Robey's slave pen, like its neighbor at the Yellow House, was a holding pen for slaves intended for auction. Brought in from surrounding areas, the slaves were subjected to brutal conditions before their sale and were marched through the streets of Washington in coffles. A high wall between 14 and 15 feet high surrounded the grounds to keep slaves and other prisoners in. Pens like this one operated until 1850, when the federal government abolished the slave trade in the District.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. View original.