Therapon, Lomax is a great source, esp. his "The Land Where The Blues Began", also Bruce Jackson's "Wake Up Dead Man" & for some very interesting history, pre Civil War, "Black Jacks-Afro American Sailors In The Age Of Sail", I think that's the full title, I loaned out mine so I can't check it out at the moment (author ?), it's just out thought, should be very easy to find. Won't expand on the slave issue, if you care not to. Barry