Cooper Grant in Camden in Camden County, New Jersey — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Enslaved Africans Once Sold Here

Enslaved Africans Sold Here image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Clem Murray, November 2017

1. Enslaved Africans Sold Here

Altered image of mounted marker courtesy of the Philadephia Inquirer.

Inscription. African slavery in New Jersey began with early European settlement. By 1766, circa 800 captive people had been sold here at Coopers Street Ferry and two other near ferry landings. In Africa, approximately 24 million men, women and children marched to coastal prisons. Only half survived the journey. These 12 million survivors then endured deplorable conditions on the Middle Passage ocean crossing, where an additional 2 million died from disease, malnutrition, dehydration, drowning, suicide and abuse. By 1800, New Jersey enslaved African population exceeded 12,000. New Jersey was the last Northern state to emancipate, adopting gradual abolition in 1804 and finally ratifying in the 13th Amendment on January 23, 1866.

Erected 2018 by New Jersey African American Heritage Council.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1761.

Location. 39° 56.878′ N, 75° 7.562′ W. Marker is in Camden, New Jersey, in Camden County. It is in Cooper Grant. Marker is at the intersection of North Front Street and Cooper Street, on the right when traveling north on North Front Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 201 N Front St, Camden NJ 08102, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking

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distance of this marker. Daniel Cooper Ferry Hotel (within shouting distance of this marker); The Edward Sharp House (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Cooper Family (about 500 feet away); The Victor (about 500 feet away); Cooper Street: the Gateway of Southern New Jersey (about 700 feet away); Engine Company No. 6 (about 700 feet away); The Campbell Kids (about 800 feet away); The New Jersey Safe Deposit and Trust Company Building (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Camden.

More about this marker. There are several identical copies of this marker throughout Camden.

Regarding Enslaved Africans Once Sold Here. By 1766, Camden merchants had sold more than 800 captive Africans at three local ferry terminals owned by the Cooper family. They were often people not off-loaded in Philadelphia and ferried across the Delaware River to Camden’s auction sites. This served as one of the primary locations purchases made by surrounding local farmers and Delaware plantations. Three historical markers have been installed at the Cooper ferry terminals.

Also see . . .
1. Middle Passage Ceremonies and Port Markers Project. (Submitted on February 9, 2020, by John Bloomfield of Palm Coast, Florida.)

Camden Middle Passage Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), March 14, 2020

2. Camden Middle Passage Marker

2. MPCPMP Dedication on YouTube. (Submitted on February 9, 2020, by John Bloomfield of Palm Coast, Florida.)
3. In Camden, a Memorial Marks Where Slaves Were Brought Ashore, NY Times. (Submitted on February 10, 2020, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.)

Additional keywords. Middle Passage; human trafficking

Table for Camden Middle Passage Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By John Bloomfield, February 2020

3. Table for Camden Middle Passage Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on April 23, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 9, 2020, by John Bloomfield of Palm Coast, Florida. This page has been viewed 686 times since then and 65 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on February 9, 2020, by John Bloomfield of Palm Coast, Florida. 2. submitted on March 15, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 3. submitted on February 9, 2020, by John Bloomfield of Palm Coast, Florida. • Michael Herrick was the editor who published this page.