Other Discoveries
“View of Chestertown from White House Farm,” c. 1795, detail (Washington College)
Even when documents do not directly mention African Americans, they often still reflect the lives of Blacks as well as whites. For instance, enslaved workers — as illustrated here — were very often involved in the world of horse racing and horse breeding, whether as trainers, grooms, or jockeys. (The image is from a 1790s painting of Chestertown that is not in the Commodore Collection.) In his autobiography, Frederick Douglass described how the thoroughbred horses owned by Gov. Edward Lloyd, the wealthiest man on the Eastern Shore, were supervised by an enslaved father and son.
Quite possibly, Cincinatus was also entrusted to the care of African Americans to some degree. Ultimately, it is impossible to segregate history.
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