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Year: 1749

Who: Individual Known as “Caesar"

​Where: Unknown City, South Carolina ​

What: In 1749, Caesar, an enslaved man in South Carolina, made history by contributing a life-saving remedy that earned him freedom and financial security. The South Carolina House of Assembly, recognizing the value of Caesar's medicinal knowledge, granted him his freedom along with a pension of 100 pounds per year for life. This reward was a rare acknowledgment of the expertise enslaved individuals often possessed in traditional medicine, knowledge that was typically undervalued or co-opted without credit.

Caesar’s cure, which addressed poisons and rattlesnake bites, was highly regarded for its effectiveness. Once documented in public records, it became accessible to physicians and others who monitored legislative activities, allowing it to be disseminated and incorporated into medical practices by white doctors. This pattern of integrating the medical contributions of African Americans into mainstream practices, often without continued acknowledgment or compensation, reflects the complicated dynamics of knowledge transfer during the era of slavery.

The prominence of Caesar's remedy was not an isolated event. The recognition of his contributions by the Assembly underscored the broader context in which enslaved individuals provided critical medicinal knowledge rooted in African traditions and their lived experiences in the Americas. These contributions often enriched what became the white-dominated materia medica, despite the systemic marginalization of the individuals who originated them.

The public acclaim surrounding Caesar’s remedy was notable, with contemporary newspapers and accounts highlighting his contributions. However, this fame did not translate into widespread acknowledgment of the broader role enslaved people played in shaping medical practices. Instead, Caesar’s story serves as a rare example of how enslaved individuals' knowledge occasionally disrupted societal norms to earn them recognition and reward.

Sources:


Journal Articles:

  • Crowder, R. L. (1980). Black physicians and the African contribution to medicine. The Western Journal of Black Studies, 4(1), 2.

Reports/Theses:

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