Slave kidnappers
Engraving, 1834, Library of Congress.

After the U.S. annexed Florida in 1821 (following a war on the territory in 1817-1818), U.S. slave raiders continually threatened the Black Seminoles. With few laws to protect them, the black pioneers found themselves in dire straits throughout the 1820s.

Also see:

• Segment on the First Seminole War
• Annexation leads to a dramatic slave raid
• More on slave raiders (with full image credit)

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