tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8279559723358928192024-03-14T02:34:11.144-07:00About Our FreedomUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger88125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-827955972335892819.post-40905950876566037162015-07-15T07:34:00.001-07:002015-07-15T07:34:32.025-07:00Testing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-827955972335892819.post-80939084029454131302013-07-11T12:51:00.001-07:002013-07-11T13:05:09.244-07:00Do not miss 'Coming Home Without Shackles!'<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tQhvOf6FAQg/Ud8JbRzSl4I/AAAAAAAADnY/Efx4OnlI_RM/s1600/Coming+Home+Without+Shackles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tQhvOf6FAQg/Ud8JbRzSl4I/AAAAAAAADnY/Efx4OnlI_RM/s640/Coming+Home+Without+Shackles.jpg" width="492" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Visit: <a href="http://kuntakintehislandmovie.com/">Kuntah Kinteh Island Movie</a> website and Join on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KuntaKintehIsland">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/kkimovie">Twitter</a>!</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-827955972335892819.post-39331921849742418002013-07-11T03:18:00.000-07:002013-07-11T03:27:27.247-07:00150th Anniversary of Battles of Fort Wagner and Sol Legare<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.1875px; text-align: start;"> Seashore Farmers' Lodge No. 767, located at corner of Sol Legare Rd and Old Sol Legare Rd on</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.1875px; text-align: start;"> James Island, south of </span><a class="extiw" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charleston,_South_Carolina" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; background-image: none; color: #663366; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.1875px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" title="w:Charleston, South Carolina">Charleston, South Carolina</a><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.1875px; text-align: start;">. A sign on the premises indicates </span>that it is now </div>
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operated as a museum and cultural center. <span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.1875px; text-align: start;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Seashore_Farmers%27_Lodge_No._767_2.jpg">Photo</a> by </span><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Ammodramus" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; background-image: none; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.1875px; text-align: start;" title="User:Ammodramus">Ammodramus</a> taken 14 September 2011</div>
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<b>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:</b> <b>150th Anniversary Celebration of The Battle of Sol Legare and The Battle of Battery Wagner at Seashore Farmers’ Lodge Museum and Cultural Center at Sol Legare</b></div>
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<b>JULY 15–JULY 16, 2013 at 1840 Sol Legare Road Charleston, SC</b></div>
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Two years following a massive restoration and in conjunction with the encampment reenactment of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment Co. I in anticipation of their first fight at Battle of Ft. Wagner (c. 1863), The Seashore Farmers’ Lodge Museum and Cultural Center invites visitors to join us and view the exhibits, relics and progress on this once dilapidated, century-old structure.</div>
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<b>July 15th: Dusk </b></div>
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Outdoor viewing of the movie “Glory” - Campfire and Weenie Roast, living history, viewing of Glory</div>
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<b>July 16th: 10 AM until 5 PM</b></div>
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The all-day event will run from 10-5 and feature a series of reenactments, food and skits; the presentation of an award of merit <b>Ms. Georgette Mayo</b> of the Confederation of SC Local Historical Societies and The Avery Center; and the unveiling of a period piece privy – constructed as a community project by Eagle Scout, <b>Joel Milliken</b> and his troop.</div>
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<b>July 14-July 21: </b></div>
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The Seashore Farmers’ Lodge will be opened to this visiting from all over to hold encampments. For more information on reservations and dates scheduled, please email or call us.</div>
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150 years ago, the area now known as The Sol-Legare Community was actually a plantation held by the Solomon Legare Family of Charleston. During the Civil War, (1861-1865) Solomon Legare’s plantation was the site of several camps, artillery positions, and battles. On <b>July 16, 1863</b>, one of America’s first African American Army Regiments organized in the North and was led by Union General Alfred Terry. During the Battle of Sol-Legare, the troops bravely risked their lives to win the freedom of enslaved Africans who were held in bondage there and on numerous plantations throughout the south – 14 men lost their lives, 17 wounded, and 13 missing. The island was a center point to many battles fought in the area and at one point housed 5200 Federal troops. Additionally, the famed 54th Massachusetts Regiment camped on grounds near the Lodge prior to marching down Old Sol-Legare Road to fight at Battery Wagner. The Sol-Legare area is rich with Civil War history and its historical happenings.</div>
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The museum opened on <b>April 16, 2011</b> and focuses on Coastal African American communities at the turn of the century ranging from The Civil War to present. The museum will feature several living history presentations, encampments and be open to the public for the viewing of artifacts. The soldiers will be dressed in period clothing and will conduct several skits and interactive sessions with visitors. The women of the 54th Massachusetts will be on hand as well, dressed in period clothing and hosting stories.</div>
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The museum is located off of Folly Road down Sol Legare Road on the right. For more information,<b> please call Hope Brown at <a href="tel:843.437.1259" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank" value="+18434371259">843.437.1259</a>, email: <a href="mailto:sollegare@gmail.com" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">sollegare@gmail.com</a></b>, or visit our website at <a href="http://sollegare.shutterfly.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">sollegare.shutterfly.com</a>.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-827955972335892819.post-61726424818375562352013-01-15T03:25:00.000-08:002013-01-15T03:48:11.906-08:00McGill, special guest at 9th annual African American Family History Workshop<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Joseph McGill, Jr, of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheSlaveDwellingProject?fref=ts">The Slave Dwelling Project</a>, will be this year's special guest at the 9th Annual African American Family History Workshop sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the Spartanburg Community College Student Life organization on February 1st and 2nd. <br />
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Everyone is being encouraged to register by January 25th. </div>
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To register: Call (864) 439-8716 or email aafhw@yahoo.com </div>
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Find class descriptions & more at </div>
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<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/aafhwsc/">African American Family History Workshop</a> or </div>
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Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aafhw">African American Family History Workshop</a></div>
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This event is free and open to the public. A free lunch will also be provided. <br />
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Please make note that on Friday everyone meet at the Spartanburg County Library at 7 pm and on Saturday at 8:30 am at the Tyger River Campus. See the flyer below for complete details.<br />
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To learn more about the 2013 schedule for The Slave Dwelling Project, see <a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/joseph-mcgill-jr-shares-the-slave-dwelling-project-stays-2013?cid=db_articles">Joseph McGill, Jr, shares The Slave Dwelling Project stays in 2013.</a><br />
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To learn more about The Slave Dwelling Project in 2013 see:<br />
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Source: <a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/joseph-mcgill-jr-shares-the-slave-dwelling-project-stays-2013?cid=db_articles" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;">examiner.com</a> via <a href="http://pinterest.com/savingstories/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Robin Foster: Genealogy & More</a> on <a href="http://pinterest.com/" style="color: #76838b; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-827955972335892819.post-20378304065428603742013-01-15T02:22:00.001-08:002013-01-15T03:38:47.434-08:00Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr: Birth home, family, and quotes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This is the birth home of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr on 501 Auburn Ave, in Atlanta, Georgia. He was born on Jan 15, 1929.<br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: start;">Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, HABS [or HAER or HALS], </span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: start;">Reproduction number </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: start;">[e.g., "HABS ILL, 16-CHIG, 33-2 "] </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://lcweb2.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/ga/ga0200/ga0206/color/571148cv.jpg</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-size: large;">"We must use time creatively." - Martin Luther King, Jr.</span></div>
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Front Room:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mtq43ZsZ6rc/UPUdjwX2ssI/AAAAAAAADAU/27TmGXQLoxU/s1600/057123pv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="325" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mtq43ZsZ6rc/UPUdjwX2ssI/AAAAAAAADAU/27TmGXQLoxU/s400/057123pv.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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Front Room <span style="text-align: start;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, HABS [or HAER or HALS], </span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Reproduction number [e.g., "HABS ILL, 16-CHIG, 33-2 "] </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://lcweb2.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/ga/ga0200/ga0206/photos/057123pv.jpg </span></span><a href="http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/114_habs.html" style="background-color: white; color: #003366; font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 13px; text-align: left;">(http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/114_habs.html)</a></div>
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</span> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">The 1940 Census lists the Martin family with Martin's maternal grandmother living with them. </span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XselngCVA7U/UPUj1IGAx7I/AAAAAAAADBU/cBlieyChekE/s1600/King.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XselngCVA7U/UPUj1IGAx7I/AAAAAAAADBU/cBlieyChekE/s640/King.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #59524c; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.909090995788574px; line-height: 20px;">"<a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1940_United_States_Census" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="1940 United States Census">United States Census, 1940</a>," index and images, </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #59524c; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.909090995788574px; line-height: 20px;"><a class="zem_slink" href="http://familysearch.org/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="FamilySearch">FamilySearch</a></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #59524c; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.909090995788574px; line-height: 20px;"> (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/K752-8QR : </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #59524c; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.909090995788574px; line-height: 20px;">accessed </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #59524c; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.909090995788574px; line-height: 20px;">15 Jan 2013), Martin L King in household of Marvin L King, Ward 5, Atlanta, Atlanta City, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #59524c; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.909090995788574px; line-height: 20px;">Fulton, Georgia, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 160-241, sheet 13B, family 268, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #59524c; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.909090995788574px; line-height: 20px;">NARA digital publication T627, roll 733.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">see the whole staircase." - Martin Luther King, Jr.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 13px;">INTERIOR, STAIRCASE, LOOKING NORTHWEST - Martin Luther King Jr. Birth Home, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 13px;">501 Auburn Avenue, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 13px;">Atlanta, Fulton County, GA </span><br />
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Source: Wikipedia<br />
Library of Congress. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 19.194442749023438px; text-align: start;">New York World-Telegram </span><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 19.194442749023438px; text-align: start;">& Sun</span><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 19.194442749023438px; text-align: start;"> </span><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 19.194442749023438px; text-align: start;">Collection. </span><br />
<a class="external free" href="http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3c26559" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-size: x-small;">http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3c26559</a></td></tr>
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<a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/135530270008073034/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="198" src="http://media-cache-ec4.pinterest.com/upload/135530270008073034_C2HqnCVA_c.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Source: <a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/martin_luther_king_jr.html" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;">brainyquote.com</a> via <a href="http://pinterest.com/savingstories/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Robin Foster: Genealogy & More</a> on <a href="http://pinterest.com/" style="color: #76838b; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-827955972335892819.post-38203126291846831122012-12-26T02:18:00.000-08:002012-12-26T02:31:18.503-08:00Living free of false perceptions<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
December 4, 2012 marked the two year anniversary of About Our Freedom. This was the place I created to reflect upon the freedom of African Americans and whether we have embraced freedom to the fullest extent. I have learned firsthand that we need not be held hostage by the false percepts in the minds of others; we can freely plot our course past them.<br />
<br />
In the months leading up to my decision to create this blog, I was deep within my own family history research. One person asked me this question which I answered boldly:<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sGHoIxuCmsA/UNrN48HVCbI/AAAAAAAAC3k/f6_6frzeThc/s1600/thought.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sGHoIxuCmsA/UNrN48HVCbI/AAAAAAAAC3k/f6_6frzeThc/s200/thought.jpg" width="195" /></a></div>
<i>"So, you are PROUD of your race?" </i><br />
<br />
I have analyzed that question countless times. The word race was never one that invoked the kind of feelings like the term I use for my people: family (or heritage). My ancestors come in different colors. I have applied the same efforts in identifying each one. There are some of every shade in my family today. They are mostly lawyers, doctors, judges, teachers, and other professions. They love each other, and they love to serve each other.<br />
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My concept of family goes beyond this to include every person of the human family on the face of this earth without regard to color, religion, or ethnicity, but I realize the question asked of me pertained to my being an African American. There is implied an element of surprise or curiosity that I would have some feelings other than shame.<br />
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Unfortunately, these experiences are not few or far between, and they serve a purpose for me. Of course, the purpose for me is not to attempt to reason or to try to persuade the heart or mind of another. Paradigm shifts are personal, and challenges will only cause you to be perceived as the one who brings offense.<br />
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No, this question has empowered me to work to make sure that the same false precept:<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li> does not limit the young school boy or girl left unchallenged by a teacher who believes it is not worth the effort to inspire to greater heights.</li>
<li> does not shame a man or woman into having apathy toward members of the community whose problems could be eased by a kind word or deed.</li>
<li> does not discourage us from researching, documenting, and preserving our history for future generations. </li>
</ul>
Limitations are opportunities for us to learn and grow, and bear fruit in the lives of others who await our help. <i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">"What the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve"</span> </i>are the words of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon_Hill">Napoleon Hill</a>. In "Think and Grow Rich," he tells the story of his son who was born without ears and was told by doctors that he would never hear nor speak. Blair grew to be able to both hear and speak, finished college, and went on to help other people who could not hear or speak.<br />
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Faith, or principles of action, help us to overcome all limitations - those that we have adopted as well as those that exist in the minds of others. We must be aware of the false percepts that exist and steer around them, or we are not free.</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-827955972335892819.post-42287034872229140532012-12-20T00:24:00.002-08:002017-06-10T08:12:28.565-07:00'Vital Speeches of the Day'<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I began About Our Freedom two years ago hoping that on this journey I would be led to resources that would help us to define what freedom really means to us today and what we can do to embrace the fullest measure of it. I just reviewed a nine page interview I conducted with my grandmother's first cousin who moved to Illinois from South Carolina in the 1940's. It is a blessing to have family members from that time period who can tell us about our ancestors and other family members who lived long before we came along.<br>
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I treasure all the recorded interviews that I have conducted and transcribed. Each time I reflect back on them and take them out to listen or review, I feel so much more connected to my forebears. I never want to get so lost in the records that I forget that I can learn just as much from the stories that survived too. Records are important, but not as important as the life lessons that were passed down through oral history.<br>
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My interviewees are full of so much wisdom and advice. I know that the principles my ancestors lived by helped them to be happy and successful. It is my lifelong task to keep recording and preserving as much as I can.<br>
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I have worked to pass these same values on to the next generation. People who do not share my heritage sometimes remark that it must be a great burden for my child to be put under so much responsibility. I smirk inside when I consider what might have happened if my parents had somehow decided I did not need to be overburdened by expectations to do better than the generation before. I am glad I belong to a family that set high values and expectations because I would not be the person I am today. I wake up every day hoping to make myself and the world a better place.<br>
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In this interview from 2005, I was able to learn more details about my great great grandparent's and their children. I always love asking what folks looked like and what they learned from the old sayings.<br>
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It is so rewarding to dive into records to try to document the things I learn from the oral history shared. The interviews I have served me over and over as I turn to them to glean more information time after time.<br>
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This was no different with the interview of my grandmother Otis' cousin. It was wonderful to hear the names of the different family groups in birth order. One of the questions I asked her was what her father, Pettis Chick, taught her. She said she remembered him telling her to work hard and be obedient.<br>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vc5QtlHHQt4/UNKqnG4IZzI/AAAAAAAAC0k/b896z_6bSdE/s1600/C.+A.+Chick+and+wife+Helen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vc5QtlHHQt4/UNKqnG4IZzI/AAAAAAAAC0k/b896z_6bSdE/s640/C.+A.+Chick+and+wife+Helen.jpg" width="640"></a></div>
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Then she mentioned her Uncle Clarence, my grandmother's uncle. He and his wife taught at Fayetteville Teacher's College in North Carolina (Fayetteville State University), and she said Uncle Clarence wrote to her and gave her some advice: <i>"Read your bible. Study your Negro history, and save your money."</i> I received that advice as if it had come to me directly from my ancestors. My great uncle Clarence was taught well. <br>
<br>
<a href="http://library.uncfsu.edu/Archives/images/buildings/FayStaTeaColSignPor0025Th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://library.uncfsu.edu/Archives/images/buildings/FayStaTeaColSignPor0025Th.jpg" width="227"></a>At the end of rereading the interview, I remembered a few years ago when I was coming through the Palmetto Leader on microfilm at the Richland Library. I remember stopping to look at an article and a photo of C. A. Chick who was affiliated with Benedict College. I remember feeling he was related to me, but I had no proof so I kept spinning the reel right past him.<br>
<br>
That picture of C. A. Chick has stayed in my mind. I learned through oral history that this branch of my family all attended Benedict College. The person in the photograph I now know would have been Uncle Clarence. I must go back to retrieve it because it will give us an idea of what he looked like before he moved to Fayetteville.<br>
<br>
Uncle Clarence must have a really strong connection with me because I also stumbled upon a photo of him and his wife in two different yearbooks for Fayetteville on Ancestry. The citation on the yearbook mentions Benedict College which leads me to believe I really did pass up that photo of him on microfilm. I e-mailed the yearbook photos to my mother as a surprise, and this was her response:<br>
<br>
<i>"<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">I went on the computer and found uncle </span><span class="il" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Chick</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> and his wife! It brought tears to my eyes, because he was the one who wanted mom and dad to send me to North Carolina to go to college free. He was a Professor there then. I remember having met him in Union at one time when I was a kid, and Daddy took us to North Carolina to see them when we were little."</span> </i>- My Mom.<br>
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It seems that I must continue and gather the history that remains at Fayetteville State University. In the process of writing this article, I discovered there is a building there named after Uncle Clarence's second wife: Helen T. Chick, Fayetteville State University http://services.uncfsu.edu/departments/ITTS/GoogleMap/parking.cfm. In addition to that, I discovered a speech given by Uncle Clarence:<br>
<br>
<a href="http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f5h&AN=9813927&site=ehost-live">Social and Moral Obligations of High School Graduates</a>. It appears in a periodical entitled Vital Speeches of the Day (<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">8/15/59, Vol. 25 Issue 21, p658</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">).</span><br>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">If that does not bring enough excitement to me, I discovered other resources in the process of writing this article, and I will be sharing my thoughts on each one after I have time to review them all. </span><br>
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<ul style="background-color: #ebebeb; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://connection.ebscohost.com/sites/all/themes/ehc/images/bullet-green.jpg); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 7px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/speeches/9771590/which-way" style="color: #00457c; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;">Which Way?</a> Chick, C.A. // Vital Speeches of the Day;10/1/52, Vol. 18 Issue 24, p764 <div style="color: #666666; font-size: 11px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Presents the text of a speech given by C.A. Chick, professor of economics and U.S. government at State Teachers College, on May 18, 1952 which deals with the future of African-Americans in southern U.S.</div>
</li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://connection.ebscohost.com/sites/all/themes/ehc/images/bullet-green.jpg); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 7px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/speeches/9769719/signs-hope" style="color: #00457c; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;">Signs of Hope.</a> Chick Sr., C.A. // Vital Speeches of the Day;9/15/54, Vol. 20 Issue 23, p724 <div style="color: #666666; font-size: 11px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Presents the text of a speech given by C.A. Chick Sr., professor of Economics and American Government at Fayetteville State Teachers College in Fayetteville, North Carolina, on July 27, 1954, which deals with the rise of nationalism in Africa.</div>
</li>
</ul>
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<h2 class="h3" style="background-color: #ededed; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 8px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
The West's Changing Attitude Toward Africa</h2>
<div class="author" style="background-color: #ededed; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
C. A. Chick, Sr.</div>
<div class="srcInfo" style="background-color: #ededed; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; word-wrap: break-word;">
<cite>The Journal of Negro Education</cite><br>
Vol. 29, No. 2 (Spring, 1960), pp. 191-197<br>
Published by: <a href="http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=jne" style="color: #265985;">Journal of Negro Education</a></div>
<span style="background-color: #ededed; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Article Stable URL:</span><a href="http://www.jstor.org/stable/2293167" style="background-color: #ededed; color: #265985; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">http://www.jstor.org/stable/2293167</a><br>
<br>
<h2 class="h3" style="background-color: #ededed; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 8px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
Recent Southern Industrialization and its Implications for Negroes Living in the South</h2>
<div class="author" style="background-color: #ededed; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
C. A. Chick, Sr.</div>
<div class="srcInfo" style="background-color: #ededed; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; word-wrap: break-word;">
<cite>The Journal of Negro Education</cite><br>
Vol. 22, No. 4 (Autumn, 1953), pp. 476-483<br>
Published by: <a href="http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=jne" style="color: #265985;">Journal of Negro Education</a></div>
<span style="background-color: #ededed; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Article Stable URL:</span><a href="http://www.jstor.org/stable/2293523" style="background-color: #ededed; color: #265985; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">http://www.jstor.org/stable/2293523</a><br>
<br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span style="background-color: #ededed; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">C. A. Chick</span><br>
<div class="srcInfo" style="background-color: #ededed; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; word-wrap: break-word;">
<cite>The Journal of Negro Education</cite><br>
Vol. 16, No. 2 (Spring, 1947), pp. 172-179<br>
Published by: <a href="http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=jne" style="color: #265985;">Journal of Negro Education</a><br>
Article Stable URL:<a href="http://www.jstor.org/stable/2966185" style="color: #265985;" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">http://www.jstor.org/stable/2966185</a></div>
<div class="srcInfo" style="background-color: #ededed; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; word-wrap: break-word;">
</div>
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<h2 class="h3" style="background-color: #ededed; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 8px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
The Role of Higher Education in Transmitting Democratic Ideals Into Behavior Patterns</h2>
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I am past words knowing that my quest has led me right back to Rev. C. A. Chick, my great uncle, and professor of economics and American History. It makes me feel good to be able to do this work of keeping the causes of our loved ones alive. We are all still connected when we can perform the tasks that make us so. I like to think my Uncle Clarence has come to know me as I have come to know him, and I hope he is happy to see that I am following his admonition to "Study your Negro history."</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-827955972335892819.post-6996707228569595852012-12-08T20:31:00.000-08:002012-12-11T23:35:35.386-08:00The Slave Dwelling Project recap and 2013 upcoming stays<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><i> {EAV:425b77d4ca8df2da} <br />
Joseph McGill, Jr has released the places where he will take The Slave Dwelling Project in 2013. These historical events are great places for descendants of former slaves and descendants of former slave holding families to meet and share facts and history. Anyone who has an interest in following the progress of restoring the places vital to African American American history should follow the highlights from Mr. McGill.</i><br />
