The Matheson History Museum will welcome author and historian Coleen DeGroff for a presentation exploring the lives and stories of enslaved people who lived and labored in Alachua County before and during the Civil War.
“Finding Unheard Voices of the Enslaved in Alachua County” will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9. The program is free with registration by clicking here. The Matheson is located at 513 E University Ave. in Gainesville.
During the presentation, DeGroff will discuss the research behind her book, “Alachua County Black Book,” which examines the history of slavery in Alachua County through legal records and other historical documents.
The research began with an unsuccessful effort to change the name of Haile Plantation. That effort led to the unexpected discovery of centuries-old public records documenting enslaved people in Alachua County and the individuals who enslaved them through the end of the Civil War.
Drawing on excerpts from bills of sale, wills, mortgages and other historical documents, “Alachua County Black Book” traces approximately a half-century of slavery in the county. The records provide glimpses into the lives of hundreds of enslaved people who were brought to the area to labor on dozens of plantations, preserving names and stories that otherwise could have been lost to time.
DeGroff is a writer, retired real estate agent and self-described accidental historian who lives in Gainesville. She serves as a docent at the Historic Haile Homestead, a former Sea Island cotton plantation where 66 enslaved people lived and worked. The 1856 home, which was built by dozens of enslaved craftsmen, is open for weekend tours.
DeGroff was recently appointed to the Alachua County Historical Commission. She believes history is all around us and that communities have a responsibility to preserve and share the stories of those who came before.
“I believe that we walk on history every day, and it is incumbent upon us to share the stories of people who came before us before they are lost,” DeGroff said in the release.