The origins and impact of slavery in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, and the benefits of slave labor to Reed Gold Mine will be examined during Black History Month. Reed Gold Mine State Historic Site will offer “Black Gold: North Carolina Slavery and Reed Gold Mine” tours every Saturday in February (2, 9, 16 and 23) at 1 p.m. and examine the area’s social and economic environment during John Reed’s lifetime.
When John Reed arrived in Cabarrus County in 1782 as a Hessian army deserter he found himself at home in a community with a familiar language and culture. Owning slaves in colonial and antebellum North Carolina was a societal norm, and through their labor economic ventures like farming and gold mining boomed.
This tour allows Reed Gold Mine to share a forgotten part of North Carolina history, connect with the origins of Reed Gold Mine and discover how piedmont North Carolina was transformed through the years of backbreaking labor of enslaved men, women and children.
In telling the slavery story of eastern Cabarrus County through the 19th century, Reed Gold Mine will share its importance in the greater North Carolina narrative. This tour provides the opportunity to connect with people and fill an educational need extending beyond one month on the calendar. The story of the discovery of gold is important at Reed Gold Mine, but it is not the only story to be told. “African American Miners in North Carolina” is $2 per person age 8 and older; children ages seven and under can join the tour for free. Tours begin at 1 p.m. each Saturday in the visitor center.