Slave crime and everyday life in Minas Gerais in the 19th century: city of Juiz de Fora, 1850-1888

Abstract:

The article analyzes slave criminality in the Minas Gerais city of Juiz de Fora during the second half of the 19th century. Twenty four criminal cases were analyzed in which enslaved people are victims, defendants and/or witnesses. From the analysis of this documentation, it was possible to point out the motivations for carrying out certain crimes, such as robbery and theft, and the treatment given by justice to criminal slaves. In addition to this aspect, the analysis of criminal cases made it possible to demonstrate the intervention of the State in the relations between masters and slaves that occurred from 1850 onwards and to reconstruct part of the daily life of enslaved people involved in criminal actions.

Keywords:
Criminality; Slavery; Nineteenth century