Moments in the Life of Joseph Valentine
In 1862, Joseph Valentine, a free man of color in Alachua County, voluntarily sold himself into slavery to Philip Dell, which was documented in the local court’s judgment book. The court affirmed his choice was made without coercion. Fast forward to 1871, a Joseph Valentine is found serving as a County Commissioner for Alachua County and is mentioned in the census as a literate black man living in Gainesville. His story raises many questions about the nature of his freedom and choices, leaving historians curious about his life after this controversial decision. What became of Joseph Valentine remains unknown.
