns, or ideas about the platform’s user interface or functionality, please share your feedback here. Our team will review and respond to your feedback promptly. Your valuable input is crucial in enhancing the overall user experience of this resource!
I found a bug or issue - how can I report it?
If you have any comments, concerns, or ideas about the platform’s user interface or functionality, please share your feedback here. Our team will review and respond to your feedback promptly. Your valuable input is crucial in enhancing the overall user experience of this resource!
Banner illustration reference: Correspondence Regarding the Emancipation of an Enslaved Woman Named Milly and Her Children, 1830
Banner illustration reference: Correspondence Regarding the Emancipation of an Enslaved Woman Named Milly and Her Children, 1830