I don't know where the term "peculiar institution" originated. Perhaps that can be ascertained by reading the following book, available through Amazon: <http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0679723072/ref=sib_dp_pop_cr//exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0679723072/ref=sib_rdr_dp/002-9604468-5352809?%5Fencoding=UTF8&no=283155&me=ATVPDKIKX0DER&st=books>Peculiar Institution : Slavery in the Ante-Bellum South (Vintage) by <http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0679723072/ref=sib_dp_pop_cr//exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index=books&field-author=Kenneth%20M.%20Stampp/002-9604468-5352809>Kenneth M. Stampp ISBN: 0-679-72307-2 At 12:11 PM 11/17/2005, you wrote: >I've got a couple of questions on related notes: > >First, can anybody point me towards scholarship around the issue of coded >slave songs? All of my knowledge is based on the popular understanding of >such songs and I am interested in learning a little more about the formal >studies thereof. > >And secondly, does anyone know off-hand the origin of the well-used term >"peculiar institution" to refer to American slavery? I've seen one source >that credited that to Thomas Jefferson, but a quick search didn't turn up >anything concrete. It may be that it didn't originate from any one person >or writing, but it strikes me as something that certainly could have. > >Thank you so much, > >--Eric > >Eric D. M. Johnson >Proprietor >The Village Factsmith Historical Research & Consulting >http://www.factsmith.com/ >[log in to unmask] > >----- Original Message ----- From: "Carol Ely" <[log in to unmask]> >To: <[log in to unmask]> >Sent: Thursday, November 17, 2005 10:45 AM >Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Codes in slave quilts > > >>The problem is, now it's something every school child knows. It's in the >>curriculum. It's warm, friendly, and hands-on. It would be nice if it >>were true. We like stories of people actively subverting oppression. We >>want the slaves to have escaped. But the quilt/underground railroad >>story is no more true than Washington and the cherry tree. >> >>Carol Ely >>Locust Grove >>Louisville, KY >> >>========================================================= >>Important Subscriber Information: >> >>The Museum-L FAQ file is located at >>http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed >>information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail >>message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should >>read "help" (without the quotes). >> >>If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to >>[log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read >>"Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes). > >========================================================= >Important Subscriber Information: > >The Museum-L FAQ file is located at >http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed >information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail >message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should >read "help" (without the quotes). > >If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to >[log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read >"Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes). Denise Lajetta, MA Associate Curator Kluge-Ruhe Collection of Aboriginal Art, UVA 400 Worrell Drive (PANTOPS) Charlottesville, VA 22911 tel. 434.244.0234 fax 434.244.0235 http://www.virginia.edu/kluge-ruhe/ ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).