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<i>To stay posted throughout 2013, follow the blogs: <a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.lowcountryafricana.com/category/joseph-mcgill/" href="http://www.lowcountryafricana.com/category/joseph-mcgill/">Lowcountry Africana</a> and <a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.aboutourfreedom.com/search/label/Joesph%20McGill%20Jr" href="http://www.aboutourfreedom.com/search/label/Joesph%20McGill%20Jr">About Our Freedom</a>. "Like" <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheSlaveDwellingProject">The Slave Dwelling Project</a> on Facebook. A like box is also down on the lower right column of this page. The following press release comes to you from Joseph McGill, Jr. - Robin Foster</i><br />
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<strong>Joseph McGill, Jr </strong><strong>| Field Officer | Charleston Field Office</strong><br />
<strong></strong><strong>National Trust for Historic Preservation | <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=32.7913888889,-79.935&spn=0.01,0.01&q=32.7913888889,-79.935%20(Gov.%20William%20Aiken%20House)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Gov. William Aiken House">William Aiken House</a> l 456 King Street, 3rd Floor, Charleston, South Carolina 29403 |</strong><br />
<strong>Phone: 843-722-8552 | Fax: 843-722-8652 | joseph_mcgill@nthp.org | www.PreservationNation.org</strong><strong> </strong><br />
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<strong>From Joseph McGill, Jr: </strong><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Recap</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Thirty nine overnight stays in extant slave dwellings is proof that the Slave Dwelling Project is doing well. The year 2012 saw a lot of firsts for the project. For the second consecutive year, a northern state was included in the project when I stayed at the Bush Holly House in Greenwich, Connecticut. Mississippi was the tenth state added to the project when I participated in the Holly Springs Pilgrimage in Holly Springs, Mississippi. The state of Georgia joined the project when I stayed in a slave cabin in Sautee Nacoochee. Virginia was the twelfth state added to the project when I stayed at Bacon’s Castle in Surry. Virginia also provided the opportunity for the first institution of higher learning to participate when I stayed at Sweet Briar College in <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_Briar%2C_Virginia" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Sweet Briar, Virginia">Sweet Briar, Virginia</a>. The first repeat visit was done at <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=32.855,-79.8241666667&spn=0.01,0.01&q=32.855,-79.8241666667%20(Boone%20Hall)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Boone Hall">Boone Hall Plantation</a> in Mt. Pleasant, SC. My collaboration with the group Coming To The Table was established when I joined them in Richmond, Virginia for their national gathering. That relationship with Coming To The Table was further enhanced when members of the group joined me for overnight stays in the Bush Holly House in Greenwich, Connecticut; Bacon’s Castle in Surry, Virginia and Sweet Briar College in Sweet Briar, Virginia.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; text-align: center;"><b>Slave Dwelling Project 2013</b></span></div><br />
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</strong> 2013 will be just as exciting if not more. I will get the opportunity to apply to all of the 2013 stays all that I have learned from the first stay which occurred at Magnolia Plantation in Charleston, SC in May 2010, to the last stay that occurred at Boone Hall Plantation in Mt. Pleasant, SC in November of 2012. This knowledge will make for more robust programming associated with every stay and assist the public in recognizing extant former slave dwellings that may be hidden in plain view such as spaces currently used as guest houses, pool houses, garages, storage spaces, etc. More importantly, this knowledge will help the public in recognizing those extant slave dwelling that are in dire need of stabilization and restoration.<br />
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<strong>Hopsewee Plantation</strong><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K8xIO-tqpVU/UMQPOzbDjII/AAAAAAAACsc/8h_UQtGIJmY/s1600/hopsewee+plantation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K8xIO-tqpVU/UMQPOzbDjII/AAAAAAAACsc/8h_UQtGIJmY/s320/hopsewee+plantation.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><strong><br />
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</strong> The first scheduled stay, <a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.hopsewee.com/about.php" href="http://www.hopsewee.com/about.php">Hopsewee Plantation</a> located on the North Santee River in <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=33.41,-79.3&spn=1.0,1.0&q=33.41,-79.3%20(Georgetown%20County%2C%20South%20Carolina)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Georgetown County, South Carolina">Georgetown County, SC</a> will be a repeat stay. In addition to the public programs that will be provided, local school kids will compete via essays to decide those who will spend the night in the two slave cabins located at the site. Additionally, this stay will be accompanied by a dinner and performances by storytellers Zenobia Washington and Sophia Jackson both of whom are natives of Georgetown, SC. <br />
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<strong>Laurelwood Plantation</strong><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jxmYxUnsjH0/UMQPpn8nGwI/AAAAAAAACsk/dGSD41rFt4g/s1600/laurelwood+Cabin+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jxmYxUnsjH0/UMQPpn8nGwI/AAAAAAAACsk/dGSD41rFt4g/s320/laurelwood+Cabin+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><strong><br />
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</strong> Of all the stays scheduled for 2013, the one that I anticipate the most is <a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.laurelwoodplantation.com/#!gallery/vstc2=cabin-pics" href="http://www.laurelwoodplantation.com/#!gallery/vstc2=cabin-pics">Laurelwood Plantation</a> in Eastover, SC because it is a true testament of why the project exists. I was originally scheduled to stay there on April 15, 2011 but its dilapidated condition dictated that I pass on that opportunity. The new owners Jackie and Jeremy Thomas vowed that the cabin would be restored along with the mansion. The contractor rushed frantically to get the cabin in a state that was inhabitable for a stay that was to occur on November 3, 2012. Unforeseen circumstances would not let that stay occur on that day. The happy ending is that the cabin has been restored and the owners have granted me unlimited access for educational purposes. <br />
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<strong>Holly Springs, Mississippi Pilgrimage</strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1jcKjteQaVg/UMQP5ijhJRI/AAAAAAAACss/_wJIcylvndc/s1600/holly+springs,+mississippi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1jcKjteQaVg/UMQP5ijhJRI/AAAAAAAACss/_wJIcylvndc/s320/holly+springs,+mississippi.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.hollyspringspilgrimage.com/" href="http://www.hollyspringspilgrimage.com/">The Holly Springs, Mississippi Pilgrimage</a> will be a repeat. In a program titled The Behind the Big House Tour, visitors will have the opportunity for the second consecutive year to tour the mansions and the slave dwellings. This is a concept that I have been trying to get other well established historic house tours to adopt but they all seem to be content with only telling part of the story. The 2013 stay will also include a stay at Rowan Oaks, the former home of William Faulkner.<br />
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<strong>The Salisbury</strong><br />
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</strong> <a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151285064127502&set=vxywtia.1350314242.1350314243.10151282673382502&type=1" href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151285064127502&set=vxywtia.1350314242.1350314243.10151282673382502&type=1">The Salisbury, North Carolina</a> stay will be my first stay there but my second stay in the state of North Carolina. It will be special because it will coincide with Juneteenth. When the emancipation proclamation was issued on January 1, 1863, it meant nothing if there were no Federal troops in the area to enforce the document. Federal troops did not reach Galveston, TX until June 19, 1865. Commemorating this historic day of freedom has become a national event.<br />
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<strong>Old City Jail</strong><br />
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</strong> July 18, 2013 is the sesquicentennial of the Assault on Battery Wagner on Morris Island, SC. This Civil War battle was depicted in the 1989 award winning movie Glory, starring Matthew Broderick, Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington. Some of the African American men taken as prisoners during the battle were held in the Old City Jail in Charleston, SC. In addition to commemorating the battle on Morris Island as African American reenactors have been doing for the past ten years, for the 150th anniversary we will spend the nights of July 18 – 20 in the Old City Jail. See Afrigeneas Forum: <a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.afrigeneas.com/forum-militaryarchive/index.cgi/md/read/id/1679/sbj/civil-war-prisoners-in-charleston/" href="http://www.afrigeneas.com/forum-militaryarchive/index.cgi/md/read/id/1679/sbj/civil-war-prisoners-in-charleston/">Civil War Prisoners in Charleston</a>.<br />
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<strong>College of Charleston</strong><br />
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</strong> For the second consecutive year an institution of higher learning will be among the places stayed. That institution will be the College of Charleston which is located well within the city limits of Charleston, SC. It is said that 40% of the African American population of the United States can trace their ancestry back to the port of Charleston, SC. The College of Charleston stay and programs associated with it will provide the opportunity to interpret how institutions factored into chattel slavery in the United States. This stay will also provide the opportunity to further interpret how slavery existed in urban areas.<br />
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<strong>Ossabaw Island</strong><br />
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</strong> Abolishing the international slave trade in 1808 did not end the institution of slavery in the United States. No longer did the slave ships deliver their cargo to the major ports such as Baltimore, Maryland; Charleston, South Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; or New Orleans, Louisiana but they still continued to deliver that cargo to more obscure places like the Sea Islands located off the coast of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. These islands make up the eastern most portion of the Gullah Geechee National Heritage Area Corridor. Ossabaw Island located off the coast of Georgia near Savannah was one of those islands. The overnight stay on Ossabaw Island will be my first in a slave cabin on a Sea Island. See: <a data-cke-saved-href="http://atlantapreservation.com/projects/tabby-slave-cabins-restoration-and-interpretation/" href="http://atlantapreservation.com/projects/tabby-slave-cabins-restoration-and-interpretation/">Restoration and Interpretation of Tabby Cabins</a>.<br />
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<strong>Historic St. Mary’s City</strong><br />
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</strong> <a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.stmaryscity.org/" href="http://www.stmaryscity.org/">Historic St. Mary’s City</a>, Maryland will be my second stay in that state. The first was Sotterley Plantation in Hollywood. Quite surprisingly, this stay will happen as a result of a presentation that I gave at a public program at Sweet Briar College in Virginia. The organizers of the Maryland stay were audience members and made the offer and I of course accepted.<br />
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<strong>Boone Hall Plantation</strong><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R0rN5dQxOVw/UMQQE9ye1SI/AAAAAAAACs0/4wT9nRiwdjc/s1600/boone+hall+plantation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R0rN5dQxOVw/UMQQE9ye1SI/AAAAAAAACs0/4wT9nRiwdjc/s320/boone+hall+plantation.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><strong><br />
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</strong> <a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.lowcountryafricana.com/2012/11/12/slave-dwelling-project-wraps-up-2012-schedule-with-stay-at-boone-hall-plantation/" href="http://www.lowcountryafricana.com/2012/11/12/slave-dwelling-project-wraps-up-2012-schedule-with-stay-at-boone-hall-plantation/">Boone Hall Plantation</a> in Mt. Pleasant, SC will be a stay of opportunity. The Assault on Battery Wagner, the battle depicted in the movie Glory will be reenacted at Boone Hall Plantation in 2013. Although the battle historically took place on Morris Island which is located in the Charleston harbor, it is logistically impossible to reenact a battle there because you can only get there by boat. While the reenactors sleep in there encampments, I will again inhabit the slave cabins.<br />
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<strong>Invitation</strong><br />
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</strong> For those of you who shared the slave dwelling experience with me in 2012 or in any prior year, you know the routine, you are welcome to participate in any future stay(s). For those of you who have not shared the experience but would like to, please let me know as-soon-as-possible. I must seek permission from the property owners for your participation. I am especially interested in sharing the experience with descendants of the enslaved associated with the dwellings; descendants of slave owners; or descendants of a slave and a slave owner. Whatever the category, all are welcome because the ultimate goal is to bring much needed attention to extant slave dwellings in the United States.<br />
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<strong>The Slave Dwelling Project 2013</strong><br />
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</strong> Hopsewee, Georgetown, SC - Friday, March 1<br />
Laurelwood Plantation, Eastover, SC - March 8 – 9<br />
Pilgrimage, Holly Springs, Mississippi - Friday, April 12 – Sunday, April 14<br />
Ossabaw Island, Georgia - Friday, May 10 – Saturday, May 11<br />
Juneteenth, Slave Dwelling, Salisbury, NC - Friday, June 14 – Saturday, June 15<br />
Old City Jail, Charleston, SC - July 18 – 21<br />
College of Charleston - Wednesday, August 28<br />
Historic St. Mary’s City, Maryland - Sunday, September 22 – Tuesday, September 24<br />
Boone Hall Plantation, Mt. Pleas., SC - November 8 – 10<br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/?px" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=25ba9c29-f1e9-47e9-b32b-8c1a3890e0f0" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div></div><br />
<center><div style='padding-bottom: 2px; line-height: 0px'><a href='http://pinterest.com/pin/135530270007819985/' target='_blank'><img src='http://media-cache-ec4.pinterest.com/upload/135530270007819985_RLGgXKsJ_c.jpg' border='0' width='468' height ='350'/></a></div><div style='float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px;'><p style='font-size: 10px; color: #76838b;'>Source: <a style='text-decoration: underline; font-size: 10px; color: #76838b;' href='http://www.examiner.com/article/joseph-mcgill-jr-shares-the-slave-dwelling-project-stays-2013?cid=db_articles'>examiner.com</a> via <a style='text-decoration: underline; font-size: 10px; color: #76838b;' href='http://pinterest.com/savingstories/' target='_blank'>Robin Foster: Genealogy & More</a> on <a style='text-decoration: underline; color: #76838b;' href='http://pinterest.com' target='_blank'>Pinterest</a></p></div></center>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-827955972335892819.post-8252666596259435292012-11-27T07:31:00.001-08:002012-11-27T07:36:59.501-08:00The significance of a home<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XYdqjeBSgpQ/ULTcVawRJxI/AAAAAAAACn4/4KNspjKZHiQ/s1600/030096pv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XYdqjeBSgpQ/ULTcVawRJxI/AAAAAAAACn4/4KNspjKZHiQ/s640/030096pv.jpg" width="452" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 13px; text-align: left;">DETAIL, MAIN FACADE, ENTRANCEWAY - <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=38.91,-77.0241666667&spn=0.01,0.01&q=38.91,-77.0241666667%20(Carter%20G.%20Woodson%20Home%20National%20Historic%20Site)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site">Carter G. Woodson House</a>, 1538 Ninth Street Northwest, <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=38.8951111111,-77.0366666667&spn=0.1,0.1&q=38.8951111111,-77.0366666667%20(Washington%2C%20D.C.)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Washington, D.C.">Washington, District of Columbia</a>, DC </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 13px; text-align: left;">Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://asalh.org/woodsonbiosketch.html">Dr. Carter G. Woodson</a>, "Father of Black History," conducted much of his affairs from his home on Washington, DC.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 15px;">"<a href="http://asalh.org/woodsonbiosketch.html">Dr. Carter G. Woodson</a></span><span style="line-height: 15px;"> directed <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.asalh.org/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Association for the Study of African American Life and History">ASALH</a>’s operations from his home located at 1538 Ninth Street, NW, Washington, DC, from 1915 until his death in 1950, and ASALH was headquartered in the building until 1970. The house was the center for educating the nation’s history and culture. Working out of this building, Dr.Woodson managed ASALH’s of African Americans to the day-to-day operations, published periodicals (the </span><i><span style="line-height: 15px;">Negro History Bulletin</span></i><span style="line-height: 15px;"> and the </span><i><span style="line-height: 15px;"><a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.jaah.org/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Journal of African American History">Journal of Negro History</a></span></i><span style="line-height: 15px;">), operated a book publishing company (Associated <br soft="" />Publishers), trained researchers and educators, and pursued his own research and writing about African American history." See <a href="http://asalh.org/WoodsonHome.html">"The Carter G. Woodson Home."</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In honor his contributions, an ornament hangs on the White House Christmas tree every year. See <a href="http://asalh.org/woodsonbiosketch.html">"Carter G. Woodson."</a> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Question: What good are we doing in our homes today that people will remember us for long after we are gone? </span><br />
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<a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/?px" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=32786152-c40c-478d-98ef-6b076eea6d72" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-827955972335892819.post-85751832683079763052012-10-29T22:52:00.000-07:002012-10-29T22:52:02.703-07:00Pioneering efforts continue at Sweet Briar College<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><i>We are so very fortunate to have you on the front lines pioneering the cause to share the history of our ancestors at these sites, Joe. We wish you continued blessings and health as you strive to make sure our heritage continues to be shared and preserved. We also hope that those who should take part and open doors will soon do so. We appreciate your dedication. The accounts of the following participants will be published separately:</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><i>Crystal Rossen</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><i>Dave Griffith</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><i>Lynn Rainville</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><i>Mike Hayslett</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><i>Toni Battle</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><i>Stay tuned!</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><i>Robin Foster</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><i>About Our Freedom</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><b>Pioneering efforts continue at <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=37.5538888889,-79.08&spn=0.01,0.01&q=37.5538888889,-79.08%20(Sweet%20Briar%20College)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Sweet Briar College">Sweet Briar College</a></b></span></span></div>
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<b>By Joseph McGill, Jr. | Field Officer | Charleston Field Office</b></div>
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National Trust for Historic Preservation | William Aiken House <span style="font-size: 14pt;">l</span> 456 King Street, 3rd Floor, Charleston, South Carolina 29403 |</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0Cp1u9BpBq8/UI9nYMHDJRI/AAAAAAAACiA/anvolDBlY5k/s1600/virginia+slave+dwellings+099+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0Cp1u9BpBq8/UI9nYMHDJRI/AAAAAAAACiA/anvolDBlY5k/s640/virginia+slave+dwellings+099+(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Despite spending a night in 37 extant former slave dwellings
in 12 states in 2 ½ years, bureaucracy has always been a challenge for the
Slave Dwelling Project to overcome.
Private owners and not for profit organizations get it and are well
represented among the 37 stays, however, state and nationally owned entities
and institutions of higher learning had never given the project the green
light. That would all change with stay
number 38, Sweet Briar College.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sweet Briar
College in <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_Briar%2C_Virginia" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Sweet Briar, Virginia">Sweet Briar, Virginia</a> was founded in <strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1901</span></strong>, the legacy
of Indiana Fletcher Williams, who left her entire estate to found an
institution in memory of her only daughter, Daisy, who died at the age of 16 in
<strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1884</span></strong><b>.</b> At the time of Mrs. Williams' death
in 1900, her estate consisted of more than a million dollars, and over 8,000
acres of land, including the Sweet Briar Plantation.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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On Saturday, October 6 I found myself transitioning from
Bacon’s Castle, my first stay in Virginia, to Sweet Briar College which would
be my second. That transition required a
2 ½ hour westward drive at night.
Luckily for me, I was joined by Toni Battle who had traveled all the
way from San Francisco, California to participate in both stays. I knew that Toni had at least one person who
was lynched in her family tree but I found out during the drive that there were
at least two more people who were lynched in her ancestral past. The details were not pleasant but what
accounts of people being lynched are?
The details of the matter helped to keep me focused on the unfamiliar
highway 60 westward drive through the winding foothills of Virginia. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Arriving late into the night, the hospitality began
immediately with the security guard escorting us to our quarters, which was
located between the big house and the slave cabin. Toni immediately speculated that this was
once the quarters of the overseer. The
stay in the slave cabin would occur the following night. The security guard then gave us a ride to the
dining hall. During the late night meal in
the dining hall and upon our return to the quarters, Toni and I had ample time
to recap our stay at Bacon’s Castle the previous night and anticipate the
remaining time that we would spend at Sweet Briar College before we both turned
in for the night.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The next morning while walking to breakfast, Toni and I had
the opportunity to take in the full beauty of the Sweet Briar College
campus. While at breakfast I met my host
Dr. Lynn Rainville. Since I could not
remember how Sweet Briar College became a stop for the Slave Dwelling Project,
I asked Dr. Rainvlle to remind me. She
stated that she heard me on <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.npr.org/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="NPR">National Public Radio (NPR)</a> when the project was in
its infancy. Being quite knowledgeable
of Sweet Briar’s history she was quite forthcoming about the complete history
of Sweet Briar when it existed as a plantation and started as a college. I learned from her that Elijah Fletcher the
founder of the plantation was a former abolitionist from Vermont. I also learned that the college was founded
in 1901 for the education of White women.
It would later take a court order to break the will to allow the college
to be integrated. After breakfast, Dr.
Rainville accompanied us to see the cabin.
She verified that Toni was correct in assuming that the house that we
stayed in the previous night was historically the house of the overseer. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Like the stay at Bacon’s Castle, I again had the opportunity
to witness Toni experience the cabin for the first time only this time the same
applied to me because this was also my first time in the cabin at Sweet Briar. Inside it had hand hewn logs that were still
virtually round with the only flat side coming in direct contact with the
ceiling. Above the ceiling was an attic
that was converted into living space, like other cabins I’ve seen, access could
be gained to the upper level by some steep stairs. It was less than half the size of the cabin
at Bacon’s Castle but larger than some of the other 37 of which I have
stayed. After the last inhabitant of
the cabin moved out in the 1920s, the cabin had been used for many things to
include a classroom and farm tool museum and had been modernized accordingly as
evidenced by the electrical outlets along the wall. A forge from its existence as a farm tool
museum still occupied a corner.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Dr. Rainville had my remaining time at Sweet Briar College
chalk full of activities. My first
official duty was to give a slave dwelling presentation in the Sweet Briar
College Museum, an event that went exceedingly well. After the presentation, I led the group on a
tour of the slave cabin. During the tour
of the cabin, I met Dr. Jo Ellen Parker, the president of Sweet Briar
College. I took the time to thank her
publicly for allowing the Slave Dwelling Project to come to Sweet Briar
College. Additionally, I requested and
received her permission to leverage the stay at Sweet Briar to help convince
other leaders of institutions of higher learning to follow this fine
example. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The tour of the slave
cabin was followed by a tour of the big house appropriately, where the college
president now presides. Dr. Rainville
took charge and did not sugarcoat any of the history. It reminded me of a similar tour I took at
Hopsewee Plantation in Georgetown County, SC that I also loved. The senior White tour guide at Hopsewee was
quite knowledgeable of the history of the plantation and was quite professional
in telling the whole story.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Dr. Rainville had arranged for 8 other people to share the
sleepover in the slave cabin with me. It
was an interesting mix of people which included Crystal Rosson whose ancestor
was the last to inhabit the cabin.
Knowing this made the night even more special for all involved. The night was made even more special by Toni
Battle’s smudging or blessing the space and the pouring of libation. We created a powerful circle where ancestors
were called, confessions were made and tears were shed. After some storytelling and a sweet song
which was sung by Barbara Payne, we all drifted off to sleep. <o:p></o:p></div>
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When we all woke up the next morning in denial of snoring, Lynn then made an attempt to leave the cabin and at that moment we found ourselves mysteriously
locked in. Apparently, David Griffith
got up early and left the cabin mistakenly engaging the outside latch. Lynn informed us that David would be back and
a professional photographer was on the way but I took the opportunity to
speculate out loud about how we came to be locked inside the cabin. David indeed got back before our thoughts got
too outrageous, however he did deny locking the door. The group’s time at the cabin was concluded
by photographic documentation before most of us proceeded to the dining hall
for breakfast. It was at the breakfast
table that I had the opportunity to talk candidly with Crystal whose ancestor
was the last to stay in the cabin about her experience. She mentioned that without the Slave Dwelling
Project, she would never have interacted with that space in any similar
manner. I informed her that I wanted her
to speak about her experience at a presentation that was planned during lunch. Not only did I want her to speak but I wanted
her to be the closer, she hesitatingly accepted. I also asked Michael Hayslett to give an
account of his slave cabin experience during the presentation. <o:p></o:p></div>
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After breakfast, Toni, Dr. Rainville and I had some down
time which was used to go to the overseer’s cottage to shower, change clothes
and check out. After checking out, we
drove to the slave cemetery which was located on a hill on the campus. In her spare time, Dr. Rainville documents
the often forgotten and neglected graves of African Americans. She did a beautiful job of ensuring that the
African American grave site on the Sweet Briar campus is properly marked and
recognized. Toni in her reassuring and
special way ensured that we paid proper respect to the ancestors who were laid
to rest in this sacred space. In all
fairness, we visited the grave site of the plantation and college founders
which is located on a hill overlooking the college.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I adjusted the lunch
time presentation to address dwellings in all 12 states that I have stayed in
to date. Toni Battle, Michael Hayslett
and Crystal Rosson all participated in the presentation as I requested of
them. As promised, Dr. Jo Ella Parker,
President of Sweet Briar, attended the lecture.
During the question and answer period, I was made aware by some
community members of other slave dwellings in the area that need immediate attention. One couple that resides in Historic St.
Mary’s City, Maryland made me aware of slave dwellings there. It was then established that with the work
that Dr. Rainville is doing to reinterpret the slave cabin at Sweet Briar
College along with the support that she is getting from Dr. Parker, the network
is now in place to start the process of saving the endangered properties
mentioned in the question and answer period and other like properties in the
area of Sweet Briar College.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The plan was then to address Dr. Rainville’s class after the
lunch time presentation. A local TV
station changed that plan. They
interviewed me but appropriately they were more interested in the Crystal
Rosson story, so much so, that they wanted to interview her inside the
cabin. Toni and I said our goodbyes to
Dr. Rainville and proceeded to the cabin with the TV camera crew and
Crystal. And that’s how it ended, with
Crystal being the closer.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Afterthoughts:</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Patience is certainly necessary when trying to establish the
legitimacy of oneself or a project.
