How Tobacco Farms Used Slavery

How Tobacco Farms Used Slavery. . Tobacco was the only crop grown on this farm that was sold for cash or bartered for goods. Corn, vegetables, and animals were raised to feed the people on the plantation. If a crop failed or if the tobacco barn burned down during the curing process, the only valuable assets the Burroughs had were the enslaved African workers. The Burroughs might sell or trade a person for the money to survive until next year's crop. If a crop brought a good price, the enslaved Africans could feel optimistic that their family would stay together for another year. . . The many stages of planting, growing, harvesting, and curing tobacco required a lot of hands. . . Plant seedbeds in February using seeds from last year's best plants. . . In late spring, "pitch" thousands of small seedlings from seedbeds, and plant them in the fields. . . Weed and water the plants. . . Pick pests off plants by hand. (This tedious job was often done by enslaved children.) . . . Take off or "top" the plants' flowers and pinch or "sucker" shoots off the stem. This diverts the plants' energies to grow large leaves. . . Harvest plants with a tobacco knife. Split the stalk from the top down then cut the plant at the ground. . . Hang plants from sticks in the tobacco barn, where the heat of small fires cures the leaves. . . Sort or "prize" leaves by quality. . . Haul leaves to the tobacco factory to be processed into "pig-tail twists," a form of chewing tobacco. . . (sidebar) . Think about it: . Working For Your Life . What kept the enslaved African workers in the hot fields, for hours, day after day, at back-breaking labor? Fear of punishment and violence was a major reason. But just as powerful was the hope that hard work might keep their loved ones from being sold away. Harvest time was an anxious time for the enslaved Africans. Would the tobacco crop earn enough money? The crop was harvested in the fall, and the workers often didn't know until early spring in the new year what their fate would be. . . (caption) . Images of people working are contemporary photos of the Park's living history volunteers. . This historical marker was erected by Booker T. Washington National Monument, National Park Service. It is in Hardy in Franklin County Virginia