Eliza Moore facts for kids
Eliza Moore (born June 27, 1843 – died January 21, 1948) was a remarkable African American woman. She was one of the very last people known for sure to have been born into slavery in the United States. Many historians believe Eliza was the last African American person who was formerly enslaved whose story can be fully proven with old documents. This makes her story very important for understanding a difficult time in American history.
Eliza was born in 1843 in Montgomery County, Alabama. Her father was named Judge Moore, and Eliza was his only child.
Life During Slavery
During the American Civil War, Eliza Moore was enslaved by a person known as Dr. Taylor. This was in a place called Mount Meigs, Alabama. Slavery was a terrible system where people were treated as property and forced to work without pay or freedom.
Life After Freedom
After the Civil War ended, slavery was abolished, and Eliza became a free woman. She married Asbury Moore, who had also been enslaved. Together, they moved to a place called the Gilchrist Place in Cordova, Alabama. There, they worked as sharecroppers. Sharecropping meant they farmed land owned by someone else and shared their crops with the landowner.
Eliza and Asbury had two children together. They lived on the Gilchrist Place for a very long time, about 65 or 70 years, as free people.
Later Years and Legacy
Eliza's husband, Asbury Moore, passed away in 1943. He was also said to be over 100 years old when he died. Eliza lived for five more years after her husband.
Eliza Moore died on January 21, 1948, at the age of 105. She passed away at the home of Charlie Brown Jr. on the Gilchrist Place in Montgomery County. Her long life and the clear records of her experiences make her an important figure in the history of slavery and freedom in America.
See also
- List of slaves
- List of the last surviving American slaves
- List of last survivors of historical events
- Slavery in the United States
- Alfred "Teen" Blackburn
- Cudjoe Lewis
- Sylvester Magee
