MEMORANDUM
June 9, 1937

TO: STATE DIRECTORS OF THE FEDERAL WRITERS' PROJECT
FROM: Henry G. Alsberg, Director


In connection with the stories of ex-slaves, please send in to this
office copies of State, county, or city laws affecting the conduct of
slaves, free Negroes, overseers, patrollers, or any person or custom
affecting the institution of slavery. It will, of course, not be
necessary to send more than one copy of the laws that were common
throughout the state, although any special law passed by a particular
city would constitute worthwhile material.

In addition, we should like to have you collect and send in copies of
any laws or accounts of any established customs relating to the
admission to your State of bodies of slaves from Africa or other
sections, the escape of slaves, etc. Also, we should like to see copies
of advertisements of sales of slaves, published offers of rewards for
fugitive slaves, copies of transfers of slaves by will or otherwise,
records of freeing of slaves, etc. Public records of very particular
interest regarding any transaction involving slaves should be
photostated and copies furnished to the Washington office.

Furthermore, contemporary accounts of any noteworthy occurrences among
the Negroes during slavery days or the Reconstruction period should be
copied, if taken from contemporary newspapers. If such records have been
published in books, a reference to the source would be sufficient. We