Why “The Last Recorded Lynching” IS NOT the Same As “The Last Lynching” Slavery and Slaveholding in the United States, 1860 Introduction On the eve of the Civil War, slavery was the backbone of Southern life and one of the most defining institutions in American history. The 1860 U.S. Census, alongside research from the National … Continue reading Only 2% “Owned” Slaves?”: Slavery and Slaveholding in the United States Facts (Part 3)