
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, February 9, 1991                   TAG: 9102090331
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A4   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: EMORY                                LENGTH: Short

HISTORIAN TO SPEAK ABOUT FRONTIER SLAVERY

Ellen T. Eslinger, a historian on the James Madison University faculty, will speak at Emory & Henry College Thursday on slavery in Appalachia during frontier days.

The talk will start at 8 p.m. in Memorial Chapel.

Eslinger got interested in the topic after realizing that many historians assumed mountainous areas were predominately white, especially during early frontier days. The belief was that slaves were used only on large plantations and would not have been necessary or practical on smaller mountain farms.

But her research has shown that substantial numbers of slaves were living in Kentucky and neighboring states 10 to 15 years after the first white settlements were established. She says slavery became a cheap way to increase land productivity.

Before joining James Madison University in 1988, Eslinger worked in museums and contributed to history textbooks. She has a doctorate from the University of Chicago.

- Southwest bureau

by CNB