George and Ann RichardsCivil War Era Center

Cameron Sauers is a dual title PhD candidate in the departments of History and African American studies. His dissertation project, tentatively titled “Raising Free Laborers: Institutions, Indenture, and Children at Work in 19th Century America,” explores the lives and labors of institutionalized and incarcerated children during the 19th children. His project particularly emphasizes how practices of unfreedom, including carceral labor and indentured apprentices, were utilized in preparing children for lives as waged laboring adults. His dissertation has been supported by the Massachusetts Historical Society, Friends Historical Library at Swarthmore College, and grants within the History Department, Richards Center, and College of Liberal Arts here at Penn State.