An Act to Emancipate Phillis.

by Lisa Y. Henderson

CHAPTER XVIII.

An Act to Emancipate a certain Negro Slave named Phillis, late the Property of George Jacobs, of the town of Wilmington, Deceased.

Whereas it is represented to the General Assembly that the aforesaid George Jacobs, deceased, in his last illness, did earnestly request that his negro slave named Phillis should be liberated for her great attention to her said master during her continuance with him, and more especially for her care and assiduity in his last illness: In order therefore to carry into effect the dying request of the said George Jacobs, deceased:

I. Be it Enacted by the General Assembly of the State of North Carolina, and it is hereby Enacted by the authority of the same, That from and after the passing of this Act, the aforesaid negro woman named Phillis, shall be emancipated and forever discharged from her bondage, in as full and ample manner as if she had been born free; any law, usage or custom to the contrary notwithstanding: And the said negro woman shall forever hereafter be known by the name of Phillis Freeman.

Acts of the North Carolina General Assembly, 1788, Colonial and State Records of North Carolina.