Enslaved African Americans

'The Old Plantation', South Carolina, about 1790.
This famous painting shows Gullah slaves dancing
and playing musical instruments derived from Africa.
Scholars unaware of the Sierra Leone slave trade
connection have interpreted the two female figures
as performing a "scarf" dance. Sierra Leoneans can
easily recognize that they are playing the shegureh,
a women's instrument (rattle) characteristic of
the Mende and neighboring tribes. Artist unknown

here

'Servant of the Douglas Family',
New Orleans, c. 1850.

artist unknown

here