Spending a night in 38 slave dwellings in 12 states over the past 2 ½
years are major steps in the direction of establishing legitimacy for the Slave
Dwelling Project. To that end, stay
number 38, Sweet Briar College, has thrown out the gauntlet. Before Sweet Briar, other institutions of
higher learning, government and state owned entities that are stewards of
extant slave dwellings have been approached to participate in this project, to
no avail.<o:p></o:p></div>
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One major reason that slavery prospered was because it was
an institution. In an ironic twist,
generally, institutions have not yet embraced this project. I want the bureaucrats to know that I come in
peace, not ghost hunting, not seeking reparations, and not looking for
artifacts but to simply acknowledge you for doing the right thing by owning and
restoring an element of the African American built environment. Furthermore, I want to use your example to
encourage others to do likewise.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Before I paint all bureaucrats with one brush, let me
announce that the College of Charleston will be added to the 2013 schedule for
the Slave Dwelling Project. Additionally,
I am in communications with the Superintendent of Kingsley Plantation about
spending a night in a slave cabin at that location, in fact, I got the email
requesting a phone call or face-to-face visit while I was at Sweet Briar
College.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Thank you, Sweet Briar College, for taking a chance on the
Slave Dwelling Project.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.wset.com/story/19766737/slave-dwelling-project-spends-the-night-at-sweet-briar">http://www.wset.com/story/19766737/slave-dwelling-project-spends-the-night-at-sweet-briar</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-827955972335892819.post-7408233414940205852012-10-29T21:45:00.002-07:002012-10-29T21:45:37.770-07:00From Whence We Come<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>Thank you so much, Toni, for sharing your insights with us. We appreciate you for all the great photos you uploaded on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=549373148412917&set=pb.100000207090184.-2207520000.1351571988&type=3&theater">Facebook</a> to help us share the experience. We know the ancestors are proud that you helped to bring them to light through your experience on this Slave Dwelling Project stay.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Robin Foster</i><br />
<i>About Our Freedom</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
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<b>From Whence We Come</b><br />
Written by: Toni Renee Battle<br />
<br />
I met Joseph McGill, Jr. in March of 2012 and he told me about his work through The Slave Dwelling Project. I found within my spirit an immediate response to his work. My steps were being ordered to partake in this ancestral journey. We met at the Coming To the Table (CTTT) national gathering, which brought together descendants of the enslaved, slave owners and slave traders for the purposes of healing from the legacy of slavery, but also doing action work, creating safe spaces for difficult conversations and family history research in today’s times. <br />
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Devin Berry, who is also a member of CTTT, and I committed to attending a slave dwelling overnight with Joseph during the same weekend. Through community donations, he and I were able to embark on an incredible experience that will last a lifetime. <br />
<br />
We arrived in VA and spent our first day in Surry, VA at school assemblies watching Joseph, dressed as a Black union soldier, provide a historical narrative to the youth, 1st through 12th grades, and also give some background to the previous slave dwellings he had visited in the past. We also had an opportunity to explore Bacon’s Castle plantation together with Joseph, prior to the other guests arriving for that evening’s overnight.<br />
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As we drove onto the plantation grounds, Devin and I turned to each other asking the same question, “Did you feel your breathing change and your chest tighten up?” It was as if, our ancestral spirits were responding to the history of the land we had just drove onto. We quickly got out of the car and began taking photos of the “BIG house” and of the incredibly long driveway leading onto the plantation grounds.<br />
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After parking, Joseph excitedly asked us if we were ready to visit the slave cabin we would be staying in for the evening. Devin and I immediately said at the same time, “YES!” The three of us walked behind the big house and saw a cabin sitting just beyond a tree. It was white-washed and rustic. The closer we got, the more emotion I felt. Here we were, three Black folks in 2012, descended from the enslaved, two of us Black men, one of us descended from the enslaved, slave master and slave trader, about to walk into our ancestral past; what a moment!<br />
<br />
As Joseph opened the cabin doors, Devin and I looked at each other and entered sacred space. If the walls could talk there would be stories of pain, horror, joy and sadness. The wood seemed to scream at me as I ran my hands along its roughness. Immediately I begin singing, “There’s a sweet, sweet spirit in this place, there’s a sweet, sweet spirit in this place!” You could feel the ancestors’ spirits within this dwelling. I immediately felt a sacredness in the space as the three of us took photos. To see Devin dressed in jeans and a tee-shirt and Joseph in a union uniform was as if the past and present were talking at the same time. As Black men standing there, with one foot in the past and one foot in the present, in a slave cabin was very powerful. The three of us experiencing it together was as if the ancestors were whispering over our shoulders as we looked out the window onto the slave quarters, “From whence we come!” <br />
<br />
Later that evening we met the rest of the group that would be staying with us and proceeded over to the slave cabin. During the evening we blessed the cabin, conducted libation, celebrating the ancestors and those who were enslaved on the land and then we gathered together in the two rooms of the cabin. We shared sacred stories of our family histories and we were blessed to hear the Anderson sisters (two women from the Surry, VA area) share with us that their great-great grandmother had been enslaved at Bacon’s Castle Plantation and they were overnighting as a way of paying respects to her memory. I asked one of the sisters what it felt like for her to be in the cabin, on the land her ancestors had been enslaved on; she responded, “I thought I would feel anger, but I feel nothing but my grandmother’s love as if she’s right here with us. I can’t begin to tell you what an amazing experience this is for us! It’s very healing. I’ve drove past this plantation the last 30 years and wanted no parts of it. But The Slave Dwelling Project seemed different. It told OUR story.” We all listened in great appreciation and reflected on our own feelings.<br />
<br />
I laid down with Prinny Anderson (another CTTT member) and Devin on purpose, because I wanted to have the experience of us sharing this sacred space together. During the night, Prinny and I heard a woman singing in the distance. We both later smiled, feeling our ancestors were letting us know they were in the space with us. Before dawn, we were awakened by Mr. Joe Jenkins, of Surry, VA. Before dawn he sung the Muslim morning call to prayer. He sung it in honor of the enslaved who were Muslim and forced to convert to Christianity as a means of stripping them of their identities. One of the first things that were done to the enslaved were before boarding the slave ships, they were baptized into Christianity and given “good, Christian” names. They were forbidden to practice anything representative of their previous culture, traditions, religions or language. As Mr. Jenkins’ deep voice travelled the slave cabin, my very soul answered. My body sat straight up and I rose and walked to the other side where he sat singing in the new day. I sat with others, as tears ran down my face in awe of the very reverence of the moment. <br />
<br />
The day was filled with the community coming out to learn about the history of Bacon’s Castle, which for the first time included the enslaved narrative in a very authentic way. Many from the Black community in Surry, stated it was the first time many of them had been on the land in decades. They believed The Slave Dwelling Project had provided an opportunity to begin a new chapter of healing from the legacy of slavery. Family members descended from the enslaved of Bacon’s Castle shared oral stories of their ancestors, elders shared experiences of their families sharecropping post slavery and some shared their hopes that the day had birthed a starting point of a new relationship with the plantation’s past. There were tears, sacred storytelling, laughter, cooking of traditional Black and Native food dishes, and lots of hugging and listening to shared pains and joys. I found myself at a tree facing the slave cabin and being brought to tears as I looked around. Wasn’t this what the ancestors had just whispered over Devin, Joseph and my shoulders the previous day? “From whence WE come!”<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=827955972335892819" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=827955972335892819" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=827955972335892819" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=827955972335892819" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>The Slave Dwelling Project was an opportunity for me to not only pay homage to the ancestors and educate others about the need to preserve these dwellings as part of the historical narrative, but it was also a way for me to begin healing some of the generational grief and wounded history within my ancestral line. This was one of the most sacred experiences of my entire life!<br />
<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-827955972335892819.post-53065138149401666732012-10-29T21:28:00.000-07:002012-10-29T21:30:51.815-07:00 Sleeping Overnight at the Bacon’s Castle Slave Quarters<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>We appreciate Prinny Anderson's account of her stay at Bacon's Castle as well as her sharing the history of Bacon's Castle as well as her account of how representatives of <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.preservationvirginia.org/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Preservation Virginia">Preservation Virginia</a>, Coming to the Table, Surry County African American Heritage Society, and others came together in support of The Slave Dwelling Project. What a great community effort!</i><br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=827955972335892819" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=827955972335892819" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=827955972335892819" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=827955972335892819" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><i><br />
</i> <i>Robin Foster</i><br />
<i>About Our Freedom</i><br />
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</o:p> <o:p> </o:p><b>Sleeping Overnight at the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=37.1105555556,-76.7280555556&spn=0.01,0.01&q=37.1105555556,-76.7280555556%20(Bacon%27s%20Castle)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Bacon's Castle">Bacon’s Castle</a> Slave Quarters</b><br />
<b> By Prinny Anderson</b></div>
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The one remaining slave quarter at Bacon’s Castle, Surry, VA, is a white clapboard, four-room cabin, two rooms upstairs, two rooms down, each room home to a family, used since it was built in the late 1820’s until the last sharecropper moved out in the 1950’s. It saw 130 years of lives in bondage and servitude. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=827955972335892819" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=827955972335892819" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=827955972335892819" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=827955972335892819" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>The cabin is among the outbuildings on the grounds of Bacon’s Castle, built around 1665 by Arthur Allen, and one of the only three remaining Jacobean style mansions in the Western Hemisphere. It took its name from <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacon%27s_Rebellion" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Bacon's Rebellion">Bacon’s Rebellion</a>, which took place in 1676, when the house was occupied and the Allen family was temporarily driven away. <a href="http://preservationvirginia.org/index.php/visit/historic-properties/bacons-castle">http://preservationvirginia.org/index.php/visit/historic-properties/bacons-castle</a><br />
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Bacon’s Rebellion was an uprising of the frontiersmen, indentured people, and enslaved people, African and European. The alliance alarmed the ruling elite, and historians believe that the harsh response by the Virginia government and the racialization of slavery were among the results. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">National Register of Historic Places listings in Surry County, Virginia (Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bacon%27s_Castle_south_front.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr>
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On October 5, 2012, about 20 people gathered in a front room of the Big House at Bacon’s Castle for introductions and conversation. In the group were two sisters, Barbara and Judy, descendants of a woman who was enslaved at Bacon’s Castle, accompanied by the pastor of a large <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=37.12,-76.89&spn=1.0,1.0&q=37.12,-76.89%20(Surry%20County%2C%20Virginia)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Surry County, Virginia">Surry County, VA</a>, church. Jennifer came all the way from Texas on a trip researching her Virginia ancestors, and Allison came to report the experience for the <i>Daily Press</i>. There were three college students, and Jennifer, Lou, Joe, and Ed from Preservation Virginia (PV) (<a href="http://preservationvirginia.org/">http://preservationvirginia.org/</a> ), the Surry County African American Heritage Society (SCAAHS) (<a href="http://www.surryafricanheritage.com/">http://www.surryafricanheritage.com</a> ), and the Surry County Historical Society (SCHS) (<a href="http://surrycounty.pastperfect-online.com/">http://surrycounty.pastperfect-online.com/</a> ). Our convener for the evening was Joe McGill, whose Slave-Dwelling Project (SDP) was critical to the event (<a href="http://www.lowcountryafricana.com/tag/slave-dwelling-project/">http://www.lowcountryafricana.com/tag/slave-dwelling-project/</a> ) and three of his fellow members of the Coming to the Table community, Toni Battle and Devin Berry, who had flown in from California, and Prinny Anderson, who drove in from Durham, NC. (<a href="http://www.comingtothetable.org/">http://www.comingtothetable.org/</a> ). We owe many thanks to the PV staff and friends who had the vision to create this historic event, who worked to shore up the cabin’s chimneys and floors, who made all the arrangements to make the stay safe and comfortable, and who stayed late and woke early to bring us food.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Group members had many reasons for showing up that evening to do something most of us, other than Joe McGill, had never done before. Repeated themes in our introductions were the desire to honor and acknowledge the lives and work of the enslaved people as important in American history and essential to its economic survival for 3 centuries. </div>
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We were there because of family connections to enslaved families, as a result of our research into genealogy and family history, and in response to an invitation to be at a very special event. Our thanks to Joe McGill and his Slave-Dwelling project for the ongoing work he does and for creating this special occasion for us.<o:p></o:p></div>
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After a tasty picnic meal of ham biscuits, peanut soup, vegetables, and apple fritters under the bright lights over the work yard behind the mansion, we moved to the slave cabin and set up our sleeping spaces. Joe McGill and Jennifer Hurst (Preservation Virginia) wrestled with the technology in an effort to provide streaming video via YouTube and an online chat through Facebook – both challenging with 4G connection only and no wifi. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZOl3AtfYm8o/UI9RCwQ85AI/AAAAAAAACg4/Fc7RfJpompg/s1600/s7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZOl3AtfYm8o/UI9RCwQ85AI/AAAAAAAACg4/Fc7RfJpompg/s1600/s7.jpg" /></a>As the evening darkened into night, we rededicated our sleeping quarters to the sacred memory of the enslaved ancestors who had lived there, and in an outdoor circle and we called to mind family members and ancestors who represented our connections to the place and to one another.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Something about dedicating the space and our actions along with the darkness, the mild breezes, and the dim lanterns seemed to encourage forth the questions and truths that were resting on our hearts and minds. What kind of strength and courage allowed the former inhabitants of this cabin to endure? How could we, today, even begin to imagine their daily lives? What kind of belief system allowed the European landowners to own, trade and oppress the imported African people? Why did “black” become “bad”? What’s up with white people, such that individual and institutional racism persist? What prevents white people from seeing the harm and from dismantling the systems that perpetuate it? What will it take to get white people to change?<o:p></o:p></div>
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We told about the family stories and the traditions of our faiths and our foremothers and forefathers that brought us to this place and these questions, the stories and traditions that sustain us through the sorrow and pain. We talked about managing the anger, finding ways to speak truth without alienating those who need to hear – learning to “catch more flies with honey,” as Joe put it. We talked about living with the shame and sadness of recognizing today how many years of oppression, harm and destruction we and our kin had perpetrated. And all through the conversations, wove personal stories, family stories, memories, and questions. By the time we fell asleep, Barbara and Judy had convinced us that the loving presence of Grandmother Camilla was smiling on us, and in the morning, we were awakened by the dawn call to prayer.<o:p></o:p></div>
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On the 6<sup>th</sup>, Preservation Virginia held “History Day” at Bacon’s Castle. Speaking to the visitors, Jennifer described the history of the slave quarters and Joe told stories of the Slave-Dwelling Project. Toni, Devin and Prinny spoke about why they had spent the night and what it was like. The visitors shared their stories. One woman pointed out where her family’s cabin had been and recounted the hard realities of the sharecroppers’ lives. A student who had heard Joe McGill speak the day before at his middle school told how he had insisted that his mother bring him to Bacon’s Castle for another dose of history.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HVpqf5ARZfk/UI9RirYCQXI/AAAAAAAAChA/nzZU0-TVz_0/s1600/s8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HVpqf5ARZfk/UI9RirYCQXI/AAAAAAAAChA/nzZU0-TVz_0/s320/s8.jpg" width="295" /></a>CTTT’s Art Carter drove over from the Eastern Shore of Virginia to meet people from the African American Heritage Society. CTTT’s involvement in this particular SDP sleepover began several months ago when PV and Joe McGill invited us to partner with them, not just for this occasion, but potentially on an ongoing basis. In parallel with The Slave-Dwelling Project’s mission of bringing recognition to the lives and contributions of the enslaved Africans, PV wants to encourage SCAAHS and SCHS to take their interest in local history to another level of telling the meaning of the histories of the people, the land, the lives, and the events, and weaving local history into American history, making the stories of African Americans, Native Americans and European Americans of Tidewater Virginia into the stories of all Americans.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-21L1ix33yKQ/UI9SCMfjBBI/AAAAAAAAChI/e1MHiA3YF5A/s1600/s9.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>Three weeks before the SDP overnight, PV staff members Jennifer and Todd went with Prinny Anderson from CTTT to meet with the SCAAHS. After Prinny’s talk about the work of CTTT, the chairman of SCAAHS asked if the time was right for their organization to begin talking openly about race, about the story of the races in Surry County, and its meaning for the country. By the end of the meeting, the SCAAHS members were discussing Bacon’s Rebellion and the racialization of slavery in the U.S., events that happened in their back yards, a story directly linked to their stories, and a story worth bringing forward into the national consciousness.<o:p></o:p></div>
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CTTT hopes that through its participation in these events and whatever further activities are planned, it can support PV, the Heritage Society and the Historical Society in continuing the conversation about the issues raised during the night at Bacon’s Castle and in reaching the goals sketched out at the SCAAHS meeting three weeks before.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Links to the <i>Daily Press</i> stories about the October 5/6 overnight and a video made by Allison Williams, the reporter, about the Slave-Dwelling Project’s work.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Announcement of overnight: <a href="http://www.dailypress.com/news/isle-of-wight-county/dp-nws-soj-notebook-1005-20121004,0,1860127.story">http://www.dailypress.com/news/isle-of-wight-county/dp-nws-soj-notebook-1005-20121004,0,1860127.story</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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First story: <a href="http://www.dailypress.com/news/isle-of-wight-county/dp-nws-slave-dwelling-project-20121008,0,6496097.story">http://www.dailypress.com/news/isle-of-wight-county/dp-nws-slave-dwelling-project-20121008,0,6496097.story</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Reflections from reporter: <a href="http://www.dailypress.com/news/isle-of-wight-county/dp-nws-soj-notebook-1012-20121011,0,549403.story">http://www.dailypress.com/news/isle-of-wight-county/dp-nws-soj-notebook-1012-20121011,0,549403.story</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Video – Slave Dwelling Project: <a href="http://www.dailypress.com/videogallery/72790797/News/Video-Slave-Dwelling-Project">http://www.dailypress.com/videogallery/72790797/News/Video-Slave-Dwelling-Project</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Photos courtesy of<o:p></o:p></div>
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Preservation Virginia website<o:p></o:p></div>
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Low Country Africana website<o:p></o:p></div>
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Surry County Historical Society website<o:p></o:p></div>
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Toni Battle Coming to the Table Facebook posting<o:p></o:p></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-827955972335892819.post-66222401102372837632012-10-28T12:40:00.001-07:002012-10-28T12:40:51.376-07:00Reflections from the slave dwelling<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We appreciate the experience that Joesph W. Jenkins, current p</span><span id="internal-source-marker_0.9708932822104543"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">resident of the Surry County African American Heritage Society, shares from Bacon's Castle. Thank you for lending your voice to the call for unison! Accounts submitted from participants of The Slave Dwelling Project will be published individually going forward so that we can take the opportunity to focus on their reflections on an individual basis. </span></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Robin Foster</span></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">About Our Freedom</span></span></span></i><br />
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.9708932822104543" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">REFLECTIONS FROM THE SLAVE DWELLING</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Joseph W. Jenkins</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> October 21, 2012</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am not a superstitious person but I come from a long line of people (farmers) who look for signs in nature to forecast events: The weather, how well or poorly their crops may turn out and when a child might enter the world.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A couple of days before my stay in the slave dwelling at <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=37.1105555556,-76.7280555556&spn=0.01,0.01&q=37.1105555556,-76.7280555556%20(Bacon%27s%20Castle)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Bacon's Castle">Bacon’s Castle</a>, as I drove down Rocky Bottom Road, I noticed, at the side of the road ahead of me, an unusual sight. As my car drew closer to the object, it took flight. It turned out to be a good sized hawk which was unable to gain altitude because of what it was holding in its talons. As I drew closer, I saw that the hawk was holding on to a large black bird – a raven. The predator hawk was flapping its wings but the raven’s weight was keeping it from ascending. I was concerned my car would hit the birds. As my car drove even closer to them, the hawk released its prey. The freed raven flapped its wings and quickly joined its flock that had been watching the drama unfold. The unsuccessful predator, having freed its burden, soared above the trees and into the sky.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bacons_Castle_2006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:right;"><img alt="Bacon's Castle was occupied by Bacon's followe..." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="266" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a8/Bacons_Castle_2006.jpg/300px-Bacons_Castle_2006.jpg" style="border: none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">Bacon's Castle was occupied by Bacon's followers during the rebellion (Photo credit: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bacons_Castle_2006.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.9708932822104543" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The image of the drama stayed in my mind throughout that day and night as well. It even entered my thoughts the Friday afternoon while on my way to Bacon’s Castle. I kept trying to determine if what I witnessed was just something normal in nature, or was it some sort of sign?</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b><div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I didn’t know what to expect from my stay in the slave dwelling. As the current president of the <a href="http://www.surryafricanheritage.com/">Surry County African American Heritage Society</a>, I felt a sense of obligation to take part in the project to represent our organization and in some way, help make certain </span><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the truth about how the aftermath of <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacon%27s_Rebellion" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Bacon's Rebellion">Bacon’s Rebellion</a> set the stage for the type of bigotry and discrimination we still have today. What is more, I felt that my stay in the slave cabin would provide a forum for me to express openly my strongly held belief that race is a lie and racism is a divisive, debilitating disease. My emotions and feeling of wonder heightened as I got closer to the main house on the castle estate.</span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.surryafricanheritage.com/simpleviewer/simpleviewer_203/web/images/100_2494.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://www.surryafricanheritage.com/simpleviewer/simpleviewer_203/web/images/100_2494.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More photos: <a href="http://www.surryafricanheritage.com/simpleviewer/simpleviewer_203/web/index.html">http://www.surryafricanheritage.com/simpleviewer/simpleviewer_203/web/index.html</a></td></tr>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When I entered the main house at Bacon’s Castle, the people who were to participate in the dwelling stay were already assembled and sitting in a circle. Introductions were made and we were given an opportunity to talk about our expectations relative to our participation. I was very impressed with the individuals who had come to participate. It was one thing to have Joseph McGill from South Carolina who was the project’s catalyst but it was quite another thing to be with individuals (descendants of Africans and Europeans) who had traveled from Texas, California, and North Carolina to be part of the </span><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">project – together with Virginians whose family members were slaves on the very land we were occupying. So why did they come? To connect with their family history? To atone for someone’s past ills? To find release from guilt or just to acknowledge and better understand our country’s history? I guess we all had our known and perhaps suppressed reasons. Whatever the case, I noticed that as we talked the veil of unfamiliarity began to lower. Something unique was starting to unfold.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Perhaps one of the most extraordinary things occurred that Friday evening during and following the libation ceremony conducted by Ms. Toni Battle, who had come from San Francisco to take part in the project. Each of us was given an opportunity to remember and acknowledge our family members and ancestors. According to family lore, my paternal great grandmother (Cordelia), who was born of a free black woman, had at some point in her life worked at Bacon’s Castle. So, for me, there was a vague connection with the site. However, my maternal great grandfather, Peter Clarke, Sr., had been enslaved. Reportedly, he had been sold twice and was somewhat proud of a scar that was on his light complexioned face. We can only speculate as to how his facial wound came about and why it was a source of pride for him. Given that bit of family history, I decided to dedicate my stay in the slave dwelling to the memory of my great grandfather, Peter Clarke, Sr., and all the people who endured the pain, suffering and humiliation of slavery in this country.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After the ceremony, we all remained standing in front of the slave dwelling and began to talk about all manner of things related to the dwelling, the plantation, the institution of slavery – and its impact on society; the pain and humiliation people endured; the stupidity of discrimination based on skin color; race as a social construct; the system of economic divide and conquer, and so on. As the content of our discussion became deeper, our inhibitions lowered even more. I felt that “we the people” were at long last being open and honest with each other about our anger, our fears, our pain and even our hopes. Truth was being spoken and something more honest was about to happen. And then it was time to lay down our heads on the slave cabin floor.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The cabin is rather small and it’s hard to believe that, at one time, it housed four families: Two on the first floor and two on the second. Fortunately, the cabin had a wooden floor. (Some slave cabins had dirt floors.) I anticipated gross discomfort being on the floor in my sleeping bag but to my surprise, I didn’t have any aches or pains.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As I lay there on the room with six other people in our section of the building, I guess I was waiting for something unusual to happen – -I had no idea what. Two of the people </span><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">chatted about their families and ancestors. Two eighteen year old college students kidded with each other and my thoughts drifted everywhere and nowhere.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I tried to picture myself as a person enslaved. What would I do? How would I handle it? Could I survive the ordeal? Macho man notions entered my mind. Of course, I would invoke warrior powers and fight and prevail against all odds and reclaim my freedom and ride off into the sunset – to go where in a place I didn’t know? What would I do? And then I recalled hearing Billie Holiday’s song about southern trees bearing strange fruit. That was disconcerting.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As I lay there on the wooden floor, nothing mystical happened. I don’t think I expected anything to happen but it occurred to me that we folks of African ancestry are, in many ways, a unique and blessed people. We have survived trials in this land by the strength of our faith, the power of our hope and our capacity to find light in the darkness of despair. While I did not consciously expect anything in particular to happen while in the cabin, I was glad to be there at that time for whatever it mattered and for whatever difference it might make.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Out of the window that faced southeast, I saw a distant star that held my attention. I searched for meaning in it. It said nothing in particular. It just stared back from a distance. In the meantime, the students to my left were still restless and perhaps somewhat disengaged from the experience. So, at about 4:00AM, it occurred to me that perhaps this old man might be able to say or do something that they may recall favorably when, years from now, they think about their experience at Bacon’s Castle. So, I told them that our African ancestors who were brought here were not a homogeneous people. They came from different cultures, spoke different languages and had different religious beliefs. Some were animists. Some were Christians and some practiced Islam. I told them that it must have been extremely challenging for those diverse groups of people to be thrown together and to become one people in the harshest of circumstances. I told them about Bilal ibn Rabah, a black African who was born into slavery in Arabia. Bilal was treated inhumanly by his master and he was persecuted severely when he became one of the earliest followers of the Prophet Muhammad. However, despite the abuse Bilal ibn Rabah had to endure, he attained an honored status among the followers of his faith. He was the first person to call the Adhan (the Muslim call to prayer) at the Kabah in Mecca. His call to prayer is made five times a day and is heard around the world. And for the students, I called the Adhan. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I wanted the two students to know that despite their hardships; despite their setbacks; and despite their disappointments, they can make a difference in the world like Bilal ibn Rabah and so many other people throughout history.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Although it was unintentional, the call to prayer woke up Joe McGill (who slept next to me) and Toni Battle and Prinny Anderson, who slept on the other side of the cabin. <br class="kix-line-break" />Toni and Prinny came and sat with me and Joe McGill, and we all talked at length about all manner of things related to our country’s history and the general plight of our people. We agreed that the need for broad discussion among people of goodwill within our nation is a catalyst for healing, reconciliation and progress. We talked about the depth of the challenge we face in bringing people together and helping to end animus and the stupidity of discrimination based on skin color. We agreed there is a need for initiatives like “Coming ToThe Table” and the Slave Dwelling Project to raise awareness of the festering sore on the face of our nation. I pledged anew to myself to join the struggle.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">During our early morning exchange, the image of the hawk and the raven I encountered a couple of days earlier came to my mind. I asked my colleagues what they might infer from my encounter: Had I just witnessed a natural phenomenon or could it have been a sign related to our experience at Bacon’s Castle. I’m not sure that we reached a consensus about the matter but I felt better knowing the raven went free to live out the day.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></b><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-827955972335892819.post-72471507430771376702012-10-23T12:26:00.000-07:002012-10-23T12:28:09.621-07:00McGill engages with youth and community at Bacon's Castle<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>What a great experience it was must have been for Joe go the extra mile and dress in his <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniforms_of_the_Confederate_States_military_forces" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Uniforms of the Confederate States military forces">Civil War uniform</a> for the children in the Surry County School system who attended his lecture. I am sure he brought history alive for them. Thank you for what you do, Joe! Next, we will bring you the accounts of some of the participants from The Slave Swelling Project stay at Bacon's Castle. So, stay tuned!</i></div>
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<i>Robin Foster</i></div>
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<i>About Our Freedom</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">McGill engages with youth and community at Bacon's Castle</span></div>
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<b>By Joseph McGill, Jr. | Field Officer | Charleston Field Office</b></div>
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National Trust for Historic Preservation | William Aiken House <span style="font-size: 14pt;">l</span> 456 King Street, 3rd Floor, Charleston, South Carolina 29403 |</div>
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Phone: <a href="tel:843-722-8552" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank" value="+18437228552">843-722-8552</a> | Fax: <a href="tel:843-722-8652" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank" value="+18437228652">843-722-8652</a> | <u><a href="mailto:joseph_mcgill@nthp.org" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">joseph_mcgill@nthp.org</a></u> | <a href="http://www.preservationnation.org/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">www.PreservationNation.org</span></a></div>
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After a 3 month hiatus, the Slave Dwelling Project came back
strong with two stays in Virginia. The
first of the stays was <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=37.1105555556,-76.7280555556&spn=0.01,0.01&q=37.1105555556,-76.7280555556%20(Bacon%27s%20Castle)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Bacon's Castle">Bacon’s Castle</a> which occurred on Friday, October 5,
2012. Constructed in 1665 in Surry
County on the south side of the James River, Bacon Castle is the oldest brick
structure in North America. Best known
for its connection to the Bacon’s Rebellion, it was home to Arthur Allen, his
heirs, and other planters and their families from the seventeenth to the
twentieth century.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img zemanta-action-dragged" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Map_of_Virginia_highlighting_Surry_County.svg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:right;"><img alt="Map of Virginia highlighting Surry County" border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="130" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/11/Map_of_Virginia_highlighting_Surry_County.svg/300px-Map_of_Virginia_highlighting_Surry_County.svg.png" style="border: none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">Map of Virginia highlighting Surry County (Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Map_of_Virginia_highlighting_Surry_County.svg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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When the Slave Dwelling project was in its infancy, I got a
visit in my Charleston office of the National Trust for Historic Preservation
from staff members of Preservation Virginia.
They thought that the project would go over well at Bacon’s Castle. I remember being impressed that even at that
early stage the project had gained enough relevancy to garner the attention of
this statewide organization. I vaguely
remember telling Jennifer Hurst, Associate Director for Museum Operations and
Education, that my time spent with them should be maximized. That part of the conversation came across to
her loud and clear because maximizing my time is exactly what she did. As a result of Jennifer’s planning, the
project directly interacted with more people than any other stay to date. Let me explain.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E-oUCGFt1OA/UIbt289ukGI/AAAAAAAACfE/TWfRgzy9yZg/s1600/virginia+slave+dwellings+039+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E-oUCGFt1OA/UIbt289ukGI/AAAAAAAACfE/TWfRgzy9yZg/s640/virginia+slave+dwellings+039+(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Community interaction</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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With the date chosen, it would still be about a year before
the stay would occur. That time was
utilized quite effectively with Jennifer planning and promoting the project on
her end and me on mine. Social media
played a big role in the buildup to the stay most notably yielding at least one
guest that would share the stay at Bacon’s Castle. About two weeks prior to the trip, I had an
interview from a <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=37.12,-76.89&spn=1.0,1.0&q=37.12,-76.89%20(Surry%20County%2C%20Virginia)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Surry County, Virginia">Surry County, Virginia</a> newspaper reporter which resulted in a newspaper
article. An additional notice of the
stay was printed in the local paper on the day the stay occurred. My ongoing involvement with the group, Coming
to the Table (CTTT), would also play a big role in this stay.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img zemanta-action-dragged" style="float: right; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PV_Icon_WM_2cl_RGB_vert_HR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:right;"><img alt="English: Preservation Virginia Logo" border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="191" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d0/PV_Icon_WM_2cl_RGB_vert_HR.jpg/300px-PV_Icon_WM_2cl_RGB_vert_HR.jpg" style="border: none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">English: Preservation Virginia Logo (Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PV_Icon_WM_2cl_RGB_vert_HR.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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My first direct action with the Bacon’s Castle stay would
occur in <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=37.5409722222,-77.4328888889&spn=0.1,0.1&q=37.5409722222,-77.4328888889%20(Richmond%2C%20Virginia)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Richmond, Virginia">Richmond, VA</a>. Jennifer arranged
for me to spend my first night at historic Linden Row Inn. I was the honored dinner guest of members of
the board of directors of Preservation Virginia. I had the pleasure of giving them a synopsis
of the Slave Dwelling Project. I praised
them for making Virginia state number twelve for the Slave Dwelling Project.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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In planning the events associated with the sleepover at
Bacon’s Castle, Jennifer insisted that I bring my Civil War uniform. After explaining to Jennifer that when I fly
to the sleepovers I lighten my carryon luggage by not bringing my Civil War
uniform but she continued to insist with her reason being that I was going to
address children in the Surry County school system. Address the children I did, senior high,
middle school and 3<sup>rd</sup> and 4<sup>th</sup> graders! It was an overall great experience as I
adjusted the message to accommodate the age of the children that I addressed at
the time. The students, some of whom had
visited Bacon’s Castle the day before, responded accordingly with highly
intelligent and engaging questions in the end.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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While presenting to the first school group, Toni Battle of
San Francisco and Devin Berry of Oakland, California showed up. I was expecting them. I met both of them in March of this year at
the national gathering of Coming to the Table.
