City of Wilmington Releases Caesar Rodney and Enslavement Research Report

WILMINGTON- The City of Wilmington today announced the completion and release of the Caesar Rodney and Enslavement Research Project, a comprehensive historical study documenting the individuals enslaved by Caesar Rodney, signer of the Declaration of Independence, and examining his role as an enslaver.

The multi-year project was conducted by consulting historian Dr. Nicole Belolan and Debra Campagnari Martin, Historic Preservation Planner for the City of Wilmington Department of Land Use and Planning. Funding was provided by the National Park Service's Historic Preservation Fund and a State Historic Preservation Office grant.

The research was commissioned to provide a factual, evidence-based resource to support public understanding and community conversations about recognizing the people whose lives and experiences helped shape Delaware and the emerging United States, but whose stories have often been overlooked in traditional historical narratives.

Researchers examined primary documents and historical records from repositories including the Delaware Historical Society, Delaware Public Archives, John Dickinson Plantation, University of Delaware Special Collections, University of Pennsylvania, and the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Sources reviewed included letters, deeds, wills, inventories, legislative records, court documents, ledgers, and other archival materials.

Among its key findings, the project documented 26 men, women, and children directly enslaved by Caesar Rodney during his lifetime:
- Charles III
- Pegg II
- Jude (Mother to children listed below)
- Unnamed child
- Harry
- John
- Shadrack
- Bozman
- Moses
- Ebenezer
- Jacob
- Charles II
- Hannah (Mother to children listed below)
- Ezekiel I
- Cyrus
- Ezekiel II
- Kate (Mother to children listed below)
- Maria/Mariah
- Charlotte
- Joice (Mother to children listed below)
- Pegg I
- Sal/Salle
- Charles I
- Beth/Betty
- Aaron
- Absalem/Absolom

Researchers also identified 94 individuals enslaved by members of the extended Rodney family, illustrating the family's long-standing involvement in slavery throughout the 17th and 18th centuries.

The study also concludes that Rodney should not be characterized as an abolitionist. While he was involved in legislation concerning the importation of enslaved people into Delaware, historical scholarship indicates the measure was largely motivated by economic interests rather than opposition to slavery itself. At the time of his death, Rodney was enslaving 18 individuals, most of whom remained enslaved under the terms of his will until reaching age 25.

The report documents the lives of named individuals who were enslaved by Rodney and his family, creating a more complete historical record and providing new opportunities for more in-depth research. A database of individuals enslaved by Caesar Rodney has been created as part of the project and will be shared with the Delaware Public Archives to ensure long-term public access and future updates.

The report also highlights specific findings that provide insight into the lives of enslaved individuals under Rodney's control, including records of vaccinations administered to five young enslaved people in 1784 and documentation showing the sale of an enslaved mother and infant son while her daughters remained behind, illustrating the family separations that occurred under slavery.

City officials emphasized that the project is intended to contribute to a fuller and more inclusive public history of Wilmington and Delaware. By documenting both the accomplishments and contradictions of historical figures, the research seeks to deepen public understanding of the individuals whose experiences shaped the nation and the state.

The complete report and supporting materials are available here.