About the Data

The Nashville Enslaved and Free People of Color Database includes information (if given) such as:

• name, age, and sex of the enslaved individual;
• enslaved individual's family relationships;
• name of the slaveholder;
• where and/or to whom the enslaved individual was transferred;
• location information for the original record.

These records reflect the beliefs and laws of the time – not modern values. You may encounter:

• Racist language Outdated terminology 
• Enslaved people identified as property 
• Individuals identified only by race 
• Inequities in how records were created and preserved 

It is important to remember that archives preserve history – we do not endorse the language found within our historical records.

Using the Database

Data is hosted on the Nashville Open Data Portal, which presents data in a searchable and filterable spreadsheet. 

To view data, click the View Data button in the upper right corner of the page. 

Once you're in the data table, you can search, filter, and export data. 

View Original Documents

If you find a record in the database and would like to see the original document, please contact us with the book and page number. We will be glad to send a digital image of the document to you, either by email or by postal mail.

Thank You

Special thanks to the Nashville Public Library Foundation, Fletch Coke, and Paul Downey for their help and support with this project.