Devin was my roommate while in Richmond and vowed that he would join me
in a future stay. Being a man of his
word, Bacon’s Castle would be that stay.
Toni made it clear in Richmond that the ancestors are with me on this project
even if I am in denial. Both Toni and
Devin and one other Coming to the Table member, Prinny Anderson would spend the
night in the slave cabin at Bacon’s Castle.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Day of the stay</b></div>
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Arriving at Bacon’s Castle on the day of the stay was not
the first time for me but it was for Toni and Devin. The three of us arriving together proved
invaluable because the photographic documentation began instantly, an important
element that had been missing in this project to date. Although I had been in the slave cabin
before, having the pleasure of witnessing Toni and Devin experience the space
for the first time was quite moving.
Containing four rooms on two levels, the structure is the only one of
eighteen slave cabins left on the property and is situated among several other
out buildings. Jennifer’s planning
ensured that in a matter of hours seventeen people would occupy the two lower
levels. Jennifer had already apprised me
of the guest list and the one of which I was most skeptical was that of the
media representative for I have been burned by that promise many times before.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In an attempt to strengthen the relationship between Bacon’s
Castle and the African American community, early in the planning of this event,
Jennifer and I decided others should be given the opportunity to share the
slave dwelling experience with me. In
addition to the local people scheduled to stay that night, people from North
Carolina, Texas and California were also scheduled to stay. Early in the evening, as we gathered in the
big house, the people started to show: Barbara and Judy Anderson, two sisters
whose great-great grandmother was once enslaved at Bacon’s Castle; Michael Ray
Vines, Jr. a student at <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.vsu.edu/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Virginia State University">Virginia State University</a>, Reverend Daniel Baltimore,
the Pastor of Mt. Nebo Baptist Church in Surry; Allison T. Williams a reporter
for the Daily Press and a host of others. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img zemanta-action-dragged" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bacon%27s_Castle_Smokehouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:right;"><img alt="External building at Bacon's Castle" border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="400" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cd/Bacon%27s_Castle_Smokehouse.jpg/300px-Bacon%27s_Castle_Smokehouse.jpg" style="border: none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">External building at Bacon's Castle (Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bacon%27s_Castle_Smokehouse.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr>
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Ghost stories seemed to permeate the conversation but it became obvious
that the local African American community rarely interacted with Bacon’s
Castle. Hearing the testimonials of why
they all chose to spend the night in the slave cabin at Bacon’s Castle was
verification to me of why the Slave Dwelling Project was necessary. Of all those testimonies, none meant more to
me than the fact that I was sharing the experience with the Anderson sister
whose great-great grandmother was enslaved at Bacon’s Castle.<o:p></o:p></div>
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After moving the group to the cabin, we all claimed our spot
on the floor where we would place our sleeping bags to bed down for the
night. On the porch of the cabin, a live
video streaming and live chat were attempted.
The chat was successful the video streaming failed. Time was then allowed for Toni Battle to
conduct smudging which is blessing the space inside the cabin before we all
moved outside again to form a circle for the pouring of libation as we were all
reminded that this occasion was about honoring the ancestors.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Cotton field talk</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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The following day was full of activities as demonstrations
and presentations were planned throughout.
Early that morning, before the audience began to arrive, one totally
unplanned event happened. Devon Berry,
Toni Battle, Prinny Anderson and me, all members of Coming to the Table, found ourselves at the cotton field bordering
Bacon’s Castle. Although cotton was not
the crop of which the enslaved at Bacon’s Castle labored, it was comforting
that me and Devon, the descendants of slaves; Toni Battle, the descendant of
slaves and whose ancestors were the subjects of lynching; and Prinny Anderson a
descendant of Thomas Jefferson could all gather in a cotton field on a
plantation to talk about the subject of slavery and the healing process. </div>
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It was even more comforting that on our way
back from that visit to the cotton field, we encountered one of the Anderson
sisters whose ancestor was once enslaved at Bacon’s Castle. We learned from Mrs. Anderson that because of
her opportunity to spend a night in the cabin, more opportunities for
interacting with Bacon’s Castle now exist, more specifically, her becoming a volunteer
tour guide and discussing with the rest of the family the possibility of having
a family reunion on the property.
Personally that alone would be mission accomplished for the Slave
Dwelling Project but there was more to come.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Period cooking</b></div>
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The most noted presenter of the day was Harold Caldwell an employee
of Colonial Williamsburg who demonstrated period cooking. It was a pleasure to observe him as he
interacted with his audience. His method
of engaging them at every opportunity was inspiring to me. Sampling his creations was an added
bonus. When I told him about my one
experience of cooking beef stew in a slave cabin and the critique I got about
slaves not having access to beef, he made me aware that it really depended on
the plantation owner and that there are accounts of some masters issuing their
slave beef or other meat products. The
overall experience with Mr. Caldwell has certainly opened my mind to similar
programs at other slave dwellings in the future.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>The hat</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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It was a pleasure for me to interact with the people who
came out to partake in the activities planned for the day. I had three occasions to address the visitors
about the Slave Dwelling Project. I used
the occasion to yield some time to some of the other people who shared the
experience the prior night and to Jennifer to speak specifically about the
history of the cabin and slavery at Bacon’s Castle. During the question and answer period after
the second presentation. I got the
question, “Can you tell my mom about the hat?” </div>
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<br /></div>
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Initially the question was confusing to me because I was not wearing a
hat at the time but then Jennifer immediately came to the rescue. Earlier that morning, I asked Jennifer if it
was necessary that I wear the Civil War uniform, she replied that it was
totally up to me, I chose not to. After
hearing the question, Jennifer reminded me that the young student asking the
question was a part of the school presentation the previous day and he
remembered the hat that I wore with the Civil War uniform. His question was great on many fronts:
methods of living history work, i.e. wearing period uniforms; the young man was
successful in convincing his mother to bring him to the event; and Jennifer
Hurst was right in insisting that I bring the Civil War uniform.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img zemanta-action-dragged" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bacons_Castle_2006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:right;"><img alt="Bacon's Castle was occupied by Bacon's followe..." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="266" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a8/Bacons_Castle_2006.jpg/300px-Bacons_Castle_2006.jpg" style="border: none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">Bacon's Castle was occupied by Bacon's followers during the rebellion (Photo credit: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bacons_Castle_2006.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The Bacon’s Castle experience alone would put Virginia in
the category of most exciting and engaging state for the Slave Dwelling Project
thus far but before I left Virginia there was one more stay to be done. Next blog: Sweet Briar College, Sweet Briar,
Virginia.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.dailypress.com/news/isle-of-wight-county/dp-nws-slave-dwelling-project-20121008,0,6496097.story">http://www.dailypress.com/news/isle-of-wight-county/dp-nws-slave-dwelling-project-20121008,0,6496097.story</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/?px" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=dc9a52d2-20cc-4113-9eb6-3186eb230ae3" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-827955972335892819.post-4590635732844818462012-06-24T15:16:00.000-07:002012-06-25T10:02:39.415-07:00Every moment, a teaching moment, with Tony Burroughs<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div>
<br /></div>
For those of you who have not heard, the <a href="http://scgen.org/">40th SCGS Annual Summer Workshop</a> will be held July 13-14 at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History in Columbia, SC. This is an event you will want to be sure to attend! So <a href="http://scgen.org/2012%20Registration-Form.pdf">register</a> today!<br />
<div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4jiCgs8ka5A/T-c7UIG58rI/AAAAAAAACRI/U0t6w4cJl0E/s1600/Tony+speaking+at+Black+Summit+sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4jiCgs8ka5A/T-c7UIG58rI/AAAAAAAACRI/U0t6w4cJl0E/s320/Tony+speaking+at+Black+Summit+sm.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tony speaking at Black Summit</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white;">One of the presenters will be <a href="http://www.tonyburroughs.com/TonyBurroughs/Welcome.html">Tony Burroughs</a>, a professional genealogist, author, and lecturer.</span><i style="background-color: white;"> </i><span style="background-color: white;"> There has been no time where I have attended one of his presentations and not come away with new insights into my own research. </span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<b>Tony's lectures and descriptions</b></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white;">His integration of history and personal experience breathes life into research and is quite encouraging for those just starting. </span><span style="background-color: white;">Tony kindly shared the titles and descriptions of his lectures for the upcoming July workshop:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0_r8Kgh8_pg/T2s7Ka1AeiI/AAAAAAAABxA/ZRaiay4mdsg/s640/May+2011+175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0_r8Kgh8_pg/T2s7Ka1AeiI/AAAAAAAABxA/ZRaiay4mdsg/s320/May+2011+175.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SCDAH, Photo by Robin Foster</td></tr>
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></b></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Using the iPhone and iPad for Genealogy</b></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">iPads and iPhones are the hottest gadgets around. Genealogists are using them in dozens of ways to do genealogy anywhere and everywhere in unique ways. With 500,000 apps and growing, this talk may change your phone service.</span><br />
<br />
<b style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Southern Blacks in New England Records</b><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Since northerners assisted Blacks during and following the Civil War, many records are found in New England where the Yankees lived. Learn this hidden treasure trove of sources.</span><br />
<br />
<b style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Anatomy of a Pension file</b><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">What are the hidden messages of government abbreviations, notations and bureaucracy in pension files? Understanding the documents, the pension process, and processing the information will squeeze the most out of a military pension file.</span><br />
<b style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />Creating Order Out of Chaos</b><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Have you searched in every courthouse, every library, and every archives and still haven't solved your riddle? One of the keys to success in genealogy is doing more with what you have. Sometimes the pieces are there, we just need to look at them in different ways. Reorganizing and analyzing may solve your riddle.</span></div>
<div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Words of wisdom from Tony Burroughs</span></b></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white;">Tony</span><span style="background-color: white;"> graciously answered three questions which I knew would illustrate his love of genealogy, history, and community:</span></div>
<div>
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Why is it important
for parents and grandparents to share their oral history?</b></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b>Tony: </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Parents and
grandparents sharing their history:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">educates the family</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">leaves a foundation for
their children and grandchildren to build upon</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">adds to the legacy of the
family</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">If stories of parents and grandparents are not told descendants will be
left pondering the questions:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">How did we get here? </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Where did
our family come from?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">What is our family about?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><i>"The stories
parents and grandparents have in their head are not on the internet, found in a
library, or found in the courthouse. If they don't tell their stories, they take the stories with them to the grave to be buried forever. How many questions do you
have for your great-great-grandparents that may never be answered? Telling their stories are important for
family history and community history. Unfortunately, all too often we only have
the letters, diaries, interviews and autobiographies of wealthy people who lived in
the community. This leaves a very biased view of community history. And while
things are constantly changing, it is important to know the past in order
understand the present, and plan for the future."</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b>What project that you were involved with in
the community had the most impact on you, and why?</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b>Tony: </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><i>"I could name several community projects that
had great impacts on me. Probably the first was being a 7th grade sit-in student
to integrate Chicago Public Schools. My mom was an organizer and at a young age
I learned the power of community organizing, civil disobedience, non-violent
protest, sacrifice and the power of the people. I also learned about
institutional racism and the power of the press. This early experience probably
set the stage for me wanting to help other people."<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><i>"Another community
project that had a great impact on me was becoming vice-president and then
president of our local, Afro-American Genealogical and Historical Society of Chicago. I was able to
use my organizing and management skills to grow the membership and finances of
the organization and raise its public profile locally and nationally. In giving
back to the genealogy community, it in turn opened new doors for me to the
national stage of genealogy. That was not part of the plan."</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>What
historical event in the life of an ancestor had the most impact on you, and how
so? <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Tony:</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>"Learning
my paternal grandfather, Attorney Asa Morris Burroughs, became president of the Cook County Bar Association in 1928 is
one of the historical events that had a great impact on me. I thought
Granddad was an average lawyer. We lived in the same apartment building when I was growing up, and my
father never mentioned any of Granddad's accomplishments. Once I learned he rose to
the height of his profession it gave a huge since of pride in my family
history. It taught me that even though you live with someone doesn't mean you
know them. It also taught me that researching recent ancestors is just as
important as researching ancestors many generations in the past. I continued to
research Granddad and developed an even greater respect for him when I
discovered he dropped out of law school and dropped out of high school. His
father died when Granddad was ten years old, and when his mother became ill, Granddad dropped out of
high school to take care of her. He landed a job as a messenger boy in a law
office and worked his way up to being a lawyer. Those are big shoes to fill."</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><i>_______________________________________________________________________________________</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From Robin Foster</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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I attribute much of my own success and love of oral history and research to the class I took years ago at Chicago State University where Tony was the instructor. Because I applied the principles he taught with regards to conducting oral history interviews, I have recorded, extracted, preserved, and researched interviews of loved ones who now are long gone. Those interviews still are guiding me to historical documentation. In that day, I also interviewed my father-in-law. He gave me names of loved ones generations past. I am the only person with that information, and I am still discovering people from that interview (Just last night, I found the marriage of <a href="https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VZVK-9SK">Jacob McClure</a>) My daughter has the advantage of knowing her history on her maternal and paternal side. Over the years, Tony has constantly encouraged African Americans to be hopeful about finding documentation and has mapped the process, and I am especially grateful for his revelations about us documenting marriages prior to 1865. I am actually making those discoveries now. So thank you, Tony!
</div>
</div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-827955972335892819.post-13375523233333876662012-06-23T12:19:00.000-07:002012-06-23T12:19:07.989-07:00McGill overnights at historic Heyward-Washington<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>How I wish I could have been even a fly on the wall at this overnight to listen to the exchange between Paul Garbarini, Terry James, and Joseph McGill, Jr. Thank you for working to tell the rest of the story!</i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
<i>Robin Foster</i><br />
<i>About Our Freedom</i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dqfi2aFKP8A/T-Xm5_avXqI/AAAAAAAACQk/g-pgaW7czyY/s1600/House.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="454" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dqfi2aFKP8A/T-Xm5_avXqI/AAAAAAAACQk/g-pgaW7czyY/s640/House.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heyward-Washington House<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Heyward-Washington
House Blog</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<b>By Joseph McGill, Jr. | Field Officer | Charleston Field Office<u></u><u></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Trust_for_Historic_Preservation" rel="wikipedia" style="color: #276286; outline: none;" target="_blank" title="National Trust for Historic Preservation">National Trust for Historic Preservation</a> | <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=32.7913888889,-79.935&spn=0.01,0.01&q=32.7913888889,-79.935%20(Gov.%20William%20Aiken%20House)&t=h" rel="geolocation" style="color: #276286; outline: none;" target="_blank" title="Gov. William Aiken House">William Aiken House</a> <span style="font-size: 14pt;">l</span> 456 King Street, 3rd Floor, Charleston, South Carolina 29403 |Phone: <a href="tel:843-722-8552" style="color: #1155cc; outline: none;" target="_blank" value="+18437228552">843-722-8552</a> | Fax: <a href="tel:843-722-8652" style="color: #1155cc; outline: none;" target="_blank" value="+18437228652">843-722-8652</a> | <u><a href="mailto:joseph_mcgill@nthp.org" style="color: #1155cc; outline: none;" target="_blank">joseph_mcgill@nthp.org</a></u>| <a href="http://www.preservationnation.org/" style="color: #1155cc; outline: none;" target="_blank">www.PreservationNation.org</a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>"I can only say
that there is not a man living who wishes more sincerely than I do to see a
plan adopted for the abolition of slavery."</i><br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;"> <a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/g/georgewash393365.html">George Washington</a></span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">No
stranger to tourists, arguably the Heyward Washington House is the most
historically significant stay to date for the Slave Dwelling Project. If one can overcome its biggest obstacle,
that is, finding a parking space close by, they could easily be amazed by all
the site has to offer. Its website, <a href="http://www.charlestonmuseum.org/heyward-washington-house">Heyward-Washington House</a></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> states the
following:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><i>“Located
in the downtown Historic District, within the area of the original walled city,
this brick double house was built in 1772 by rice planter Daniel Heyward as a
town-house for his son, Thomas Heyward, Jr.
The City rented it for George Washington's use during the President's
week-long Charleston stay, in May 1791, and it has traditionally been called
the "Heyward-Washington House."</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><i>Thomas Heyward, Jr. (1746-1809) was a patriot
leader, signer of the Declaration of Independence, and artillery officer with
the South Carolina militia during the American Revolution. Captured when the
British took Charleston in 1780, he was exiled to St. Augustine, Florida, but
was exchanged in 1781. Heyward sold the house in 1794. It was acquired by the
Museum in 1929, opened the following year as Charleston's first historic house
museum, and was recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1978. <o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Here you will experience a magnificent
collection of Charleston-made furniture including the priceless Holmes
Bookcase, considered to be the finest example of American-made furniture. Other
buildings on the site include the carriage shed, with an 18th-century well just
beneath, and the kitchen building (the only preserved kitchen of its time open
to the public in Charleston), which was constructed in the 1740s. The exquisite
formal garden features plants familiar to Charlestonians in the late 18th
century, and the picturesque surrounding neighborhood was used by </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DuBose_Heyward" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">Dubose
Heyward</span></a><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> as the setting for </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porgy_and_Bess" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">Porgy and
Bess</span></a></i><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><i>.”</i><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><b>The rest of the story</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">It
is those other buildings mentioned on the website that gives the Slave Dwelling
Project its purpose that is to tell the rest of the story. Of those other buildings, the kitchen is
where I along with Terry James and Paul Garbarini would spend the night on
Friday, June 15, 2012 but more about that later. Who made the bricks to build the Heyward-Washington
House and other houses in the city of Charleston prior to the emancipation of
slaves? Who physically built the houses? Who serviced the houses? It is questions like those that inspire me to
carry on with this project. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Thirty-five stays in eleven states has allowed the Slave Dwelling Project to become more
refined. I now insist on conducting at
least one public program to accompany each overnight stay. This works well for properties that are open to
public visitation on a daily basis. It
has also proven successful at some properties that are privately owned however,
that choice will continue to be at the discretion of the property owner. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qn3Ov6rx2dQ/T-XlyGJATDI/AAAAAAAACQc/fDOtlv4EaF0/s1600/heyward+washington+house+010+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qn3Ov6rx2dQ/T-XlyGJATDI/AAAAAAAACQc/fDOtlv4EaF0/s400/heyward+washington+house+010+(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joseph McGill, Jr.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><b>The Slave Dwelling Project at the Heyward-Washington House</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The
Heyward-Washington House presented a great opportunity to conduct a public
program before the stay. This stay was
also an opportunity for the Slave Dwelling Project to further enhance its
collaboration with the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor. The publicity leading up to the event
generated a respectable diverse audience of project followers, neighbors and
new comers who in my opinion, made the question and answer period more
interesting than the lecture itself. The
weather cooperated to provide the best open air class room for the
project. The audience seated
comfortably, the “big house”, the kitchen, all the other buildings, and I were all situated within fifteen feet of each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><b>Overnight</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The
space where we would sleep was adorned with many of the items that may have
been found in a functioning kitchen of that period. We did not have access to the second level of
the structure but it was historically used for sleeping space. Like many stays before, the invitation was
open to anyone wanting to share the experience with me. That night, I would be joined by “Old
Reliable” Terry James and Paul Garbarini.
This would be Terry’s 11<sup>th</sup> stay and of course Paul’s first. Terry did not get here until very late into
the night so it gave Paul and me ample time for quality chat. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Some subjects of note were:</span></div>
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</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">the tourism
industry in Charleston</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">the freedman’s tag recently found on a plantation in
the Charleston area </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">my interaction with the group Coming To The Table</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">and
many more matters of interest.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Terry’s
arrival enhanced the opportunity to broaden the conversation.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It was not long before the three of us were
asleep in the tranquil environment, Terry again sleeping in the slave shackles.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RCKghcz9c8Q/T-Xsw3JEzbI/AAAAAAAACQw/r646lnMwNAA/s1600/Terry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RCKghcz9c8Q/T-Xsw3JEzbI/AAAAAAAACQw/r646lnMwNAA/s640/Terry.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paul Garbarini and Terry James</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The
following morning was met with haste.
Paul’s invitation for the three of us to have coffee at a nearby
establishment had to be declined because of a prior commitment that Terry and I
made. We had to be in Cheraw, SC by
11:00 am to participate in a Civil War encampment at the Southern African
American Heritage Center a trip that would take three hours. With that in mind, Terry’s usual routine of
meticulously taking pictures had to be hastened. To the best of our abilities, we left the
site just as we found it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xthXQfhbQgk/T-XuZDCoMAI/AAAAAAAACQ4/laVRP8jzjaw/s1600/Heyward.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xthXQfhbQgk/T-XuZDCoMAI/AAAAAAAACQ4/laVRP8jzjaw/s640/Heyward.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slave dwelling at Heyward-Washington House</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><b>Reflections</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">It
was my desire to interact with descendants of those who were enslaved at the
Heyward-Washington House. With the
challenges that exist for conducting African American genealogical research, I
should not have been surprised when I found none. I am often encouraged by followers of the
Slave Dwelling Project to connect the places that I stay to people who were
enslaved there. Despite not finding any
descendants of the enslaved, I was encouraged by an email that I got a few days
prior to the Heyward-Washington House stay.
The sender of the email reminded me that we both met at the national
gathering of the group Coming To The Table and regretted that they could not be
joining me for the stay as they had wished.
They further reminded me that they were a descendant of one of the slave
owners of the Heyward-Washington House. Moreover, this person was more than willing to share additional information but I will
let them be more forthcoming with that information in a manner with which they are
comfortable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The
Heyward-Washington was no Mount Vernon, but George Washington did sleep
there. I did not find any descendents of
those who were enslaved at the Heyward-Washington House but I did find a
descendant of the enslaver. I also got
to further my research into urban slavery.
It is my hope that other opportunities like this are presented in the
future.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>"It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the
Bible."</i><br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;"><a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/g/georgewash383981.html">George Washington</a></span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> </span></div>
<br />
<b>The Slave Dwelling Project</b><br />By Paul Garbarini
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SXg2iuOxEmg/T-XjpvW-rJI/AAAAAAAACQU/FY8gREFRHbY/s1600/Paul+Garbarini.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SXg2iuOxEmg/T-XjpvW-rJI/AAAAAAAACQU/FY8gREFRHbY/s640/Paul+Garbarini.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paul Garbarini</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="Body" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">6/15/12 </span></div>
<div class="Body" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Thank you, Joe, for creating the Slave
Dwelling Project. The importance of your
work was obvious to me the first time I heard of it. The slave dwellings in danger of neglect and
loss need you, need all of us, to keep the memory of who lived there alive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">While
this home to enslaved people is not in danger of loss, the clarity of Charleston’s slave dwellings
is sometimes muddied by calling them by other names. Out buildings. Servant’s quarters. Carriage house. Dependencies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Servant
quarters is not necessarily wrong. Some
indentured servants almost certainly slept away from the main house. Carriage houses also housed the enslaved
grooms and drivers charged with the care of the tack and horses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">My
favorite is “dependencies.” Who was
dependent on whom?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">In
Charleston, from 1800-1850, the majority of the population was enslaved. Slave dwellings were everywhere. A few blocks away from here, according to the
1861 Charleston census, #33 Church St was inhabited by slaves and free blacks.
#35 Church the same. In # 59, slaves
lived there by themselves. #75, the
same. I still need to confirm the
houses and addresses because numbering changed, but the relative distance from here is the same. I do know that #20 Church was owned by
tinsmith Robert Forbes and housed all but one one of his slaves. The one slave
was William and he lived with Forbes at #12 Tradd just around the corner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">I
am a tour guide. I’ve studied and
researched historic properties. Any house in Charleston which was here before
1865 could have been a slave dwelling at one time or another. It was probably built in part with slave
labor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">The
Akan people of Ghana use the Adinkra symbol of Sankofa. It means, “go back and get it.” or "It is not wrong to go back for that
which you have forgotten.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Why
am I here? For clarity. I’m here for clarity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">After
our overnight stay, I was compelled to
find out who really lived there and maybe track their descendants. Melanie Wilson, of the Charleston Museum,
clarified the address and the name of one of the owners. A widow, Margaret
Munroe, owned the property in the mid-1800’s.
She died in 1847. Her estate
carried on and ran it as a boarding house.
