“What shingle will soon hang on my law office?” Charleston attorney Stephen Schmutz asked himself. That shingle revealed the building’s hidden past. We are standing before the Broad Street Site of Domestic Slave Trade Plaque. This plaque marks a dark chapter in Charleston’s history. It acknowledges the site of a former slave-trading firm.
This building at 24 Broad Street was once the office of Jervey, Waring, and White. This firm handled the largest sale of enslaved people in U.S. history. The Broad Street Site of Domestic Slave Trade Plaque serves as a visual reminder. It shows that Charleston’s historic district was deeply involved in human commerce.
In February 1835, Jervey, Waring, and White placed an ad in the Charleston Courier. The ad announced the sale of 600 enslaved people. It was to take place at the North Side of the Custom-House. This event was unprecedented in Charleston.
Before this, the largest sale by the firm had been 300 people. The sale of 600 individuals would have drawn many spectators and buyers. This happened in a small cramped space near banks and coffee houses. The Broad Street Site of Domestic Slave Trade Plaque helps us remember this shocking event.
It is unknown where Jervey, Waring, and White obtained these enslaved people. It is also unknown where they were trafficked after the sale. No receipts or journals survive from this time. The enslaved people were taken from a large estate sale. They were considered property to be sold. Slave traders likely came to Charleston to purchase these people. They then sold them across the deeper southern states. This sale would have separated hundreds of people from their families.
The advertisement mentioned specific skills among the enslaved. There were drivers, carpenters, coopers, and boatmen. These skills made them highly valuable. Enslaved people knowledgeable about rice production were especially prized. Boatmen, coopers, and carpenters were also sought after in Charleston. The Broad Street Site of Domestic Slave Trade Plaque reminds us of their stolen labor.
Jervey, Waring, and White dissolved their firm in 1840. However, the men remained in the slave-trading business. Jervey and his son continued trading next to the State Bank on Broad Street. Waring and White also formed a partnership. These men were considered businessmen not slave traders.
After the Civil War, business continued as usual at this location. The building was bought by Charleston Savings Institution in 1885. Later, Exchange Banking and Trust Company used it in 1922. In 1947, American Mutual Fire Insurance Company bought the building. Since 1989, it has housed law offices. The owners were able to ignore its slave-trading past.
Charleston has long been committed to preserving its historical landscape. However, the significance of 24 Broad Street was forgotten. The Broad Street Site of Domestic Slave Trade Plaque ensures that this history is no longer ignored.
The College of Charleston unveiled the Broad Street Site of Domestic Slave Trade Plaque on October 11, 2024. The plaque reads: “During the years 1828-1840, James Jervey, Morton A. Waring and Alonzo White operated a slave trading firm from this building.” The Broad Street Site of Domestic Slave Trade Plaque marks the location of this firm. It is part of a network of similar enterprises. These enterprises included banks and insurance companies. The Broad Street Site of Domestic Slave Trade Plaque stands as a testament to a painful past. It also is a commitment to remember and learn from history.