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Slave Sale Document Signed by First Maryland Governor

Charles Wilson
/
creative commons

FREDERICK, Md. (AP) - A Frederick museum is exhibiting a slave sale document signed by Maryland's first governor, Thomas Johnson.

The Frederick News-Post reports that the document will be shown Wednesday night at the Delaplaine Visual Arts Education Center.

The exhibit is part of the annual meeting of the local African American Resources, Cultural and Heritage Society.

Organizer David Key says the document is among several slave sale records borrowed from the collection of the late Kathleen Snowden of New Market.

Key says the recorded prices for slaves ranged from $70 to $300.

Johnson was elected governor in 1777. He later served in the House of Delegates and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Frederick has a high school named for Johnson. He is buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Frederick.

Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.