In the 1861 Charleston Census, the occupants were listed as
“slaves.” It was a common practice at
the time for slave holders to rent property in the city for those slaves who
were “hired out.” The owners would
profit from the labor of skilled craftsmen and women and pay them a very small
amount for their efforts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">In
1847, at Mrs. Munroe’s death, some of her property was sold including the
following people. Say their names out
loud:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Peter Mathias Henry<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Louisa Martha Margaret<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Eve Clarissa Daniel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Clarence Alfred Sarah
and two children<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-827955972335892819.post-13121732673149357882012-06-10T23:03:00.004-07:002012-06-10T23:10:01.239-07:00Willis Augustus Hodges (1815-1890), A free man of color<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The quest for freedom began much earlier than many of us realize. Stories of great men and women are often absent from the annals of history. In the March 28th issue of <i><a href="http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4oknAAAAIBAJ&sjid=bgQGAAAAIBAJ&pg=6081%2C854645">The Freedman</a></i>, a Indianapolis paper where his autobiography was published nearly six years after his death, Willis Augustus Hodges was referred to as "one of freedom's pioneers." He was born free, but he worked his entire life an an abolitionist and then a leader during the days of Reconstruction. He was one of 12 children, and his family overcame many setbacks due to prejudice and unfair practices among slaveholders. This is the beginning of a series on the Hodges family. See <a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/whether-free-or-slave-one-man-of-sorrow?cid=db_articles">Whether free or slave, “one man of sorrow”</a><br />
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Source: <a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/whether-free-or-slave-one-man-of-sorrow" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;">examiner.com</a> via <a href="http://pinterest.com/savingstories/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Robin</a> on <a href="http://pinterest.com/" style="color: #76838b; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></div>
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<br> Willis Augustus Hodges (1815-1890) Photo credit: New York Public Library http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/id?1153923
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-827955972335892819.post-4601030481821832542012-05-14T06:56:00.000-07:002012-05-14T06:56:38.087-07:00"It's Living History" in Nacoochee Valley<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>Thank you, Caroline! This is a moving piece that brings great hope for what the future will hold as we think about bringing attention to slave dwellings and their first occupants. It is great to see descendants take part. We appreciate you sharing the history of Nacoochee Valley as well as the impact of The Slave Dwelling Project experience at the </i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">African American Heritage Site at the </span><st1:place style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Sautee</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Nacoochee</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Center</st1:placetype></st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">. </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> We published <a href="http://www.aboutourfreedom.com/2012/05/attention-to-slave-dwellings-by-any.html">Attention to Slave Dwellings: "By any means necessary,"</a> by Joseph McGill, Jr, for those who may have missed it. </i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>Robin Foster</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>About Our Freedom</i></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b>"It's Living History" in Nacoochee Valley</b></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Submitted by, Caroline
Crittenden, project coordinator</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WvCnodoGGKE/T7EKvQ84qDI/AAAAAAAACKk/UUM5uQnRYFE/s1600/Billy+Chism+White+County+News+1st+pic+Andy+&+Stacey+Allen+w+cc.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WvCnodoGGKE/T7EKvQ84qDI/AAAAAAAACKk/UUM5uQnRYFE/s640/Billy+Chism+White+County+News+1st+pic+Andy+&+Stacey+Allen+w+cc.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #504d4d; font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 20px;">Andy Allen (left), Caroline Crittenden (center), Stacy Allen (right). Photo credit: Billy Chism, White County New</span><span style="background-color: white;">s</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">In
1822, slaves came to <st1:placename w:st="on">Nacoochee</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Valley</st1:placetype> in <st1:place w:st="on">Northeast Georgia</st1:place>
against their will with the early white settlers to clear and cultivate the
land in corn fields, gold mines and mills of wealthy white landowners. There
were 462,198 slaves in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Georgia</st1:place></st1:country-region>
in 1860 according to the federal census. In that same year, 263 black people in
bondage were reported in White County. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="style31"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"We
were worked in all weathers,”</span></i></span><span class="style31"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> wrote
Frederick Douglass<i>. “It was never too hot
or too cold; it could never rain, blow, hail, or snow, too hard for us to work
in the field. Work, work, work, was scarcely more the order of the day than of
the night. The longest days were too short for him, and the shortest nights too
long for him.”</i></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">One
hundred and fifty years after emancipation, the descendants of a slave owner in
<st1:placename w:st="on">Nacoochee</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Valley</st1:placetype>
preserved slave dwelling, an antebellum artifact, and the impact of a “peculiar
institution” on <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Nacoochee</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Valley</st1:placetype></st1:place> during that dark
moment in our nation’s history. Descendants of slaves, who still live in the
Bean Creek community nearby, also wanted this cabin preserved as a <i>“memorial and sacred space”</i> where their
stories and cultural traditions would be interpreted from the African
American perspective. According to the blind matriarch in Bean Creek, <i>“If we don’t keep this history alive and
preserve what’s left, our children and grandchildren will never know the
history and hardships of our ancestors.”</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">And
so it was, on April 27 at the African American Heritage Site at the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Sautee</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Nacoochee</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Center</st1:placetype></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">A
re-enactment about runaway slaves who became black Union soldiers and a
presentation about the Slave Dwelling Project in front of the Nacoochee slave
cabin was the kind of program envisioned by those who have been so deeply
involved in this preservation project. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Collaborators
from Bean Creek were enthralled by the re-enactment and reassured that
this project is guided by a determination to honor this unique heritage, a shared
legacy of slavery, and a desire to strengthen the ties that bind. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Proud
to play his part, Bean Creek resident Lawrence Dorsey participated for the first
time as a re-enactor, a silent back drop for Joseph McGill’s program. Lighting
lanterns and tending the fire, <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lawrence</st1:place></st1:city>
was a freedman wearing a hand-stitched block shirt made from 1850 fabric. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">As
the sun set behind the cabin and dusk descended, the lanterns hanging from tree
branches drew our attention toward the black soldiers dressed in the uniforms
of the <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Massachusetts</st1:place></st1:state>
54<sup>th</sup> Regiment Volunteer Infantry. The audience was transported to
the nineteenth century by figures assembled in front of the rustic cabin with authentic
military uniforms, guns and equipment used during the fight for freedom. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Echoes
of <i>“Am I Not a Man”</i> were words once uttered
by Frederick Douglass during the War, <i>“If
anyone asks if a slave would fight, tell him no. If anyone asks if a Negro
would fight, tell him yes.”</i> Recounting the assault on <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Morris</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Island</st1:placename></st1:place>
and the battle at Battery Wagner, Joseph McGill told of the terrible loss of
life suffered by the 54<sup>th</sup>, which ultimately proved that former
slaves serving as black soldiers would fight ferociously for freedom. More the
200, 000 black soldiers fought on the battle fields of freedom because the 54<sup>th</sup>
did not falter from fear or fatigue. <i>“Tell
them we did not fight with our backs to the enemy. We died facing forward!”</i>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">When
re-enactor James Brown began his harrowing account as a runaway slave,
recaptured and tortured and undaunted, he captured the crowd’s attention with
the BOOM of a black powder rifle, like those used by black soldiers in blue. <i>“Before I be a slave, I be buried in my
grave,”</i> he wailed. The re-enactors’ performance of story telling and the
Slave Dwelling program was compelling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Questions
during the “talk-back” (Q&A) session ranged from the Slave Dwelling
Project, to paraphernalia worn by soldiers during the Civil War, to the
suffering of people in bondage, to other slave dwellings in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Georgia</st1:country-region></st1:place>. When the program ended,
the audience toured the cabin by the light of a fire and lanterns to examine
the furnishings, to read the “interpretive laundry” and talk to the Joseph
McGill and James Brown before night fell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The
highlight of the evening for me was being with a small group who gathered
with Joseph and James in the cabin long after the audience was gone. I
was grateful for the time and attention they devoted to Bean Creek
residents Sabrina Dorsey and Stacey Allen as they shared their personal
experiences with overt and latent racism, with discrimination as children and
as adults. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">McGill’s
presence and his performance provided an opportunity for Sabrina to uncork
bottled up feelings in the intimate setting and safety of the cabin with Joe
and James and Stacey that night. Another companion, Sabina’s contemporary and
classmate, shared her "ah haaah" moments, when her social consciousness
was awakened, as a young white college student, by dramatic scenes of police
brutality and instances of social injustice during the Civil Rights era. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Andy
Allen was pleased that her son Stacey shared the experience and spent the night
with Joe and James. As a close personal friend, I was moved by the way Stacey “took”
to Mr. McGill and Mr. Brown, like a child watching in wonder, soaking up wisdom
and oral history, sitting on the knees of his elders. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Stacey embraced
his junior status role and nickname "Youngblood" as he sat
quietly rocking by the flickering fire, poking embers, nursing his pipe,
listening intently to Joe and James, absorbing the "awesome"
experience, and sipping some “Oh, Be Joyful” (Brown’s brandy). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Stacey
settled in for the evening as though that cabin were his home. For
all intents and purposes, it could be his ancestral home, and it will
be there for his grandchildren. Indeed, it may have been the same or a
similar dwelling for one or more of his ancestors who lived in bondage.
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">I
quietly savored every moment, every expression, but sensed that Joe and
James might like to pursue their conversation in private with those
young impressionable people. It was a magical
evening, and I was privileged to have been a part of it. Framed
by an open door, the soft glow of lanterns created silhouettes
of the black figures gathered within the cabin as I drove away into the dark
night at midnight. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The
dim light spilling from the doorway of the dark slave dwelling was like an antebellum
image in a time warp, like an aged sepia print or a tin type snapshot of a
moment that symbolized the culmination of a quest to save this cabin and include
the history of black people in the story of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Nacoochee</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Valley</st1:placetype></st1:place>.
Thirteen years of fundraising and preservation work was triggered by a chance
encounter with a young black girl who visited the local history museum one day
when I happened to stop by to buy a book about the area’s environmental and
historic resources.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">This
little local museum highlighted the history of Native Americans and early white
settlers who migrated to the Sautee and Nacoochee valleys. After perusing the
artifacts and reading the text, an inquisitive black student commented that
there were no exhibits about African Americans on display. <i>“There’s nothing here that speak to me or tells the story of my people.”
</i>Her critique was concise and absolutely correct. When asked what she would
like to see, she replied,<i> “I want to know
about slavery and the contributions of black people to our community.”</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">This
young girl’s observation about the omission of black people from the history of
the Valley launched a project that focused on the history of black people in
Bean Creek and eventually wove the threads of history of Native, European and
African Americans into the textured fabric that tells a more complete story
about this little corner of <st1:place w:st="on">Northeast Georgia</st1:place>.
A casual comment created a unique collaboration between the descendants of
slaves and slave owners. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">An
immeasurably valuable but vulnerable antebellum artifact was saved when a
dilapidated and deteriorating slave dwelling was discovered, donated, and
restored by the descendants of the slave owner and slaves preserving a shared
legacy of slavery. Together, we preserved this antebellum dwelling and
establish an African American Heritage Site for the inclusion of the black
experience in the history of the Valley. According to Andy Allen, who
desegregated school buses in White County, Georgia, 35 years after Brown vs.
Board of Education, <i>“It’s not about you;
it not about me. It’s about preserving our history and historic sites for
future generations.”</i> We wanted to reveal the history and inhumanity of
slavery and confront the lingering legacy of racial injustice endured by black
people. We wanted to tell the truth about our history, celebrate the
contributions of African Americans, and strengthen bonds between black and
white residents in our community. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">On
his quest with the Slave Dwelling Project, Joseph McGill travels from one hard
planked bed to a rough sawn or swept dirt floor to another lumpy sleeping
pallet, never knowing if he’ll be sharing the night with others or the mattress
ticking with a bed of mice, bed bugs or something sinister. On the night of
April 27<sup>th</sup>, he slept in the relative comfort of a cabin once
occupied by the “house servants” of a slave master in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Georgia</st1:place></st1:country-region>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">In 1860, E.P. Williams owned of 18
slaves and 3</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> slave cabins. Built on a foundation of hand-hewn timbers and
framed with lumber bearing the tell-tale marks of a sash saw, the 16 x 28
“single pen” Nacoochee slave dwelling perched on stacked rock piers in plain
view of the Unicoi Turnpike for more than 150 years, the only slave cabin to
survive in the region. The conspicuous location and quality of the cabin’s
construction may have reflected the slave owner’s desire to display his
prosperity and his “benevolence” toward the black people enslaved and exploited
by him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Although
Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1<sup>st</sup>,
1863, it applied only to states occupied by Union forces, so it had little
effect on <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Georgia</st1:place></st1:country-region>
and other slave states. Records indicate that many black people remained
enslaved long after <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:place></st1:city>
signed the Proclamation. Many people in bondage heard about freedom long after
the Civil War ended on April 26<sup>th</sup>, 1865. News of freedom found its
way to Confederate states on different dates. Slavery and involuntary servitude
were not formally abolished until Congress ratified the 13<sup>th</sup>
Amendment to the Constitution in December of 1865. “<i>Neither slavery nor
involuntary servitude…shall exist within the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">United States</st1:country-region></st1:place>...” </i> A document discovered in an attic 150 years
later indicates that some bondsmen may have been freed in Nacoochee Valley on
July, 15<sup>th</sup>, 1865, if not before. The property owner signed a
sharecropper’s agreement, “<i><u>Acording to Militery orders</u>,” </i>and a former slave made his mark. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The Nacoochee slave cabin (circa 1850) survived, in large part,
because the property owners remodeled it as a cottage, long after emancipation,
for use by subsequent generations of white family members. It is a supporting
structure on the National Register of Historic Places. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Now fully restored
and framed by 19th century landscaping and antebellum
artifacts, this cabin provides a focal point for the story of a people whose
labor contributed in countless ways to life in the hills and valleys of <st1:place w:st="on">Northeast Georgia</st1:place>. The
impetus for restoring this cabin came from a sense of urgency shared by the
descendants of slaves and slave owners about preserving this vulnerable and
vanishing history. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">On a larger scale, Joseph McGill’s Slave Dwelling Project is
calling the nation’s attention to the plight and importance of preserving
antebellum structures that once sheltered thousands of enslaved black people. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Sabrina, Stacey, Andy,
Lawrence and other Bean Creek residents are full of praise for what Joe and
others are doing to raise awareness about this unique and largely untold story. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">To
see this cabin “occupied” once more during Joseph McGill’s sleepover was an
opportunity for reflection. Three direct descendants of enslaved people slept
in the Nacoochee cabin the night he came to the Valley. That image of dark
figures huddled around a rustic table and highlighted by flickering flames with
light and laughter spilling through an opened doorway onto the swept yard of
red <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Georgia</st1:place></st1:country-region>
clay will stay in my memory. It will inspire and motivate me and my Bean Creek
collaborators to present many more meaningful programs like the Slave
Dwelling Project.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">We
were extremely fortunate to have someone from the National Trust
for Historic Preservation visit our African American Heritage Site and
grateful that Joseph McGill included the Nacoochee slave cabin in his
Slave Dwelling Project. We are honored that McGill slept here, his
first slave dwelling in the state of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Georgia</st1:place></st1:country-region>. We are grateful he made it
such a rewarding experience. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Among
the 129 people who attended the event, we were pleased to have representatives
from the Georgia Department of Economic Development; University of Georgia/School
of Environmental Design & Historic Preservation; the African
American Programs Coordinator for the Georgia Department of Natural
Resources/Historic Preservation Division; Appalachian Studies Center; the director
of White County Community Planning & Economic Development;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">members
of the Sautee Nacoochee History Museum and the White County Historical Society,
as well as many others from near and far, black and white.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Caroline
Crittenden, project coordinator</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Below
are some comments about the program by people who were in the audience:</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Allen
Stovall:</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">
(our UGA landscape architect from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Athens</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">GA</st1:state></st1:place>) <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span style="color: blue;">[My wife and
I truly enjoyed last night's slave dwelling project and were happy to be
there. The audience seemed [highly attentive and inquisitive.] It was good
to see Bean Creek folks there. <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lawrence</st1:place></st1:city> is
a treasure. You have created an important missing piece of local history
through this project and it's encouraging to see how it's being presented and
the potential for networking with groups across the state and region.</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Candice
Dyer:</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">
(writer and contemporary of Stacey Allen and Sabrina Dorsey, commenting on the
intimate follow up conversation in the privacy of the cabin after the
program): <span style="color: blue;"><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>I had such a good time last
night -- staying up past midnight having an intense, honest, and illuminating
conversation with people who can teach me something about life. I don't get
that nearly enough. But it also dawned on me how important it was to Stacey to
spend the night there and that he and the other guys might want some space and
time to reflect while they were there, and that I might be distracting or
detracting from that -- unintentionally. I sincerely hope that wasn't the case.
Thank you again so much for cluing me in to this -- I hope you'll keep me in
your magical loop! </span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Anne
Hall: </span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">(former president of the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Sautee</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Nacoochee</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Center</st1:placetype></st1:place>)</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> <span style="color: blue;">Thank you for
the incredible program tonight. Joseph McGill and James Brown spoke with
conviction and passion and the skies cleared for a special evening. I
appreciate all your work and all others involved in making this happen in the
Valley.</span></span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Stacey Allen: </span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;">(descendant of slaves owned by the Williams family, Andy’s son)</span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">It<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>was awesome! The Slave Dwelling
Project has regional and national significance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Jim
Johnston:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> (cabin donor and
descendant of slave owner E.P. Williams)</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Well done.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Denise Hartzell: </span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">(former history teacher who said
she would crawl over broken glass to get Joseph McGill to come to her
class of young black students in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Atlanta</st1:place></st1:city>,
to talk about his project)</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">How I wish I'd been a fly on the wall of the cabin for the
late-night conversation! Those are the moments to be savored, and the
biggest reason, to treasure and protect the cabin, come what may... As
time goes on, it will be a place where descendants of slaves, slave owners and
folks from "off" (like me!) can gather to share experiences and
emotions, to promote mutual understanding and (hopefully) healing. Joe McGill's
evening got us off to a good start at that.</span><span style="color: blue;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">McGill is "still waters," meaning that he's a thinker...
We connected in conversation about the slaves who had to live in the attic in
the house in <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Connecticut</st1:place></st1:state>.
He seemed to understand that we had done our homework, and respected what he
was up to. We had a snippet of conversation about the slaves in that attic and
Anne Frank...it was going to get interesting, we got interrupted... That's
another reason I hate that I missed the late night chat. When I mentioned
listening to NPR on my commutes to and from <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Atlanta</st1:place></st1:city>, he was surprised and commented that
he didn't think that this "red state" was NPR territory. He
pronounced our little corner of the world "interesting."</span><span style="color: blue;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Ham Schwartz:</span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> (proprietor of the Stovall
House, where the DNR/HPD African American Programs Coordinator stayed.
According to documentation and the oral history of Valley residents, this
B&B was built by a pathologically brutal slave owner at the
opposite end of the treatment-of-slaves continuum from the slave cabin’s
original owner E.P. Williams.) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">"The event was excellent, outstanding, captivating!"</span><span style="color: blue;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Charles Aiken:</span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“The evening's event was
excellent in every way! Thought provoking, socially significant,
historically actuate. There was quite a crowd, and I was especially
pleased to see so many of the Bean Creek residents. The Nacoochee
cabin is a jewel, and you have guarded it and ensured that the
Heritage Site would be a treasure for the community of black and white.” </span><span style="color: blue;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Anne Prescott</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">(African
American from Douglasville): </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Thank you so much for making it
possible to share this often hidden history at the Heritage Site. The
impact slavery had on our society is still with us. What you're
doing is meaningful and so important. It was a wonderful evening.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Peggy Sikes:</span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Fantastic evening! The African
American Heritage Site provides amazing opportunities to educate children
and adults about the story of slavery and racial injustice glossed over in
history books.</span><span style="color: blue;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Tom O'Bryant:</span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> (Director of White County
Community Planning and Economic Development) </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">This story is so unique to
our area, and this project is so important for our community and our
understanding of the history of African Americans in <st1:place w:st="on">Northeast
Georgia</st1:place>. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Paul Brown:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> (who sang Civil War tunes and played
Spirituals on his banjo) </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">What a
wonderful event! I hope to help with any project coming up and mention me to
the Bean Creekers about getting up a spiritual singing group. It's great that
all your hard work for so many years is paying off so wonderfully!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Carolyn Hayes:</span></b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">(Sweetwater
Coffeehouse sponsor) </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The event
was absolutely incredible! I just love
what you’re doing for our community. The re-enactment transported me back to my
childhood and to the stories told by the black tenement family that lived on
our farm. We lived side by side; we loved each other and shared all that we
had. I practically grew up in that cabin
right along side their children. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Linda Hill Jordan:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> (Sautee
Nacoochee History Museum) </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">As an
older, white southern lady, I found it gratifying that these young black men
are courageous enough to tell these stories – even some of the harsh stories –
in a setting that has been salvaged through joint efforts of descendants of
slaves and descendants of slave owners; all with no expenditure of SNCA funds.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Andy Allen: </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">(friend and collaborator on
this preservation project, <strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">direct descendant of slaves owned
by the Williams family</span></strong>)</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> It was great! Truly wonderful!
It’s what we wanted. I just wish
more young people could see this history.
It’s living history.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-827955972335892819.post-24231061225027928172012-05-13T06:33:00.000-07:002012-05-14T06:59:55.781-07:00Attention to Slave Dwellings: "By any means necessary"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>I love the fact that Joseph McGill, Jr is dedicated to bringing attention to the edifices where our ancestors dwelt. He is using every means necessary, and the word is spreading like fire across social media. His efforts will continue to bring great resources to the descendants of former slaves who are seeking to document the lives of their ancestors. I am glad to see this historical work accepted as art....for it is! Thank you for you submission, Stacey. This was a great experience to share with your family! Be sure that you also read the very powerful submission by Caroline Crittenden: <a href="http://www.aboutourfreedom.com/2012/05/its-living-history-in-nacoochee-valley.html">"It's Living History" in Nacoochee Valley.</a></i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
<i>Robin Foster</i><br />
<i>About Our Freedom</i><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
<b>Attention to Slave Dwellings: "By any means necessary"</b><br />
<br />
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<b>By Joseph McGill, Jr. | Field Officer | Charleston Field Office<u></u><u></u></b></div>
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<a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Trust_for_Historic_Preservation" rel="wikipedia" style="color: #276286; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" target="_blank" title="National Trust for Historic Preservation">National Trust for Historic Preservation</a> | <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=32.7913888889,-79.935&spn=0.01,0.01&q=32.7913888889,-79.935%20(Gov.%20William%20Aiken%20House)&t=h" rel="geolocation" style="color: #276286; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" target="_blank" title="Gov. William Aiken House">William Aiken House</a> <span style="font-size: 14pt;">l</span> 456 King Street, 3rd Floor, Charleston, South Carolina 29403 |<u></u><u></u></div>
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Phone: <a href="tel:843-722-8552" style="color: #1155cc; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" target="_blank" value="+18437228552">843-722-8552</a> | Fax: <a href="tel:843-722-8652" style="color: #1155cc; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" target="_blank" value="+18437228652">843-722-8652</a> | <u><a href="mailto:joseph_mcgill@nthp.org" style="color: #1155cc; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" target="_blank">joseph_mcgill@nthp.org</a></u>| <a href="http://www.preservationnation.org/" style="color: #1155cc; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" target="_blank">www.PreservationNation.org</a></div>
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When the slave Dwelling Project was in its infancy, I got an
inquiry from Caroline Crittenden, project coordinator of the African American
Heritage Site at the Sautee Nacoochee Center in Sautee Nacoochee, GA. We set the date for the stay, but because the
project was not well established at the time of Caroline’s inquiry, she was
determined to do her home work to check its legitimacy. I found her method of checking that
legitimacy quite interesting. She
informed me that she would take a 5 hour trip to Charleston, SC to hear a
lecture that I was scheduled to give on the Slave Dwelling Project at the
Charleston, SC County Library. Sure
enough, she attended the lecture. I
imagine that I said everything that she needed to hear because the proposed
date for the stay stayed on the 2012 schedule.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7IuvQ5iVgU8/T6-tidgN0TI/AAAAAAAACJo/ofJIaiOAQDU/s1600/sautee+nachoochee+007+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7IuvQ5iVgU8/T6-tidgN0TI/AAAAAAAACJo/ofJIaiOAQDU/s640/sautee+nachoochee+007+(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
Jeanne Cyriaque , African American Programs Coordinator
Historic Preservation Division of Georgia Department of Natural Resources, wrote
an article for <i>Reflections</i> which is the newsletter of the Georgia African
American Historic Preservation Network.
In that article she stated: “The cabin was once home to servants of the
Williams family. After emancipation, the
family maintained the cabin. The
original cabin is 16 by 28 feet with one room and two front doors, but the
Williams family added a bath, bedroom, dining room, kitchen and a front porch
for the family members. In the 1930s,
the granddaughter of E.P. Williams lived in the cabin. Over the years, the circa 1850s cabin began
to deteriorate. In 2002, Sautee
Nacoochee Community Association director Jim Johnston and his family agreed to
donate the slave cabin for preservation and a proposed heritage site with the
condition that it be moved to another location.” The cabin was moved to the current site of
the Sautee Nacoochee Center.<o:p></o:p><br />
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At some point from the initial commitment for me to spend
the night in the cabin, the program associated with that stay began to
develop. In keeping with the living
history programs that are constantly done at the Sautee Nacoochee Center, Caroline
requested that I develop a character that had escaped slavery and become a
soldier of the Union army. I have never
proclaimed myself to be a storyteller but I knew the person who could deliver. James Brown, a member of Company I, 54<sup>th</sup>
Massachusetts Reenactment Regiment had been telling that story quite
effectively for years. I convinced
Caroline that James Brown was indeed her man.
<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
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A few days prior to the stay, Stacey Allen left me a voice message
which stated he had invited himself to share the slave dwelling experience with
me. Several attempts to return Stacey’s
call only resulted in busy signals. Had
I reached Stacey the gist of my conversation would have been about my
willingness for him to stay with us in the cabin. I would have also talked about others who
said that they would stay but for some reason or another didn’t follow through.<o:p></o:p><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UyacCeSolZU/T6-uXFx4NPI/AAAAAAAACJw/kdCuSpeffgk/s1600/sautee+nachoochee+005+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UyacCeSolZU/T6-uXFx4NPI/AAAAAAAACJw/kdCuSpeffgk/s640/sautee+nachoochee+005+(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joseph McGill, Jr.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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I must admit that I was skeptical about going into the
mountains of Georgia. The movie, "Deliverance" would often come to mind. Ninety-eight percent of the people I talked to about Sautee Nacoochee, GA never heard
of it. I expected to see no other
African Americans there; so travelling with James Brown gave me comfort. The site being located in White County did
not help matters.<o:p></o:p><br />
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James and I arrived at the site in a deluge with thunder and
lightning to boot. When the rain
subsided, we made contact with Caroline and got our first look at the slave
cabin. Because of its use for
interpretation, it was in my opinion heavily adorned. I immediately claimed the bed. It rivaled the biggest slave cabin that I had
seen to date.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BxVrv2d4HvA/T6-wLxLnNBI/AAAAAAAACJ4/jc2k7hAQl0I/s1600/sautee+nachoochee+023+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BxVrv2d4HvA/T6-wLxLnNBI/AAAAAAAACJ4/jc2k7hAQl0I/s640/sautee+nachoochee+023+(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">James Brown</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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After we were joined by Jeanne Cyriaque at the site, we then
proceeded to a local restaurant for dinner.
