Black History: Watermen and the Seafood Industry

“Due to its proximity to the Chesapeake Bay, the Atlantic Ocean, and many creeks, rivers, and other bodies of water, seafood and the industries surrounding it has always been an important aspect of life in Talbot County. These industries have shaped the culture of the area, providing jobs, influencing recipes, transportation, and industrialization.

Even during the earliest years of settlement in America, Black people worked as sailors, shipbuilders, and oyster harvesters. Working on the bay was one of the most guaranteed ways of earning money, and was open to people regardless of race. It is estimated that at the height of the skipjacks’ popularity that at least 1 in 10 boats had a black captain. Black watermen were given “Seaman’s Protection Certificates” which identified them as American citizens, making them the first black American citizens. These men were often called “Black Jacks.” This gave them a level of security that was uncommon in jobs at the time…”