Massachusetts Legislature. House Reports, 1822
No. 46. Free Negroes and Mulattoes. 16 p. January 16, 1822
In 1788, Massachusetts passed a law regulating the residence in the state of certain people of color. It was never enforced. In 1822 members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives formed a committee to debate whether limiting immigration and residency of people of color should be enforced.
The committee was chaired by Theodore Lyman, Jr., and the Speaker of the House was Josiah Quincy. The report, dated January 16, 1822, includes a history of slavery and the immigration of Africans to Massachusetts. Not only did the report find that these people of color did not pose problems to society, but greatly benefited the state.
The first page appears below. Click here for the full report: (2.65MB pdf)
See also Transcription and Original Manuscript.
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