There we were joined by two local reporters. When we got back to the site the audience was
already gathering for the 7:00 pm program that James Brown and I were scheduled
to give. I was surprised to see that
there was diversity in the Sautee Nacoochee area as indicated by the impressive
crowd of 100 plus that showed up for the program. Food was being served and the crowd was being
entertained by a singer/banjo player. Using the slave cabin as a back drop, the
audience was treated to a slave dwelling lecture by me with the climax of the presentation
being James Brown telling the story titled “How I Became A Soldier.” Needless to say the crowd was mesmerized by
the performance because James Brown delivered just as I knew he would. As a result, they were totally engaged during
the question and answer period as darkness descended upon us. It was during this time that I finally met
Stacey Allen, the gentleman who would be spending the night with us in the
cabin. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cjWrEhYQAQA/T6-xyll_1xI/AAAAAAAACKA/VHXSxA68coQ/s1600/sautee+nachoochee+021+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cjWrEhYQAQA/T6-xyll_1xI/AAAAAAAACKA/VHXSxA68coQ/s640/sautee+nachoochee+021+(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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After the crowd left, the three of us who were scheduled to
sleep in the cabin were joined by Candice Michelle Dyer, one of the reporters
who joined us at the restaurant for dinner; Sabrina Dorsey, the first cousin of
Stacey Allen; and Caroline
Crittenden. The conversation was rich
and involved the history of Sautee Nacoochee; slavery in Sautee Nacoochee;
history of the slave cabin and the Slave Dwelling Project. At some point during the conversation, it was
revealed that Stacey Allen was the descendent of a slave and slave owner. This was interesting because recently I have
been coming into contact with more and more people who fit this category.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-No0G7RRwKkU/T6-3kTd3yeI/AAAAAAAACKU/3l-vzI4L92E/s1600/sautee+nachoochee+016+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-No0G7RRwKkU/T6-3kTd3yeI/AAAAAAAACKU/3l-vzI4L92E/s640/sautee+nachoochee+016+(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: Stacey Allen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I now knew why Stacey invited himself to stay
and was thankful that he did. Well after
midnight, everyone was starting to fade.
Carolyn left to go home and Sabrina Dorsey left to report to her job at
a local prison. The remainder of us
including the reporter retreated to our respective spots in the cabin and made
ourselves as comfortable as possible. I
quickly learned that the bed was not as comfortable as it looked. The conversation continued as we all began to
slowly drift off to sleep.<o:p></o:p><br />
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The next morning I woke up to a very beautiful day. A breakfast of pancakes and sausages was
served at the community center at the site with lots of community members
participating. Many of the participants
were anxious to know how we all slept the previous night to which we all
responded well. Both James and I left
with the promise that we both would return if invited.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Sautee Nacoochee was the 35<sup>th</sup> stay of the Slave
Dwelling Project. This was the first
stay in the state of Georgia which now totals 11. I was in denial when I was told at my
previous stay in Holley Springs, Mississippi by a local artist that what I was
doing was art, yet I found myself using a slave cabin as a backdrop and
incorporating the skills of a storyteller to further the intent of the Slave
Dwelling Project. What also struck me as
interesting is that since I have become involved with the group Coming to the
Table whose members consists of descendents of slaves and descendents of slave
owners and combinations of both, people of the aforementioned categories always seem to find me as in the case of Stacey
Allen. Be it through this blog, print
media, broadcast media, group affiliations, social media or through the
performing arts, my intent is to bring much needed attention to the slave
dwellings that once housed my ancestors and I am willing to do that by any
legal and feasible means necessary.<o:p></o:p><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z1DEk2eIv-Q/T6-18jdurmI/AAAAAAAACKM/rgA03d9kbVU/s1600/Billy+Chism+White+County+News+1st+pic+Andy+&+Stacey+Allen+w+cc.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z1DEk2eIv-Q/T6-18jdurmI/AAAAAAAACKM/rgA03d9kbVU/s640/Billy+Chism+White+County+News+1st+pic+Andy+&+Stacey+Allen+w+cc.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Andy Allen (left), Caroline Crittenden (center), Stacy Allen (right). Photo credit: Billy Chism, White County News.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Stacey Allen:</b><br />
<br />
<br />
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<b>Sautee Nacoochee Slave Cabin</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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“So did you have this Ah ha moment when you woke up?” That’s the question my wife asked me as I
walked in Saturday morning. “How did you
sleep”, is what my seventeen year old son asked me. “Daddy, did you miss me?” That’s the question
my daughter asked me as I arrived home.
All very valid questions, some that did not require any thought or
provoke any reflection at all to answer, others that have caused me to think of
them over and over. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So did I have an Ah ha moment? Yes and I hope I continue
having them every time I get to share my experience of what it meant to me to
find my place in the history of that cabin and this project as it goes forward
and raises awareness and provokes conversation and builds bridges. How did I sleep? Wow the depth of that question. How did I sleep knowing in that very
structure there were slaves despite what we think, some of my ancestors slept
here and were not free. Daddy, did you
miss me? That question is answered
mindlessly. The difference between my
daughter asking me that and some slave father getting asked that by his
daughter is vastly different. My
daughter was only 13 miles away and I could have easily driven to quench the
loneliness. During slavery the father
more than likely was separated by states or even continents. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Needless to say my experience was one that will leave me
looking behind the ‘big house’. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">A huge thanks to Mr. Joe McGill and Mr. James
Brown. I look forward to sharing with
you all again in the future.</span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-827955972335892819.post-73143501744527727582012-04-27T14:40:00.001-07:002012-04-27T14:44:19.569-07:00Meet African American Genealogist: George Geder<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_ZtN7xlq_tg/T5sRHfQ5RRI/AAAAAAAACFg/B07Uud-Uigs/s1600/George+Geder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_ZtN7xlq_tg/T5sRHfQ5RRI/AAAAAAAACFg/B07Uud-Uigs/s320/George+Geder.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hello, my name is George Geder and I'm a Genealogist, Family Historian, Writer & Speaker.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am a strong advocate for having all cultures and family lifestyles being heard and represented in the genealogy community. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am an Evangelist for African Ancestored Genealogy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My family surnames include Geder/Geter/Jeter, Hancock, Stevenson, Melven/Melvin/Melville, Eubanks, Brayboy, Lenard/Leonard. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These folks can be found in NY,PA, SC, and FL.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I live in <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=35.6672222222,-105.964444444&spn=0.1,0.1&q=35.6672222222,-105.964444444%20(Santa%20Fe%2C%20New%20Mexico)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Santa Fe, New Mexico">Santa Fe, NM</a> and am willing to do research statewide.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Currently, I'm working on several projects that include compiling information on African Americans throughout <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=34.0,-106.0&spn=3.0,3.0&q=34.0,-106.0%20(New%20Mexico)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="New Mexico">New Mexico</a>.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>My contact info:</b><span style="color: #500050;"><u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="mailto:geder.genealogy@gmail.com" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">geder.genealogy@gmail.com</a><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://gedergenealogy/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://gedergenealogy</a><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://facebook.com/georgegedergenealogy" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://facebook.com/<wbr></wbr>georgegedergenealogy</a><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://twitter.com/gedergenealogy" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://twitter.com/<wbr></wbr>gedergenealogy</a><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>My favorite quote:</b><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"History is the clock that people use to tell their political and cultural time of day.<u></u><u></u></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>It is also a compass that people use to find themselves on the map of human geography.</i></span><br />
<i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></i><br />
<i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The role of history is to tell a people what they have been, and where they have been, what they are and where they are.</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>The most important role that history plays is that it has the function of telling a people where they still must go and what they still must be."</i><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-- Dr. John Henrik Clarke, African Historian.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">George is a member of <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/groups/African-American-Genealogists-4168782?home=&gid=4168782&trk=anet_ug_hm">African American Genealogists on LinkedIn</a>. </span></div>
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<a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=23ef51da-4c73-4290-a832-9237255bc329" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-827955972335892819.post-33201511525711000052012-04-24T08:44:00.000-07:002012-04-24T09:59:36.994-07:00What's Behind the Big House in Holly Springs?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>It is amazing to see the influence of The Slave Dwelling Project become so wide-spread. Because of what they represent, I find it so incredible that the slave dwellings have such great potential to revitalize the economy today. Who would have thought? They also serve a dual purpose when you think about telling the complete story. What great history to see Joe visit a property once owned by William Faulkner.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I anticipate more and more African Americans coming forward as they recognize this work has the great potential of connecting them to their ancestors. We have doors opening here that will help us to really learn what our ancestors were made of. Remember, we possess it as well! Freedom is knowing who you are and from whence you came. I am especially excited to see this work move forward in Mississippi. Researching Mississippi ancestors is relentless even with the oral history that was passed down to me. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Thanks, Joe! Thank you, Jenifer Eggleston and </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Chelius Carter</span><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">, for taking a giant leap and including the story behind the big house. </span></i><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>Keep up with this project between blog posts! Be sure to follow </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><a href="http://facebook.com/TheSlaveDwellingProject">The Slave Dwelling Project</a> on Facebook!</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>Robin Foster</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>About Our Freedom</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #504d4d; font-family: Arial, Verdana;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><b>What's Behind the Big House in Holly Springs?</b></span></span></div>
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<b>By Joseph McGill, Jr. | Field Officer | Charleston Field Office<u></u><u></u></b></div>
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<a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Trust_for_Historic_Preservation" rel="wikipedia" style="color: #276286; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" target="_blank" title="National Trust for Historic Preservation">National Trust for Historic Preservation</a> | <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=32.7913888889,-79.935&spn=0.01,0.01&q=32.7913888889,-79.935%20(Gov.%20William%20Aiken%20House)&t=h" rel="geolocation" style="color: #276286; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" target="_blank" title="Gov. William Aiken House">William Aiken House</a> <span style="font-size: 14pt;">l</span> 456 King Street, 3rd Floor, Charleston, South Carolina 29403 |<u></u><u></u></div>
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Phone: <a href="tel:843-722-8552" style="color: #1155cc; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" target="_blank" value="+18437228552">843-722-8552</a> | Fax: <a href="tel:843-722-8652" style="color: #1155cc; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" target="_blank" value="+18437228652">843-722-8652</a> | <u><a href="mailto:joseph_mcgill@nthp.org" style="color: #1155cc; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" target="_blank">joseph_mcgill@nthp.org</a></u>| <a href="http://www.preservationnation.org/" style="color: #1155cc; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" target="_blank">www.PreservationNation.org</a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-36-tFHHJtFQ/T5a63k4VOLI/AAAAAAAACD4/dx4o91599iA/s1600/holly_springs,_mississippi_031_(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-36-tFHHJtFQ/T5a63k4VOLI/AAAAAAAACD4/dx4o91599iA/s640/holly_springs,_mississippi_031_(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Joesph McGill, Jr and Chelius Carter</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I met Jenifer Eggleston ten years ago when I started working for the National Trust for Historic</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Preservation. While she worked in the Washington, DC office, she came to <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=32.7833333333,-79.9333333333&spn=0.1,0.1&q=32.7833333333,-79.9333333333%20(Charleston%2C%20South%20Carolina)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Charleston, South Carolina">Charleston, SC</a> to fulfill</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">a requirement of her duties. Right after Hurricane Katrina Jenifer was no longer employed with the</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">National Trust but we both worked on matters of preservation in New Orleans. Last year, Jenifer</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">contacted me with an idea that she had about me participating in the 74 th Annual Holly Springs</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Pilgrimage Tour of Historic Homes which is an annual tour of the mansions in the town. Jenifer’s grand</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">idea was to combine the pilgrimage with the Slave Dwelling Project and seek a funder that could help</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">make it happen. Similar to the trip that I took to Missouri, the tentative date that we set for the trip</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">to Mississippi was pending approval of the grant request. Like Missouri the proposal was approved</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">through the state’s Humanities Council.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">From the time that I tentatively put this event on my calendar, I was skeptical because the Mississippi</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">history etched in my mind was not pleasant. <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.biography.com/people/medgar-evers-9542324" rel="biographycom" target="_blank" title="Medgar Evers">Medger Evers</a>, Emmitt Till, James Chaney, Andrew</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Goodman, Michael Schwerner were all killed in the state of Mississippi in pursuit of their happiness.</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The movie Mississippi Burning as well as two books that I read recently, <i>"Rising Tide"</i> by John M. Barry and</span> <i>"</i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>The Warmth of Other Suns"</i> by Isabel Wilkerson did not paint a good picture of the treatment of African</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Americans in the state of Mississippi. I knew that in order for me to carry on with this assignment I had</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">to get past those atrocities by thinking of them as history, Hollywood, and books based on past accounts.</span>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/578851_10150748708144184_89578579183_9202223_850716875_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/578851_10150748708144184_89578579183_9202223_850716875_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Presentation about The Slave Dwelling Project (See more photos from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150748705984184.421784.89578579183&type=1">Behind the Big House Tour</a> album).</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">On Thursday, April 12, 2012, my first scheduled task was to conduct a lecture on the Slave Dwelling</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Project at Rust, a Historically Black College located in Holly Springs. This would not be a problem because</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I had spoken on this subject at many colleges and universities before. The group was small but they got</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">the same lecture that a larger group would have gotten. Something on that campus really bothered me.</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The buildings that were once Mississippi Industrial College from 1905 – 1982 which gave rise to Rust</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">College are all being neglected. It bothered me so much that I insisted on going back the next day to</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">take photographs.</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">That evening included an open reception at Montrose, the home of the Holly Spring Garden Club. A</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">diverse crowd of influential people of Holly Springs were there and were treated to a presentation</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">from me about the Slave Dwelling Project. They were treated to a bonus when Rhonda K. Peairs, </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Documentary Projects Coordinator of the William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation of the</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">University of Mississippi in Oxford spoke to them.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s8dewPmSD-c/T5a7bVTa9_I/AAAAAAAACEA/kPGvzMpQjOQ/s1600/holly_springs,_mississippi_022_(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s8dewPmSD-c/T5a7bVTa9_I/AAAAAAAACEA/kPGvzMpQjOQ/s640/holly_springs,_mississippi_022_(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Jenifer Eggleston and Chelius Carter</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My first stay was at the Hugh Craft House Slave Quarters and Kitchen which is owned by Jenifer</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Eggleston and her husband Chelius Carter. I would be alone in the quarters that night which had not</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">occurred since my stay at Cliveden in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Additionally, I slept in a bed which had</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">not been done since my stay at <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=40.1172222222,-75.7833333333&spn=0.01,0.01&q=40.1172222222,-75.7833333333%20(Pleasant%20Hill%20Plantation)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Pleasant Hill Plantation">Pleasant Hill Plantation</a> in Missouri. The quarters was well researched</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">which provided lots of information that could be used for its interpretation the next day. On three</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">levels it included a basement which included a room for smoking meat; the first level included the</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">kitchen and two separate living spaces; the third level was living space. Research revealed that Hugh</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Craft owned 9 slaves who serviced the current house that was built on the property in 1851. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The next </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">day, the people participating in the pilgrimage started to show up for their tour of the dwelling. This</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">was interesting because some people showed up thinking that they were going into the main house</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">which was not the case. Early in the process, a few people (and I stress a few) excused themselves once</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">they found out the subject matter was about slaves who occupied the dwellings behind the big house.</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Maybe the title “Behind the Big House Tour” was a little misleading. Despite that, most of the people showed</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">up because of what the title implied and listened intently throughout the presentation and asked</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">meaningful questions afterwards and expressed their appreciation that Holly Springs had taken such a</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">bold step. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My hosts and I were most impressed by all the African Americans who showed up for the</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">tour. They especially expressed their appreciation for adding this element to the pilgrimage. The only</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">one spirited debate came when one Caucasian female couldn’t accept that chattel slavery was a bad</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">thing. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Dinner that night included a bonus. Nearby <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=34.3597222222,-89.5261111111&spn=0.1,0.1&q=34.3597222222,-89.5261111111%20(Oxford%2C%20Mississippi)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Oxford, Mississippi">Oxford, Mississippi</a> was our destination. </span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ap81LKBz9NE/T5a8tR7V9JI/AAAAAAAACEI/ICqR5BObcDQ/s1600/holly+springs,+mississippi+043+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ap81LKBz9NE/T5a8tR7V9JI/AAAAAAAACEI/ICqR5BObcDQ/s640/holly+springs,+mississippi+043+(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Slave Dwelling at Rowan Oak (William Faulkner)</b></span></td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R3zu6oKBycs/T5a9cWZcHtI/AAAAAAAACEQ/dmPiRG1nryE/s1600/holly+springs,+mississippi+054+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R3zu6oKBycs/T5a9cWZcHtI/AAAAAAAACEQ/dmPiRG1nryE/s400/holly+springs,+mississippi+054+(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Rowan Oak</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">While there, I</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">visited Rowan Oak, also known as <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=34.3598,-89.5247&spn=0.01,0.01&q=34.3598,-89.5247%20(Rowan%20Oak)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Rowan Oak">William Faulkner House</a>. It is a primitive Greek Revival house built</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">in the 1840s by Robert Sheegog. Faulkner purchased the house when it was in disrepair in the 1930's</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">and did many of the renovations himself and lived there until 1962. The bonus was the fact that there</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">is an intact slave dwelling on the property; moreover, I got an invitation to spend a night there which</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">will certainly happen in the future. No disrespect to Mr. Faulkner, but unfortunately, while conducting</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">my perfunctory research on Rowan Oak, I have not yet come across any information that mentions the</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">intact slave dwelling, which further justifies this project.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JzGEKdUIzgE/T5a-SeNJmXI/AAAAAAAACEY/n1-yvY_z9jU/s1600/holly+springs,+mississippi+061+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JzGEKdUIzgE/T5a-SeNJmXI/AAAAAAAACEY/n1-yvY_z9jU/s640/holly+springs,+mississippi+061+(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Burton Place</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My second night stay would be at the slave dwelling located at Burton Place. The brick dwelling was</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">behind the big house and to the right. It included a kitchen and two separate living spaces all on one</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">level. For the second consecutive night, I slept in the dwelling alone and in a nice comfortable bed in</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">the kitchen. I found the space to be over adorned knowing that anything that was not necessary for</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">cooking would not be located in that space. Unlike the previous day, I was not provided with a lot of</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">researched information on the past inhabitants of that space. This worked in my favor because I could</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">draw on all the knowledge that I gained by sleeping in 33 other slave dwellings prior to this one. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">There</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">was one interpretive sign inside the dwelling that was quite telling, from the 1850 census, it listed eight</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">slaves by gender and age only. I found it interesting that in 1850 they would only have a first name but</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">even that was not put on a census form. That could be very frustrating for someone doing genealogical</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">research. The 1860 census revealed that the owner, Mary Malvina Shields obtained seventy-two</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">additional slaves for a total of eighty. This increase in the number of slaves was an indication that she</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">was a planter and was taking advantage of the cotton growing opportunities that existed. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Throughout</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">the day, a steady flow of people came through the dwelling to hear the interpretive presentation</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">that I gave. Unlike the previous day, the participants had access to the mansion which worked out</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">well because they all got a complete story. As time was winding down, I was feeling a bit dejected</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">because no African Americans had come to the slave dwelling or the big house for that matter. Then</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">it happened. One group of about twenty African Americans came to hear the presentation. The group</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">listened intently and asked lots of questions after the presentation. The group leaders were local but</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">the bulk of the group was from Ohio. The leaders stated that up until this point they never felt welcome</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">at the pilgrimage and were thrilled that this year the Behind the Big House Tour was offered.</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Prior to leaving Holly Spring, my host took me on a windshield tour of the other extant former slave</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">dwellings. We looked for the telltale signs for slave dwellings, location, chimneys, windows, etc. For a</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">relatively small town, I was surprised by the number that still exists. Some of the buildings have evolved</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">into storage spaces, garages, pool houses or guest houses and some are just deteriorating.</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The success of participating in the Holly Springs Pilgrimage made me think about other established</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">house tours and pilgrimages. Years ago, I would volunteer for the Preservation Society of Charleston,</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">SC tour of homes. As I recall, all of the focus was on the mansions and not the outbuildings. For Holly</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Springs this was their 74th Annual Holly Springs Pilgrimage Tour of Historic Homes, I know that there</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">are several other well established tour of historic homes in urban areas. Several of those homes in the</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">north and south were built while slavery existed in those areas, therefore they may have outbuildings</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">where slaves once lived. Additionally, one should not dismiss the possibility that they may have lived in</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">the attics or basements of mansions. I now wonder how many other established house tours are willing</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">to take the bold step that Holly Springs did and tell the stories of the slaves that lived in the outbuildings</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">associated with the big house.</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Since starting the Slave Dwelling Project in 2010, I have had several revelations. In seeking extant</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">former slave dwellings sometimes they are hidden in plain view especially when we factor in urban</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">slavery. Some property owners may own some of these structures and not know their history. Some</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">may know the history but for various reasons choose not to make it known to others. I am often asked</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">how many extant slave dwellings still exist. I respond that factoring in urban slavery makes placing</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">a number on those dwellings difficult. It could be less of a challenge to answer that question if we</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">had more places like Holly Springs, Mississippi that are willing to tell the whole story of their built</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">environment.</span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><b>Behind the Big House Tour, By Jenifer Eggleston </b></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br />
<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2vsAh67RZXA/T5a4UVgN24I/AAAAAAAACDw/ddwFHRwedyU/s1600/BigHouseLogo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2vsAh67RZXA/T5a4UVgN24I/AAAAAAAACDw/ddwFHRwedyU/s320/BigHouseLogo1.jpg" width="302" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Check out: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150748705984184.421784.89578579183&type=1">Behind the Big House Tour album on Facebook</a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">When I first moved to Holly Springs, Mississippi in the fall of 2008, my husband who</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">maintains a private practice in historic restoration gave me the cook’s tour of the</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">town with its impressive collection of historic structures from several time periods.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">While Holly Springs has an inarguably inspiring architectural inventory, what spoke</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">to me was the considerable number of buildings directly related to slavery. Many</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">towns had lost much if not all of their slave-related structures but Holly Springs had</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">maintained many of these rare surviving buildings.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">That so many of Holly Springs’ vital, tangible links to the legacy of slavery had</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">survived is primarily owed to their remaining in continuous use. Their original</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">form had often obscured making it difficult to recognize them for their historic</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">intent and value. In many cases, the original purpose of these culturally significant</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">buildings was either forgotten, due to the passing of living memory or by design</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">or a combination of both. Either way, it was clear that a significant part of the</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">historic narrative was missing. While a number of the silent witnesses – the</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">structures directly related to the slaves’ accommodations were extant--the stories</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">of the people who lived and used these buildings was largely being forgotten.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The personal histories of the “Big Houses” had been preserved but what of those</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">personal lives “Behind the Big House?”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Doing what one does in down moments I was searching Facebook one night and</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">stumbled across a former colleague and friend, Joseph McGill’s page. That’s when</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I learned of his inspiring work with the Slave Dwellings Project and thus began</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">a conversation about how Holly Springs could highlight and interpret these rare</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">surviving buildings by bringing Joseph to our community during our annual</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Pilgrimage Tour of Historic Homes. Thanks to his support of the idea and some last</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">minute grant writing for a Mississippi Humanities Council grant this idea came alive</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">last week from April 12th through 15th.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Joseph McGill for his part, spent an evening in two of the more intact slaves’</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">quarters and remained on site the following days to give visitors a first-hand</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">interpretation of what life might have been like “Behind the Big House.” Most of</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">our visitors were on the Pilgrimage tour and this was for many an unexpected view</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">into another side of history, a much-needed addition of a missing historic narrative.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Also, many came out just for the “Behind the Big House” tour, which was extremely</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">encouraging for the continuation and development of this program.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Our local historic preservation nonprofit, Preserve Marshall County & Holly Springs,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Inc. hopes to continue this initiative with a goal of not only researching but also</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">documenting and advocating for the preservation of these irreplaceable historic</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">resources. We will be sure to share our future work on this project with Joseph and</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">look forward to hosting Joseph and the Slave Dwellings Project in the future.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Finding it difficult to end this posting I thought it would be best to share what two</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">attendees at our Welcome Reception felt as reported by our local newspaper, The</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">South Reporter. Local community supporter and tourism board chairman, Ralph</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Howard, “the dialogue is long overdue . . .and will help with the economy and</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">tourism in the city” and artist, Randy Hayes,“I just told him that I thought what he</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">is doing is art . . . I thought the gathering more truly represented Holly Springs than</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">any social event I can remember.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Learn More:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.visithollysprings.com/behind-the-big-house-tour/">Behind the Big House Tour</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.southreporter.com/big_house.html">History and Hospitality: 'Behind Big House' Successful</a></span><br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">
<a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=cace915f-7a76-4996-a463-2e537272cd6c" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-827955972335892819.post-67487590284234298832012-04-10T09:40:00.001-07:002012-04-10T18:01:02.888-07:00Slave Dwelling Project builds momentum in the Midlands<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<i>I have to say that nothing replaces listening to Joe present The Slave Dwelling Project in person. It is wonderful to that he shares his accounts with us of his stays, but everyone needs to have the firsthand experience of hearing him lecture. That is how I spent the evening on April 5th, my birthday. I also had the chance to be led on a tour of the Kitchen Dependency at the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=34.0128611111,-81.0311111111&spn=0.01,0.01&q=34.0128611111,-81.0311111111%20(Hale-Elmore-Seibels%20House)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Hale-Elmore-Seibels House">Seibels House</a> by John Sherrer. Few have seen the inside of this building. It was great to meet Ruth Rambo, and it made a great impact on me to experience all this in the area of <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=34.0005555556,-81.0441666667&spn=0.1,0.1&q=34.0005555556,-81.0441666667%20(Columbia%2C%20South%20Carolina)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Columbia, South Carolina">Columbia, SC</a> where my ancestors rose above the challenges of Jim Crow and the Civil Rights Era. </i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
<i>We have been favored by the poetry submitted by Ruth Rambo ("Had I Known," and "Cousin"). Thank you for setting the tone, Ruth! We appreciate you taking the time to record and share your accounts, John and Ruth!</i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
<i>This is a great cause! We wish you continued success and strength, Joe!</i><br />
<i>Sincerely,<br />Robin Foster</i><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Had I Known </b></div>
<br />
You left after breakfast at day break<br />
<br />
like always<br />
<br />
Your skin a smooth butterscotch satin<br />
<br />
like always<br />
<br />
Your elaborate woven corn rows neatly arranged<br />
<br />
like always<br />
<br />
You carried the water jug your mother made<br />
<br />
Like always.<br />
<br />
I only glanced at your back for one moment as you departed.<br />
<br />
The rhythmic swaying of your bottom enticing<br />
<br />
Like always.<br />
<br />
Had I known you would not return<br />
<br />
Like always<br />
<br />
Had I known your body would never again fit into the spoon of mine<br />
<br />
Like always. Had I known.<br />
<br />
Had I known I would spend my remaining years<br />
<br />
Looking, yearning, hoping, begging, dreaming, praying, working, searching<br />
<br />
Had I known like always would become<br />
<br />
never again.<br />
<br />
Had I known.<br />
<br />
If only I had known.<br />
<br />
Ruth Rambo<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sIh6QOAx3jY/T4RMfsrwiAI/AAAAAAAAB6A/YMpD83yQL_E/s1600/054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sIh6QOAx3jY/T4RMfsrwiAI/AAAAAAAAB6A/YMpD83yQL_E/s320/054.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Joseph McGill, Jr</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Slave Dwelling Project builds momentum in the Midlands</b><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<b>By Joseph McGill, Jr. | Field Officer | Charleston Field Office<u></u><u></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Trust_for_Historic_Preservation" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="National Trust for Historic Preservation">National Trust for Historic Preservation</a> | <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=32.7913888889,-79.935&spn=0.01,0.01&q=32.7913888889,-79.935%20(Gov.%20William%20Aiken%20House)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Gov. William Aiken House">William Aiken House</a> <span style="font-size: 14pt;">l</span> 456 King Street, 3rd Floor, Charleston, South Carolina 29403 |<u></u><u></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
Phone: <a href="tel:843-722-8552" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank" value="+18437228552">843-722-8552</a> | Fax: <a href="tel:843-722-8652" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank" value="+18437228652">843-722-8652</a> | <u><a href="mailto:joseph_mcgill@nthp.org" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">joseph_mcgill@nthp.org</a></u>| <a href="http://www.preservationnation.org/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">www.PreservationNation.org</a></div>
<br />
<b><br /></b><br />
<b>Slave Dwelling Stops in Columbia and Lexington</b><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
There have been times in this journey when it was wise to schedule slave dwelling stays back to back.
