FInal project

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Western Michigan University *

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5040

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Anthropology

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Jan 9, 2024

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KC Robertson Prof . Hartenberger ANTH 5040 April 28, 2022 African American Settlements in the North Between the years 1774 and 1840, the northern states of the US abolished slavery . The usual consensus given is that they were freed to live their own lives; however, the findings at some of these sites show a different story . I want to find out how common it was to burn down the slaves’ quarters and if there are human remains at these sites . Considering what research has been done for slavery sites in the north, such as David Katzman’s work for Michigan . I think this question would be answered by looking into three sites found in Michigan . Although this will only answer the question for the state of Michigan, it would leave room for further excavations elsewhere and bring information on what life may have been like at the ending years of slavery . This project will open up a way to look at how the progress of abolishing slavery in the north went . If it was a steady and easy way of doing so or if it was considered embarrassing and quickly done away with . So, we will test these sites to see if there is a straightforward answer or if it needs to be looked deeper into .

The budget of this project will be determined by the tools used, personnel for the dig, food and accommodations, and long-term storage along with data storage . An upmost of 2,000 USD will be used for the radiocarbon dating and thermoluminescence dating as well as the tools needed to excavate . We will use any funding provided if we need to pay specialists to assist in the dig . The project is applying for The Julie Herzig Desnick Fund, The Boochever Fund, The Steinmetz Fund, and the Stevan B . Dana Project Fund . This will help with any startup costs and provide a stipend for the project if there are any needs to finish the project or keep motivation . These funds will also help with the costs of data storage, which will most likely be a maximum of 500 USD . We will use either SHPO or DINAA as online storage of what we found . As our research pertains to what DINAA is created on, we will try to donate whatever funds are leftover to them . The storage facilities used will most likely be in history curation societies, cultural societies, or an academic repository . The storage is difficult to determine at the time due to discussions with communities that could be upset or offended by the misuse of any artifacts . This project will be completed with the help of personnel specialized in African American history as well as cultural means, archaeologists, bioarcheologists, and anthropologists skilled in microfauna . The first step in digging the site will be a ground survey . We will look above to see if there is any hint on where to look first, especially if

there are not any historical documents stating where the slaves’ quarters may have been . The next step will be shovel test pits . If we are looking for specifically burnt wood, the best strategy will be to dig up test pits and screen them for burnt soil and bits of wood . If we find anything during these steps, the next step is to send it to a lab to test for the dates . We would use radiocarbon dating for the burnt wood or wood found to see if it is in the right date range; we would use thermoluminescence dating for the soil analysis . After this, we would investigate deeper to see if there are any bones at the site . If any were discovered, we would send them to a forensic anthropologist and/or bioarcheologist . We would also involve any African American community members that want to contribute to the excavation . We will record any burnt items found in the excavation . This will include bones, soil, wood, cloth, food, or any type of material item with burn marks . We will record these findings via paper but use google spreadsheets to digitalize the findings and share them with the entire group that participated . If there is any use-wear on the artifacts found there will be some use-wear analysis as well in the lab work . Most likely looking for anything traumatic to the bone or any materials that have odd burn marks . Trying to find out if the fire was caused naturally is a question that would be answered in this testing as well . I think the best way to present any of these results we find would be to do a table of the types of materials found with burns or if there were any signs of fires at all .

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A graph may be a bit difficult to do with the number of things we are recording in this project . We would request these items be kept in a foam enclosure . Also, to have a stabilizing agent applied if needed, such as for any regular wood use polyethylene glycol to preserve it . The bones would need extra careful storage and care as they may be burnt, so acryloid B72 would be a good stabilizing agent if needed for this item . To test my hypothesis on this project I will use the standard deviation method to see if I have a null hypothesis . Showing the broad sense of categories nominal data would be a good tool to use . Even using the Chi-square method would most likely show something in the data and give a clue on the relative frequencies of the finds . A box and whiskers chart wouldn’t serve the data properly in this project . A histogram or an “ogive” chart may show the data the best . A histogram, if the data has very differential numbers, will adequately show the findings and how it relates to the question asked . An “ogive” chart would be useful if the data found is cumulative which would have to be put together to show the data the best . A pie chart would be useful with the ecofacts we find and separating them into percentages, see if wood or if a specific plant was more so present .

References Katzman, D . M . (1970) . Black Slavery in Michigan . American Studies . LaRoche, C . J . (2014) . Free Black Communities and the Underground Railroad: The Geography of Resistance . Urbana . ; University of Illinois Press . Mathews, C . N . (2020) . A Struggle for Heritage: Archaeology and Civil Rights in a Long Island Community . Gainesville; University Press of Florida . Miles, T . (2017) . The Dawn of Detroit: A Chronicle of Slavery and Freedom in the City of the Straits . The New Press . Mullins, P . (2021) . Revolting Things: An Archaeology of Shameful Histories and Repulsive Realities . Gainesville; University Press of Florida .

FInal project

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