TOLERABLY BLACK

What Is Tolerably Black?

Encountering a runaway slave ad used on the Carolina Chocolate Drops’ website sparked a desire in me to know more about the individual stories, lives, and relationships of people depicted in such ads.

During the over 300-year period that slavery existed in the U.S., between 40,000 and 100,000 enslaved people escaped from southern states, northward, via the Underground Railroad. Many were captured, re-enslaved, or hung for attempting to escape. One person that made it to freedom by running to Canada, was my great-great-great-great grandmother.

My family history makes me feel personally connected to all of their stories. Even though it can seem that the person escaping has been reduced to a brief descriptive ad placed in the local paper by their enslavers, I have found a way to honor and to dignify their lives by enlarging these ads, screen-printing them on 100% cotton, framing them, and presenting them to you.

The undercurrents of slavery’s existence still permeate all strata of American society today.

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Tolerably Black was born in the hopes of sparking constructive, heartfelt dialog around our shared history, without shame, without hate and without guilt. Just truth. Our truth.