My trips to Alabama, Missouri, and Texas are perfect examples of that. There has been one trip in South
Carolina where that also applied; that was my stays at Laurelwood Plantation in <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=33.8775,-80.6947222222&spn=0.1,0.1&q=33.8775,-80.6947222222%20(Eastover%2C%20South%20Carolina)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Eastover, South Carolina">Eastover, SC</a> and the
slave dwelling in <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=34.6966666667,-79.895&spn=0.1,0.1&q=34.6966666667,-79.895%20(Cheraw%2C%20South%20Carolina)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Cheraw, South Carolina">Cheraw, SC</a>. The stays at Seibels House Kitchen Dependency on Thursday, April 5 and
the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.lex-co.com/museum/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Lexington County Museum">Lexington County Museum</a> on Friday, April 6 would follow that same formula.<br />
<b><br /></b><br />
<b>Doors Once Closed Now Open</b><br />
<br />
Before I could participate in the events planned for the Seibels House Kitchen Dependency on the
evening of Thursday, April 5, 2012, I had to take an interesting detour to <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=34.1838888889,-79.7741666667&spn=0.1,0.1&q=34.1838888889,-79.7741666667%20(Florence%2C%20South%20Carolina)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Florence, South Carolina">Florence, SC</a> earlier that
morning. Because of the recommendation of a highly respected historian and friend, the TV show
<a href="http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/">History Detectives</a> contacted me about filming a scene for them describing the life of a female slave. My
immediate response was yes but then they told me the location. It turned out to be the Hewn –Timber
Cabins at <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.fmarion.edu/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Francis Marion University">Francis Marion University</a> one of the two places that have denied me the opportunity for an
overnight stay in its slave dwelling. After making this clear to the History Detective representative, we
both concluded that I was still their man. Upon arrival at the site in Florence, I discovered that the film
crew was going to be late. The tardiness of the film crew provided a great opportunity for the property
manager / interpreter to justifiably challenge my intent. After convincing him that I came in peace and
meant him no harm, we got along admirably from that point forward. The filming of the scene went
extremely well but I’ve been on sets enough to know that two hours of filming could mean zero to five
or so minutes in the finished product. The piece is scheduled to air sometime this summer. The chance
for a future overnight stay at this site looks promising.
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8GeLhNOJuaM/T4RNw6RfwWI/AAAAAAAAB6I/EgynJDzVftk/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="476" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8GeLhNOJuaM/T4RNw6RfwWI/AAAAAAAAB6I/EgynJDzVftk/s640/002.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><b> Hewn-Timber Cabin at Francis Marion University</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Current Themes Pressing the Mind</b><br />
<br />
Operating on assumptions and not letting my host know exactly what time I would arrive, it was 4:00
pm when I reached the Seibels House Kitchen Dependency. The property appeared to be locked so
from a distance I took pictures of the mansion and the kitchen dependency where I was to spend the
night. I then went seeking a place to do some shopping for some snacks for the night stay. While
shopping, I got a call from Ruth Rambo who was scheduled to share the slave dwelling experience with
me. Ruth told me that she was in the garden area of the house which came as surprise to me because
I did not know that one could have unescorted access to the grounds of the mansion. I relayed to Ruth
that once I finished my shopping, I would be there to meet her. When I met her at the site, I told her
about my hesitancy about entering the garden. When I stayed at Cliveden in Philadelphia an alarm
sounded on the morning when I got up and made an attempt to go the bathroom. Through a phone
conversation, the director of Civenden gave me a code to put into the system which did not work. He
stated not to worry because he would call the alarm company to alert them to what was happening.
My immediate thoughts went to the Rodney King incident so I stated to him that I would just sit there
until he or another staff member got there to take charge of the situation. It was that thought and the
current Trayvon Martin incident that convinced me to take all of my photographs of the site from a safe
distance. A sad commentary, but true in my mind.
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PpbBgo0ymYs/T4RRjGg6c9I/AAAAAAAAB6Q/wkKdQPqXdHI/s1600/030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PpbBgo0ymYs/T4RRjGg6c9I/AAAAAAAAB6Q/wkKdQPqXdHI/s640/030.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><b>Seibels House</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
According to a promotional brochure, “Purportedly the oldest remaining building in Columbia, a portion
of the Seibels House is believed to date to 1796. To the north of the building , attached by a covered
breezeway, stands a circa-1830 kitchen house, believed to be the last building of its kind left in Columbia
and one of only a very few structures in which enslaved African Americans lived and worked, separate
from their owner’s residence. Various owners adapted the house to meet their needs, especially the
Seibels family, who acquired the property in 1858. The building’s Colonial Revival style dates to a 1920s
renovation designed by architect, J Carroll Johnson. Historic Columbia Foundation received the property
as a gift in 1988 and uses the building for its administrative headquarters and as rental property.”
<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pAy0rEe9lXk/T4RUFM-RiaI/AAAAAAAAB6g/j4LFhCKaSxs/s1600/022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pAy0rEe9lXk/T4RUFM-RiaI/AAAAAAAAB6g/j4LFhCKaSxs/s400/022.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Prior to the stay, a Slave Dwelling Project Lecture was scheduled. Two organizations that represented
the media were there, which was a great testament because I know at some point in the future of this
project, it will not excite the media as it is currently doing, but that will not make this project any less
important. At the end of the lecture, I yielded two minutes to Ruth Rambo who would reveal her reason
for spending the night. It was then that Ruth revealed that she was a descendant of a slave and slave
owner which was news to me and did not go unnoticed because of the work that I am currently doing
with the group Coming to the Table. I also yielded 5 minutes to Robin Foster who is a genealogist and
one of the publishers of my blog. I met Robin two years ago when the two of us sat on a panel together
at Penn Center on St. Helena Island. The Slave Dwelling Project focuses on the places but it is Robin and
others like her who constantly reminds me that it is the formerly enslaved people who are important.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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<div>
<b>See WLTX: <a href="http://www.wltx.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=182627">Man Makes it His Mission to Preserve Slave Quarters</a></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
The turnout was great and diverse and lots of questions were asked during the question and answer
period. I was most impressed that a child got the first and last question for the night. After the lecture,
I got to mingle with some of the audience while some of the others went for a tour of the kitchen
dependency. When I finally, made my way to the kitchen dependency and the media left, one of the
staff members alerted me that I had promised one of the audience members that she could spend the
night with us, an error that had to be immediately corrected. In addition to me spending the night, Old
Reliable, Terry James, Ruth Rambo and John Sherrer, staff member of Historic Columbia Foundation
would also share the experience.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lOdqsSVYI7c/T4S5dxQj48I/AAAAAAAAB7Y/Sbn35V37S8s/s1600/059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="476" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lOdqsSVYI7c/T4S5dxQj48I/AAAAAAAAB7Y/Sbn35V37S8s/s640/059.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Terry James, Ruth Rambo, John Sherrer</span></b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It was on a trip last year that John and I took to Richmond, VA to
participate in the annual conference of the American Association of State and Local History (AASLH) that
we devised the plan for what was happening that night. I recall meeting Ruth Rambo at a group
meeting that I organized to see the movie Tuskegee Airmen. Ruth reminded me that I met her earlier at
an event when I was representing my Civil War reenacting group, Company I, 54th Reenactment
Regiment, but how can one forget a name like Ruth Rambo. The opportunity to share the slave dwelling
experience is an open invitation pending the permission of the property owner. Ruth did all that was
necessary to ensure that her spot was secured. The conversation among the four of us was very rich.
Before we fell asleep and after we woke up, we covered everything from the burning of Columbia during
the Civil War; the great migration; the detail of the kitchen dependency; brick making, who snored the
loudest; segregation, and lynchings . Ruth, Terry and John left while I utilized a computer in the office to
do some quality writing for the project.<br />
<div>
<br />
<b>Deformed and Almost Worthless</b><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BEa4jZnoGF0/T4RckjU_cVI/AAAAAAAAB7I/8YAscgrwn9g/s1600/097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="476" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BEa4jZnoGF0/T4RckjU_cVI/AAAAAAAAB7I/8YAscgrwn9g/s640/097.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); text-align: -webkit-auto;"><b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">Interpretive sign in the slave cabin at the Lexington County Museum</span></b></span>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The Lexington Museum came at this thing from a completely different angle. Most of the buildings
including the two slave cabins were moved to the site from other locations. That would make this stay
similar to the ones at Old Alabama Town in Montgomery, AL; Roper Mountain in Greenville, SC; and
the Price House in Woodruff, SC. Unlike the previous night at the Seibels House Kitchen Dependency,
this stay garnered very little fanfare, similar to previous stays at privately owned properties. When
I toured the grounds with the site director and saw the slave cabins, I verified that I had been there
previously performing living history in the capacity of a Civil War reenactor. The cabin was once used as
an office so it had electricity but no lights, central heating and air and replicas of artifacts throughout.
One impressive part of the building was one interpretive sign that listed the first names of the slaves
who were once the property of the owner.<br />
<br />
The most haunting was one interpretive sign that listed the
name of one female slave and categorized her as deformed and almost worthless. I had a conversation
with the gentleman that restored the cabin that I was going to sleep in that night. He expressed his
fear of ghosts, but that did not deter me. I was delivered a bonus when the site director introduced me
to a museum neighbor who told me about a plantation that he owns in Fairfield County, SC that has a
restored slave cabin. Long story short, Lemmon Hill Plantation in Winnsboro, SC will be on the 2013
calendar of the Slave Dwelling Project. A local newspaper reporter showed up for an interview and
was not impressed by my Yankee hat that went with my Yankee uniform. William Tecumseh Sherman’s
troops made an impact in this area during the Civil War.
During dinner at a local Bojangles’ that was located in walking distance from the museum, Old Reliable
Terry James called to let me know that he would be there later that night.<br />
<br />
As darkness descended
and a full moon revealed itself, I had quality time inside the cabin alone with my thoughts to do some
quality writing about the project. I now realize that based on some of the inquiries that I have gotten thus far there is great potential for the expansion of the Slave Dwelling project in 2013. Ten thirty
came and Terry James had not yet shown. Thoughts of the early days of the project and how I would
sleep in the dwellings alone danced through my mind. I thought of that reporter who did not like my
Yankee hat and the gentleman who restored the cabin when thirty minutes after I laid down, Terry rang
my phone stating he was outside. After getting Terry settled into the cabin, there would be very little
conversation, his history lesson would have to wait until the next morning.
<br />
<br />
The next morning Terry took full advantage of his skill as a professional photographer. According to its
brochure, “The Lexington County Museum, founded in 1970, offers a rare and unforgettable experience
– the chance to see and touch a way of life gone forever. Structure and furnishings focus on the early
history of Lexington County and interpret the everyday lives of its residents from ca. 1770 until the
momentous changes wrought by the Civil War. The Museum complex, located right off Highway 378,
encompasses seven acres of property and features 36 historic buildings.” Terry was like a kid in a candy
store taking intricate shots of each building. We both wagered that each of those buildings that were
built prior to the Civil War was built using some type of slave labor. And then we parted, I headed home
to my family, with Terry still taking pictures of buildings.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_1HSqoGLrWI/T4RVmOj36jI/AAAAAAAAB6o/aUfDbg36FII/s1600/John.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_1HSqoGLrWI/T4RVmOj36jI/AAAAAAAAB6o/aUfDbg36FII/s200/John.jpg" width="138" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Joseph McGill Blog Entry</b><br />
<b>Seibels Kitchen House Sleepover</b><br />
<b>Columbia, SC</b><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">By John M. Sherrer, III</span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Director of Cultural Resources</span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Historic Columbia Foundation</span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">1601 Richland Street</span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Columbia, SC 29201</span><br />
<a href="tel:803.252.1770%2C%20ext.%2028" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" value="+18032521770">803.252.1770, ext. 28</a><br />
<a href="mailto:jsherrer@historiccolumbia.org" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">jsherrer@historiccolumbia.org</a>
<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bTEk2NpHVrY/T4RaeudHOiI/AAAAAAAAB7A/yHOfNLnkmFU/s1600/024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bTEk2NpHVrY/T4RaeudHOiI/AAAAAAAAB7A/yHOfNLnkmFU/s400/024.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On Thursday, April 5, 2012, history was made within the confines of a circa-1830 brick<br />
kitchen house, adjacent to one of Columbia, South Carolina’s most celebrated sites –the<br />
circa-1796 Seibels House, a landmark structure most often associated with distinguished<br />
architecture and verdant gardens. A cast of four, led by Joseph McGill, a field officer<br />
with the National Trust for Historic Preservation and a Civil War 54th Regiment re-<br />
enactor, crafted an unprecedented Historic Columbia Foundation experienced by virtue<br />
of their respect for the power of preservation. As part of Mr. McGill’s on-going effort<br />
to heighten public appreciation of and preservation advocacy for sites associated with<br />
slavery, this experience was the 31st in his thus-far two-year endeavor. But, for all four of<br />
us it was our first shared encounter and one that profoundly affected me as a steward of<br />
this extraordinary structure.<br />
<br />
Upon first inspection we all looked different – three men, one woman; three South<br />
Carolinians, one Ohioan; three black and one white. We shared space recently afforded<br />
by the installation of a partial floor within the building’s north chamber, a room<br />
determined by archaeology and corroborated through oral history, to have served as<br />
a laundry for the main house. Just to our south lay the uncovered floor of the south<br />
chamber, a room that during slavery and for generations after was busied by the efforts of<br />
cooks preparing meals of great variety. Overhead, bear rafters loomed where formerly a<br />
plastered and whitewashed ceiling shielded occupants of both rooms.<br />
<br />
Following an evening program in which Mr. McGill shared his first thirty-two<br />
experiences with conducting sleepovers in spaces that once echoed with the sounds of<br />
enslaved laborers, we four gathered our modest supplies for the evening. A couple of<br />
camp stools and sleeping bags – the items of a veteran to such evenings. A rolled towel<br />
for a pillow and a thin and short blanket for myself, gathered hurriedly earlier in the<br />
morning but not without some thought – what should I bring that would grant me some<br />
measure of comfort meanwhile not stripping me of the essential elements of an evening<br />
spent in an unlit, unheated and unfurnished building? Just how comfortable should I<br />
make myself?<br />
<br />
Thanks to the generosity of Terry James, a co-re-enactor and friend of Mr. McGill’s, I<br />
received the benefit of a padded moving blanket that would remove me slightly from<br />
the hard pine floor that met us all. True to previous outings, James produced a pair of<br />
manacles in which he slept the entire evening, as a physical reminder of the conditions<br />
experienced by slaves during the Middle Passage and here in America during sale on the<br />
auction block and when punished for various crimes or indiscretions. With each shift<br />
during the evening the individual links sang out a metallic clank.<br />
<br />
Ruth Rambo, the fourth in our group, represented a reverse migration of sorts – relocating<br />
from Ohio to her present home of Charleston. Her presence was important for so many<br />
reasons, not the least of which was that this structure was once the realm of women,<br />
African-American women, from whose efforts key expectations each day during bondage<br />
were met for their owners. Her presence made me consider each task with greater<br />
appreciation and how work was divided between enslaved men and women. She also<br />
exuded a sage-like presence that was simultaneously disarming and intriguing.<br />
<br />
An overcast evening with very low clouds reflected lights beaming throughout the<br />
downtown, casting a glow throughout the sky as if someone turned on a 15-watt bulb.<br />
Mist persisted where thunderstorms were forecast to have struck and the thermometer<br />
dropped considerably with the front that had moved in for the evening. With one of<br />
the building’s two doors remaining open until 4:00 a.m., I found sleep elusive. Every<br />
20 minutes I changed positions after the pine floor had numbed hip and shoulder to<br />
the point of waking me up. Punctuating bouts of waking up was my contributions to a<br />
chorus of snoring among us that surely would have been quite a concert for the very few<br />
passersby that we had during the evening. When not met with the sound of trains and<br />
sirens, common during certain times of the later hours, I was struck by the quietude of<br />
the kitchen – the one place that Mr. McGill believed would have been, at times, a place<br />
of solitude for slaves whose daily actions were both driven and monitored by owners.<br />
On occasion the only sound discernible was the rustling of palmetto tree fronds in the<br />
adjacent garden and along Pickens Street.<br />
<br />
The morning began much like the evening had left off – with conversations about history,<br />
race, slavery and preserving important sites such as the kitchen house. Most of the time I<br />
listened, eager to hear what these three persons felt, what their personal experiences had<br />
been and what the future might hold for the fields of history and historic preservation.<br />
Here and there I offered what I knew about Columbia history in general, the site<br />
specifically and what Historic Columbia Foundation had accomplished in recent years<br />
addressing a handful of topics, including that of slavery – ultimately the institution whose<br />
legacy brought us temporarily together on evening before a peaceful Easter weekend full<br />
of reflection.<br />
<br />
For me, a native Columbian, this experience with three visitors whose roots lie in the<br />
town of Kingstree and the cities of Florence and Cincinnati struck a chord that will<br />
resonate for some time to come. I was for those brief few hours an ambassador of the<br />
city, an interpreter of the historic site and a watchful eye and an attentive ear for things<br />
that went bump in the night during their stay. Experiences come in many shapes, sizes<br />
and, in some cases, colors, but for me I recall an evening spent with kindred spirits<br />
interested in learning more about the past while preserving the tangible elements that<br />
make history accessible to contemporary citizens and visitors.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Cousin</b> by Ruth Rambo<br />
<br />
And then those men with manes covering their chins<br />
<br />
Those men without blood<br />
<br />
in too many cloths<br />
<br />
Those men making ugly sounds<br />
<br />
dancing only with their hands and arms<br />
<br />
bringing shining plates where our faces appeared<br />
<br />
Bringing bowls of beads that catch the light<br />
<br />
and then throw it away<br />
<br />
Those silly men traded all those new things for cousin<br />
<br />
Those silly men without blood.<br />
<br />
Cousin wasn’t Mandinga anyway.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3l7ReJW1zb0/T4RiOihVQqI/AAAAAAAAB7Q/q9toMWJIwms/s1600/Ruth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3l7ReJW1zb0/T4RiOihVQqI/AAAAAAAAB7Q/q9toMWJIwms/s200/Ruth.jpg" width="138" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Slave Dwelling Project</b><br />
By Ruth Rambo
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
April 5, 2012, Seibels House (Kitchen), 1601 Richland Street, Columbia, S C<br />
<br />
It’s 11:30 AM the next morning: grey, dank, and dreary. Yet my insides defy the<br />
environment; they refuse to reflect the mood of the weather, my insides are flying high.<br />
Even my body is behaving jubilantly. These old bones are not predicting rain although a<br />
thin layer of heavenly spit sits on my hair. My back shows no evidence of its night long<br />
encounter with a bare wooden floor as I had anticipated. The hard pine Cracker Barrel<br />
chair feels remarkably comfortable. I surely would have predicted otherwise. No chair<br />
no matter the level of padding would have been comfortable for the next few days or<br />
so I had forecasted. As instructed by Zora Neale Hurston’s Mom, I have ‘jumped at the<br />
sun.’ Didn’t ‘get there but at least I got off the ground.’<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bggcVog4f2c/T4RZbsz6OiI/AAAAAAAAB64/w11FwaFaVGc/s1600/siebels+kitchen.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="435" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bggcVog4f2c/T4RZbsz6OiI/AAAAAAAAB64/w11FwaFaVGc/s640/siebels+kitchen.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Seibels Kitchen Dependency, Submitted by Ruth Rambo</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I am driving home to Charleston after a sleep-in at the partially restored brick kitchen<br />
on the Seibels House, an urban plantation in Columbia S C. It is just one stop on Joe<br />
McGill’s National Trust for Historic Preservation Slave Dwelling Project. He is the project<br />
creator/coordinator and has slept in slave dwellings around the country on plantations<br />
from Texas to Connecticut. Terry James, photographer and civil war reenactor has<br />
accompanied Joe, also a reenactor as well as a Field Officer for the Trust, frequently<br />
on this mission to highlight the need for preservation of all the antebellum South<br />
relics. The party of four of slave dwellers also included John Sherrer, Director of<br />
Cultural Resources, Historic Columbia Foundation and me, an African American history<br />
dilettante with a lifetime interest in the American system of slavery.<br />
<br />
Joe and Terry were already friends and enjoyed a close camaraderie. Both John and<br />
I had met Joe but didn’t have any common experience with him and didn’t know Terry<br />
at all. Thrown together in a very small space shifting positions or turning over had to<br />
be carefully choreographed. John observed that during Middle Passage the spaces<br />
were much tighter so movement was virtually impossible. My thoughts traveled from<br />
the slaves movement restrictions of a narrow space coupled with the inability to restrict<br />
normal bodily functions with resulting products. We had access to modern facilities<br />
for which I was most grateful. Terry had shackled his hands so when he turned over<br />
we heard the clanging of those chains in the night. It was a frightening and sobering<br />
reminder of physical and psychological elements of antebellum controls. On the lighter<br />
side when we awoke, John our host asked if we wanted coffee. The idea was heartily<br />
welcomed. So he left the historic kitchen and returned from the ‘Big House’ carrying<br />
a tray of juice, coffee and banana bread. We laughed at the role reversal. A possible<br />
descendant of slave owners serving the descendants of<br />
slaves.<br />
<br />
Joe extends an open invitation to people interested in the topic of slavery to join him<br />
by sharing the lodging of a slave cabin overnight. The restoration of the fine plantation<br />
homes is a no brainer. Everyone both black and white; from the north and south wants<br />
to vicariously experience - if just for fifteen minutes- the life style and luxuries of a<br />
southern planter. Yet no one wants to explicitly experience the life style of an enslaved<br />
African. Well! Almost nobody.<br />
<br />
Last night Joe had three takers: Terry James, John Sherrer, and me, the paternal<br />
great granddaughter of Lydia Rambo. Lydia was a slave born c. 1820 who married and<br />
was freed by her owner Lt. Gayle Rambo and has frequently informed and guided my<br />
life. She has been my personal symbol of strength and endurance. Throughout my life<br />
whenever I was feeling mentally defeated or physically ill, I’d conjure up a scenario<br />
where my great grandmother Lydia was similarly compelled to push herself to meet<br />
exceedingly high expectations…physical goals clearly more difficult to meet than<br />
the ones confronting me during my 20th-21st Century life. Just thinking of this slave<br />
woman’s survival achievement, has often given me the resolve to push through extreme<br />
fear and pain and ‘just do it’. The will to survive is strong. Although I never met her, my<br />
G grandmother taught me that.<br />
<br />
Of course one cold night, no matter how uncomfortable, in a brick plantation kitchen/<br />
slave dwelling does not a slave experience replicate. What it did do is give me time and<br />
place and circumstance to think about the real life of a slave. It stimulated me to devote<br />
serious thought to America’s gritty public secret – an inhuman, inhumane system of<br />
trading in human flesh- slavery. The questions flow…the questions with immediate and<br />
obvious answers and the numberless questions without probable answers.<br />
<br />
The first is the most apparent to me: What would America be like today culturally,<br />
politically and economically had there been no talented, creative, abundant African<br />
slave labor? What unrecognized role did slavery play in the supremacy of America<br />
on the world stage? Who first envisioned slavery as the cost effective method of<br />
developing America’s north and south east corridor? Of working the land, of building the<br />
dwellings, of expanding the music, of raising the children?<br />
<br />
Who were these slaves rendered 3/5th a person? Who were these slaves, the only<br />
major group of North American émigrés who did not willingly and purposefully seek the<br />
opportunities available on these shores? Yes! The Africans too were huddled masses<br />
yearning to breathe free. They were also the wretched refuse of a teeming shore. The<br />
Africans were homeless and tempest-tost. Yet here was no welcome for them….no<br />
lifted lamp….no open nor golden door.<br />
<br />
Who were these enslaved Africans who endured a brutal lifestyle of work from ‘kin<br />
to kant’ (can see in the morning to can’t see at night) without becoming chronically<br />
depressed? How did any one of them escape becoming suicidal? Who were these<br />
<br />
slaves enduring lifetimes of hardship and deprivation yet had families, created<br />
communities, learned to talk through many languages, danced, laughed and sang. Who<br />
were these Africans who taught their children the many skills they had mastered- the<br />
most vital of all- how to survive and then manipulate the system without being beaten to<br />
death? Who were these slaves?<br />
<br />
Who would I be, had I been a slave? Would I have been cheerful and chatty? What<br />
skills would I have developed? Would I have run away? Would I have tried to harm my<br />
