There is little known about Archy Lee’s childhood except that he was born in Mississippi in 1840, an illiterate slave owned by Charles Stovall. In 1857, Charles Stovall moved to California from Missouri taking Lee with him.  While in California Stovall opened a school and hired out Lee for his wages.  In 1858 Stovall decided to move back to Mississippi with Lee. Sensing his return to a slave state, Lee escaped from Stovall and hid in a hotel run by a free African American.  He was later arrested and charged with violating the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850, which protected the owner of the slave from loosing his or her property in the event of the slave fleeing from his or her possession. The case was first brought to the county court in San Francisco.  Lee’s attorney argued that since California was a free state, Stovall was not able to possess a slave in California unless he was in transit.  This kept slavery from being furtively introduced into the state.  Lee’s attorney indicated that Stovall was not in transit on account of his hiring Lee out for labor and his opening of a school.  Stovall’s attorney countered that Lee was … Continue reading Archy Lee Case, 1858