Books Institutional Slavery: Slaveholding Churches, Schools, Colleges, and Businesses in Virginia, 1680–1860 by Jennifer Oast (Author)

"Institutional Slavery: Slaveholding Churches, Schools, Colleges, and Businesses in Virginia, 1680–1860" by Jennifer Oast explores the often-overlooked practice of institutional ownership of slaves in early Virginia. The book reveals how churches, schools, colleges—including William and Mary, Hampden-Sydney, University of Virginia, and Hollins College—and businesses deeply depended on slave labor not just for economic productivity but also to sustain educational and religious missions.

Oast argues that institutional slavery expanded the circle of those benefiting from bondage beyond individual slave owners to include nonprofit organizations and public institutions. The book also examines the complex realities faced by slaves owned or hired out by institutions, showing how their labor was essential to the functioning and financial support of philanthropic and educational endeavors. Illustrative examples include the College of William and Mary’s purchase of slaves to fund scholarships and adjust academic calendars around the annual slave hiring season.