By the turn of the 19th Century, Eli Whitney’s cotton gin had forever altered the Southern economy. Intended to simplify the process of cleaning cotton, this single invention solidified the American South as an agricultural economy and powerhouse. In North Carolina, particularly the Piedmont region, tobacco, wheat and corn were surpassed by short-staple cotton as a leading cash crop in the early 1800s. However, beyond stimulating the agrarian economy, the cotton gin spurred the South’s reliance on slave labor to sustain its production capabilities. The business of buying and selling human property was in full swing by mid-century. By 1850, 44% of the Charlotte area’s population was made of up slaves, making Mecklenburg county one of the most slave-rich counties in the Piedmont of North Carolina. Most of these individuals belonged to the wealthy planter classes, a small percentage of the White population who owned more than 20 slaves. Those wealthy enough to own human property were consequently considered “men of leisure,” with enough free time to become involved in county and state politics, legislation, public business, and creative pursuits, often propelling them to positions of influence in the community. While bondsmen were primarily agricultural workers, they were oftentimes also used for city or county-wide public works such as laying railroads or constructing buildings. White folks’ complete reliance on slaves reinforces the fact that forced labor laid the foundation for economy and infrastructure not only in Mecklenburg County, but throughout North Carolina and the American South.
Powell,William S. North Carolina Through Four Centuries. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1989.
Morill, Dan L. Historic Charlotte: An Illustrated History of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. Historic Publishing Network, 2001.