Littleton Prince facts for kids

Littleton Prince was a white man who lived in Pike County, Alabama in the early 1800s. He is known because he was put to death in 1833 for helping a person who had escaped from slavery.

The Alabama Department of Archives and History has a letter from the Sheriff of Montgomery County. This letter told the governor, John Gayle, that Littleton Prince had escaped from jail. However, he was later caught and faced the death penalty.

The Historical Context

Littleton Prince's story did not get much attention outside of Alabama. At the time, helping a runaway slave was seen as a serious offense in many parts of the United States. In Alabama, his case was treated as a legal matter, not a big political debate.

Slavery and Laws

During this period, slavery was legal in many southern states, including Alabama. Laws were very strict about enslaved people. Helping someone escape from slavery was against the law and could lead to severe punishments.

Nat Turner's Rebellion

The time when Littleton Prince was put to death was just two years after Nat Turner's rebellion in 1831. This was a major revolt by enslaved people in Virginia. It caused a lot of fear and panic among slave owners and in states where slavery was legal. This fear might have made the laws against helping runaway slaves even stricter.

Abolitionist Movement

People who wanted to end slavery were called abolitionists. There is no record that Littleton Prince was part of any abolitionist groups, like the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad was a secret network that helped enslaved people escape to freedom. Even though he helped a runaway slave, abolitionists did not make him a famous symbol or "martyr" for their cause. His story remained largely unknown, even as the issue of slavery became a huge debate in American politics.