owners? Who would I have been? And who am I now because my G G M, Lydia was<br />
chattel.<br />
<br />
And why, over 300 years later, does America continue to deny their contribution and the<br />
contributions of their descendants?<br />
<br />
Some of these questions might be answerable: others require a Sphinx. What is crystal<br />
clear is that this remarkable slave dwelling experience was intellectually provocative<br />
and stimulating. You should think about becoming a slave dweller.<br />
<br />
Contact Joe McGill. You’ll become the better for it. I believe I did.<br />
<br />
Ruth ‘Retired’ Rambo<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-827955972335892819.post-85582472013240453472012-04-04T10:59:00.004-07:002012-04-04T11:14:59.851-07:00Slave Dwelling Project accounts from the attic<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>Well now, here you have the the accounts of the other three overnighters from the Bush-Holley House attic, Dionne Ford Kurtti, Rev. David Pette, and Grant Hayter-Menzes. If you missed Joe's account, see <a href="http://www.aboutourfreedom.com/2012/04/sons-of-former-slaves-and-sons-of.html">Sons of former slaves, and sons of former slave owners</a>. Their perspectives are insightful and honest. We appreciate them for taking the time to give their impressions of their experience. We also appreciate Joe for forwarding their submissions.</i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
<i>Enjoy!</i><br />
<i>Robin Foster</i><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NN9t65HdI5I/T3yLBhbQobI/AAAAAAAAB44/kYcQT88SyIw/s1600/bush+holly+group+shot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="278" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NN9t65HdI5I/T3yLBhbQobI/AAAAAAAAB44/kYcQT88SyIw/s400/bush+holly+group+shot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Joseph McGill, Jr., Grant Hayter-Menzies, Dionne Ford Kurtti, Reverend David Pettee</span></b></span>
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</tbody></table>
<br />
For more information, contact:<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<b>By Joseph <span class="il" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffffcc; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">McGill</span>, Jr. | Field Officer | Charleston Field Office<u></u><u></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
National Trust for Historic Preservation | <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=32.7913888889,-79.935&spn=0.01,0.01&q=32.7913888889,-79.935%20(Gov.%20William%20Aiken%20House)&t=h" rel="geolocation" style="color: #276286; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" target="_blank" title="Gov. William Aiken House">William Aiken House</a><span style="font-size: 14pt;">l</span> 456 King Street, 3rd Floor, <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=32.7833333333,-79.9333333333&spn=0.1,0.1&q=32.7833333333,-79.9333333333%20(Charleston%2C%20South%20Carolina)&t=h" rel="geolocation" style="color: #276286; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" target="_blank" title="Charleston, South Carolina">Charleston, South Carolina</a> 29403 |<u></u><u></u></div>
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Phone: <a href="tel:843-722-8552" style="color: #1155cc; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" target="_blank" value="+18437228552">843-722-8552</a> | Fax: <a href="tel:843-722-8652" style="color: #1155cc; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" target="_blank" value="+18437228652">843-722-8652</a> |<u><a href="mailto:joseph_mcgill@nthp.org" style="color: #1155cc; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" target="_blank">joseph_mcgill@nthp.org</a></u> | <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.preservationnation.org/" style="color: #1155cc; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" target="_blank">www.PreservationNation.org</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jRB5FIpge5g/T3yCzUtqs_I/AAAAAAAAB4g/A4hmhSsyGeE/s1600/Dionne+Ford.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jRB5FIpge5g/T3yCzUtqs_I/AAAAAAAAB4g/A4hmhSsyGeE/s200/Dionne+Ford.jpg" width="158" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
<b>Dionne Ford Kurtti</b><br />
<i>"...the lives of the slaves in that attic would no</i><br />
<i>longer be silent or completely in the dark." </i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
When I was invited to join Joe McGill in his slave dwelling project, I leapt (or slept)<br />
at the opportunity. Over the past two years, I’ve admired Joe’s efforts to bring slave<br />
dwellings and their need to be preserved to the attention of the public by sleeping in any<br />
slave dwelling that will have him. So when his project brought him North, to the Bush-<br />
Holly House in <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=41.0388888889,-73.6136111111&spn=0.1,0.1&q=41.0388888889,-73.6136111111%20(Greenwich%2C%20Connecticut)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Greenwich, Connecticut">Greenwich, CT</a> I was honored and thrilled to make the hour drive to join<br />
him, Grant Hayter Menzes, and Dave Pettee in an overnight stay.<br />
<br />
At first, I was struck by the size of the dwelling. It was larger than I’d expected. In my<br />
research in to my family’s history, I’d encountered one other slave dwelling in Virginia,<br />
half the width of the attic. But that cabin was a higher, stand-alone structure, only a<br />
stone’s throw away from the big plantation house, but still it provided some measure<br />
of autonomy, a place where its inhabitants could speak freely and just be. Not so in the<br />
Bush-Holly House. Located in the historic home built by wealthy Dutch farmer Justus<br />
Bush, the slave quarter doubled as a storage space and food preparation area. Among the<br />
blankets and pillows are baskets of (fake) vegetables and herbs hang from the exposed<br />
wooden beams to give a feel of how it would have been in the late 1700s. Once the<br />
reporters and staff members of the Historical Society left and it was just the four of us,<br />
we all instinctively spoke in hushed tones, as if to not let other people overhear. That’s<br />
what it would have been like for the enslaved people there – a dwelling, but not much of<br />
a sanctuary. What must it have been like to have your only shelter be in the same house<br />
with your masters? When could the enslaved people there ever speak freely?<br />
<br />
I am descended from both a slave and a slaveholder, but when I went searching for my<br />
family’s roots, I was really only interested in my enslaved ancestors’ story. I didn’t<br />
want to know about the people who had enslaved them even though their blood courses<br />
through me. Because slaves were property, the details of their lives exist almost entirely<br />
in the documents of the people who owned them like the will where my great, great-<br />
grandmother was bequeathed along with cattle and farm equipment. It quickly became<br />
apparent that I could not learn anything about my enslaved ancestors without learning<br />
about the people who enslaved them. It stands to reason that the opposite is true. If we<br />
want to fully understand how the historic towns that we now call home were established,<br />
we have to look at the lives of all the people who had a hand in planting those roots<br />
from those whose names live on in town halls to their slaves whose names are largely<br />
forgotten, but whose sweat and blood tilled the soil. The Greenwich Historical Society<br />
understands this. Coming across that slave cabin in Virginia was like finding a spring<br />
in the dessert, so rare was it for me to encounter an existing monument to the life of<br />
enslaved people, my people, who have mostly been eradicated from our minds and<br />
thoughts, which in turn eradicates me, makes me feel invisible. Having the chance to<br />
sleep in the Bush-Holley slave quarters was the equivalent of diving in to that spring,<br />
quenching my thirst to know more about slavery and how it informed the foundation of<br />
our country. These slave dwellings are sacred places and an opportunity to encounter<br />
them is a pilgrimage.<br />
<br />
Before I went to sleep, I used my phone to send a good night email to my family and<br />
noticed a message from one of my genealogy buddies whose ancestors are from the<br />
same town as mine, <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=30.41,-88.7975&spn=0.1,0.1&q=30.41,-88.7975%20(Ocean%20Springs%2C%20Mississippi)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Ocean Springs, Mississippi">Ocean Springs, Mississippi</a>. Our enslaved ancestors are buried in<br />
the same Mississippi cemetery and we think we may even be distant cousins. She asked<br />
that I please touch the wall of the Bush-Holley cabin and whisper her ancestor’s name.<br />
I said, “Johanna” into the still Connecticut air, “Tempe” and “Eliza,” my own enslaved<br />
ancestors, “59” the number of souls my great, great-grandfather enslaved before selling<br />
them and “Candace” who had inhabited that attic.<br />
<br />
Silent in the attic, completely in the dark, I could hear rain on the roof as I closed my<br />
eyes to go to sleep. I rested well, a feat for me, because it usually takes me a long time<br />
to still my mind enough to go to sleep. Maybe it’s because I knew that by being there<br />
with my friends in preservation solidarity, the lives of the slaves in that attic would no<br />
longer be silent or completely in the dark.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NbfbYVXCoVs/T3yFBp2KM-I/AAAAAAAAB4o/oHAg3R8U6b4/s1600/Rev+David+Pette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NbfbYVXCoVs/T3yFBp2KM-I/AAAAAAAAB4o/oHAg3R8U6b4/s200/Rev+David+Pette.jpg" width="141" /></a><br />
<br />
<b><br /></b><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
<b>Rev. David Pette</b><br />
<i><b>"</b>It is so easy to forget that </i><i>slavery helped build the North because it is so hard to see that legacy any more."</i><br />
<br />
<b><br /></b><br />
<br />
<br />
Here in the North, we have inherited a powerful historical amnesia when it comes to<br />
the memory of slavery. But don’t worry. We haven’t forgotten our history. We still<br />
worship the stories of the Sons of Liberty. We still teach “The Midnight Ride of Paul<br />
Revere” to our school kids. “Listen my children and you shall hear…” Every third<br />
Monday in April is Patriot’s Day, when we commemorate again that first shot fired<br />
on Lexington Green that was heard ‘round the world.<br />
<br />
I live In Massachusetts. Our license plates remind us that we are the ‘Spirit of<br />
America.’ We are the good guys.<br />
<br />
In 1754, the Crown requested that every city and town in Massachusetts report the<br />
number of slaves over the age of sixteen. 114 communities responded to the census.<br />
109 recorded at least one slave. The town fathers of Boston dutifully recorded 989<br />
slaves, representing nearly 9% of the population.<br />
<br />
989 slaves? In Boston? How come I had to discover this fact by accident?<br />
<br />
Within walking distance of where I work in downtown Boston, there are numerous<br />
buildings and sites that pay homage to Boston’s storied colonial past. Every day on<br />
my way to work, I pass the Robert Gould Shaw 54th Regiment Memorial on Beacon<br />
St. Directly across the street from the memorial is the Massachusetts State House,<br />
built on property once owned by John Hancock. We all know John Hancock. Or do<br />
we? The plaque that mentions where his house once stood conveniently neglects to<br />
mention that Hancock was also a slaveholder.<br />
<br />
Today, Bay Staters are very proud of our abolitionist past. We forget that in 1835,<br />
William Lloyd Garrison, editor of The Liberator, was nearly murdered by an angry<br />
mob on the streets of Boston. In the 1960’s, in the name of urban renewal, the office<br />
where the newspaper was published fell unceremoniously to the wrecking ball.<br />
<br />
At the base of Beacon Hill in the Boston Public Gardens stands a statue of Charles<br />
Sumner, widely considered the most radical abolitionist in the United State Senate<br />
before the Civil War. In 1856, after Sumner was nearly caned to death in the Senate<br />
chambers by South Carolina Representative Preston Brooks, hundreds of people<br />
sent money to Brooks so he could buy a new cane. It is quite understandable that<br />
many Massachusetts citizens were outraged! Few, however, questioned Sumner’s<br />
outlandish claim made two years before, when he thundered on the Senate floor<br />
that, "No person was ever born a slave on the soil of Massachusetts."<br />
<br />
I can still vividly remember the first time I recovered the forgotten story of slavery<br />
in my own family. In 2006, I innocently upgraded my Ancestry.com subscription<br />
and was stunned to find the 1774 Rhode Island census that indicated that my<br />
ancestor Edward Simmons owned four slaves in Newport, RI. I drove to Newport<br />
the following day to get to the bottom what was obviously some mistake. It wasn’t.<br />
<br />
Instead, I found eleven more Newport ancestors who enslaved Africans. Fast<br />
forward to 2012, I have since discovered thirty additional slaveholding ancestors<br />
and one ancestor who was a captain of at least five voyages in the transatlantic slave<br />
trade. Get this— all these people lived only in New England.<br />
<br />
So much for slavery as a Southern institution…<br />
<br />
I first heard about the work of Joe McGill last year when I was in South Carolina co-<br />
representing Coming to the Table at the annual meeting of the National Genealogical<br />
Society. I was struck by Joe’s vision of wanting to preserve the few existing slave<br />
quarters that are still standing in this country. Lifting up the history of any building<br />
forces us to reckon with the meaning of this structure. It is so easy to forget that<br />
slavery helped build the North because it is so hard to see that legacy any more.<br />
<br />
When the invitation came to spend a night in the slave quarters at the Bush-Holley<br />
House in Greenwich, CT with Joe, Grant Hayter-Menzies and Dionne Ford, I jumped<br />
at the prospect. I wanted to try to better understand what enslaved people must<br />
have experienced every night. I wanted to honor those who were forced to live here.<br />
<br />
Even with a Thermarest pad under my sleeping bag, the floor felt so hard and was<br />
unforgiving. While the attic offered some privacy, it was easy to hear noises from the<br />
floor below, and the creaking, as people walked up and down the stairs. The people<br />
who lived in that attic through bitterly cold winters and oppressively hot summers<br />
must have spoken in a whisper, hoping to maintain as much dignity as they could—<br />
dignity that was constantly undermined by people just like my ancestors.<br />
<br />
As I lay awake, I thought about Joe and Dionne, asleep on either side of me, and<br />
wondered what this experience must be like for them, sharing this space with two<br />
descendants of slaveholders. The rain that pitter-pattered on the roof was a timeless<br />
noise that helped me finally fall asleep. Startled by snoring, I awoke quite suddenly<br />
at 4am, all twisted in my sleeping bag, feeling hot, clammy and disoriented. Back in<br />
1750, the people who lived in that attic were probably already in the kitchen baking<br />
bread by 4am, preparing breakfast for their masters.<br />
<br />
Despite the enjoyable company, it was most certainly not a restful night.<br />
Rev. David Pettee<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aLADSFIHF08/T3yImhULtZI/AAAAAAAAB4w/cWgWGyNMG3E/s1600/Grant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aLADSFIHF08/T3yImhULtZI/AAAAAAAAB4w/cWgWGyNMG3E/s200/Grant.jpg" width="130" /></a><br />
<br />
<b>Grant Hayter-Menzes</b>
<br />
<i>"<b>...</b>to see them in decay because the master’s house is prettier or draws more tourist dollars, and nobody wants to be reminded of what they stand for, seems to me to signify a second enslavement, a multiple crime against the dignity of the people who were born, lived, married, worked and died there."</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I’ve been fascinated by Joe McGill’s Slave Dwelling Project since first talking to him on a
Coming To The Table conference call last year. The timing was fortuitous. Shortly before
this call, I had uncovered information which, in my ignorance, I first could hardly believe: that,
just like my Deep South ancestors, who had enslaved black people from the first years of the
nineteenth century until Emancipation, my New England ancestors of a century earlier had also
been enslavers. One unique case, that of Guy Drock of Norwich, slave of my ancestor Captain
Benajah Bushnell, who was sold in 1752 by Bushnell to the white woman who wanted to marry
Drock, was only uncovered through years of research not only by Drock descendants but by the
diligence and personal passion of Norwich historian Dale Plummer. (Please see this link to my
March 29th meeting with Plummer and the Drock descendants: http://www.norwichbulletin.com/
news/x586038473/Descendants-of-Norwich-slave-owner-meet).<br />
<br />
Through this line of enquiry, I read that the Greenwich Historical Society owns and operates the
1730 Bush-Holley House, one of the few houses in New England with extant slave quarters. It is
also one of the few which candidly interprets the lives of Connecticut slaves from the eighteenth
to the nineteenth centuries. That slavery is an issue many Southerners would rather not talk
about made some strange sense to me; I know from experience that compartmentalization is a
fact of life in Southern families.<br />
<br />
But the people of New England, that crucible of the Abolitionist
movement? Could they face this part of their past? I was to discover that, no, not all are able to
do so. And so I took the first of two big risks. I told Joe during our conference call that I would
contact the Greenwich Historical Society and ask them if he might bring the Slave Dwelling
Project to the attic room over the Bush-Holley House kitchen. I didn’t have to wait long for
an answer. To my surprise and delight, GHS President Debra Mecky was all for it, and a panel
discussion was suggested for the evening of Joe’s stay in the quarters.<br />
<br />
I was asked to be one of
the panelists and to suggest who else might be a good fit.
I did this. Then I decided to take my next risky step. I asked Joe if he would be interested in
having me join him in the attic. I had no reason to suppose he would be happy about the idea.
Joe has had people share the Slave Dwelling Project experience before—black people and
white people—but had never knowingly shared it with a descendant of enslavers. Was that
something he wanted to do? Would he wonder why I wanted to do it—whether I was swamped
with “white guilt”, eager to do my penance on the hard floor of the quarters, to put myself in
the place of those of whom my ancestors required labor, and sometimes love, beyond price and
never once paid for? I know I didn’t want him to think that, because while I am ashamed of
what my ancestors did, like my Southern grandmother, who was as passionate about the subject
of equality as my mother, my siblings and I am, I realize that I am not here to expiate sins that I
could not possibly hope to wipe away or make better.<br />
<br />
I thought of one of the most heartfelt and articulate of the fugitive slave narratives published by
Bostonian Benjamin Drew in 1856. How could my forebears, I said to myself, echoing John
Little, “who know they are abusing others all day, lie down and sleep quietly at night…when
they know that men feel revengeful, and might burn their property, or even kill them?” What
John Little was asking was what I ask, every time I look at the names of Juba and Rose, Ginette
and Warren, India and Satin: how in the name of God did my ancestors have the conscience to
sleep at night, enjoy their silver sugar tongs and their embroidered chairs and the leisure free
labor brought them like the flip of a light switch, while these unpaid laborers lived and worked
alongside them every day, often in the kind of substandard housing that is falling apart now?<br />
<br />
To
see a little house where an enslaved person or family lived, while working from light to dark,
knowing that those four walls were all that consisted of privacy for them (though not always
safety) in the brief interval of night, when they could be whipped for wandering outside their
dwelling after curfew, and realize that these cabins were the powerful human engines that made
possible the big houses where their masters seem to have been able to sleep at night, and to see
them in decay because the master’s house is prettier or draws more tourist dollars, and nobody
wants to be reminded of what they stand for, seems to me to signify a second enslavement, a
multiple crime against the dignity of the people who were born, lived, married, worked and died
there. And a crime against their amazing strength of character and will. It is this that makes
slave dwellings beautiful to me.<br />
<br />
I didn’t want to enter such a place wearing sackcloth and ashes,
apologies on my lips. I wanted to enter and acknowledge the hearts and souls and dreams of
people who despite centuries of enslavement, still knew the beauty of being free. I wanted to
honor them, remember them.
I didn’t have to worry quite so much. Joe replied to my request by warmly welcoming me to
share the experience. And we were in turn joined by Rev. David Pettee, descendant of dozens
of New England enslavers (one of whom we share in common in the Leffingwell family of
Norwich), and Dionne Ford Kurtti, a descendant of people enslaved and of those who enslaved
them.<br />
<br />
I inherited from my mother and grandmother a compassion that has in it no small amount
of anger—anger at the abuse of the helpless and the powerless, which in my grandmother
burned bright for the victims of the Great Depression (of which she had had painful personal
experience), for the farm workers of California’s Central Valley who rallied around Cesar
Chavez, and always for black people she had seen mistreated in her Southern girlhood and long
after she left the South for the west. She had a calm way of outrage; mine is a storm from which I
can rarely collect much that is coherent.<br />
<br />
During the panel discussion Friday night, my emotions
flooded me, and I wondered what would happen when Joe, Dionne, Dave and I ascended to the
room over the kitchen, unrolled our sleeping bags and lay down in that spare, chilly, creaking
space, the shingles just overhead rattling under rain showers all night. For the first half hour,
lying there in the dark on ungiving boards, I had a period of panic. For a split second, I who
have never been a slave understood something of what life in that space had been like for
slaves—the lack of privacy from the master and mistress, the sense of being controlled, unable to
change one’s situation, to endure heat up there in the summer and cold in the winter (or spring,
as was the case with us) without a murmur, to work every day knowing that if you stopped, the
repercussions could involve not a warning letter from a supervisor but degrading threats to your
dignity or personal safety.<br />
<br />
Despite my three friends in the room with me, I felt extraordinarily alone. That’s when I thought
back to an hour earlier, when we four had stood beneath a budding tree in the garden just outside
the kitchen wing. In the damp darkness we took each other’s hands and poured libation to
honor the people who had lived, worked and died here and in all the slave quarters up and down
the eastern seaboard and across the South, those abandoned and gone and those still, by some
miracle, standing, waiting for Joe.<br />
<br />
I had brought with me into the quarters some special things:
a letter written by my great-great-grandmother, the daughter of a Southerner who crossed over
to fight for the North, and a letter from my grandmother, through which her voice emerged
especially clear. And I had intended to speak to the memory of Candice Bush, the last slave
emancipated in Greenwich, whose home we would be dwelling in that night. Instead, what
came to me was the memory of a slave named Rose Jackson. According to her tombstone in Old
Saybrook’s Cypress Cemetery, which I visited the day before, Rose was born in 1778 and died
in 1866. She had served five generations of children of the family of General William Hart,
whose tidy white house still stands down the street from the cemetery. “Faithful Ever in All
Things” was engraved on her marble headstone.<br />
<br />
The love that what this black woman shared with her
white family seemed not to have died with her but to radiate from the marble, as if it had stood
a long time in the summer sun. I saw that Rose was my grandmother, your grandmother, the
grandmother of us all, and the good she did is still going on, like the tides at Saybrook and the
sweet incense of age and intimacy that pervades the Bush-Holley House quarters. I spoke to her
and my respect for her under the flowering tree, and said “ashe” with the others. And as I went
to sleep later, I said “ashe” to my white grandmother, too. These two knew that the greatest of
all things is love. And this is what, for me, took a cold, dark room and made it and places like it
sacred, and me a better person for the privilege of sleeping and dreaming there.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-827955972335892819.post-5788333671092149772012-04-03T17:40:00.000-07:002012-04-04T20:59:59.675-07:00Sons of former slaves, and sons of former slave owners<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>It is such a great privilege to make the great accounts Joseph McGill's of the Slave Dwelling stays available to you. This blog stands as high in significance as each of the others. We are fortunate once again to have the account of other participants. These accounts will be published in tomorrow's posting on About Our Freedom. Their accounts are unparalleled. Read on to learn why....</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Thank you once again, Joe!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Robin Foster</i></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=41.0380444444,-73.5947555556&spn=0.01,0.01&q=41.0380444444,-73.5947555556%20(Bush-Holley%20House)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Bush-Holley House">Bush-Holley House</a> </b></div>
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<b>By Joseph <span class="il" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffffcc; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">McGill</span>, Jr. | Field Officer | Charleston Field Office<u></u><u></u></b></div>
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National Trust for Historic Preservation | <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=32.7913888889,-79.935&spn=0.01,0.01&q=32.7913888889,-79.935%20(Gov.%20William%20Aiken%20House)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Gov. William Aiken House">William Aiken House</a><span style="font-size: 14pt;">l</span> 456 King Street, 3rd Floor, <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=32.7833333333,-79.9333333333&spn=0.1,0.1&q=32.7833333333,-79.9333333333%20(Charleston%2C%20South%20Carolina)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Charleston, South Carolina">Charleston, South Carolina</a> 29403 |<u></u><u></u></div>
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Phone: <a href="tel:843-722-8552" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank" value="+18437228552">843-722-8552</a> | Fax: <a href="tel:843-722-8652" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank" value="+18437228652">843-722-8652</a> |<u><a href="mailto:joseph_mcgill@nthp.org" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">joseph_mcgill@nthp.org</a></u> | <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.preservationnation.org/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">www.PreservationNation.org</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oQoP-gZmLo4/T3uSYMR4w2I/AAAAAAAAB3g/iEUjMdnNQeI/s1600/bush-holley+house+027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oQoP-gZmLo4/T3uSYMR4w2I/AAAAAAAAB3g/iEUjMdnNQeI/s400/bush-holley+house+027.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>“I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>former slave-owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood.” –Dr. Martin Luther</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>King, Jr.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Bush-Holley Historic Site in Greenwich, Connecticut was not the first northern stay for the</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Slave Dwelling Project, Cliveden in <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=39.9533333333,-75.17&spn=0.1,0.1&q=39.9533333333,-75.17%20(Philadelphia)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Philadelphia">Philadelphia, Pennsylvania</a> holds that distinction. This was not</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the first time that I stayed in a dwelling in an urban setting, for I did that in Montgomery, Alabama;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Lexington, Missouri; Wilmington, North Carolina, Anderson, South</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Carolina and Charleston, South Carolina. This was not the first time that I shared the experience</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">with a Caucasian, for I have done that in Texas, Missouri, Louisiana, Maryland and South Carolina.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It might be the case that some of the Caucasians on some of those prior stays were the descendents</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">of former slave owners, information for whatever reason they chose not to reveal and I chose not</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">to ask. The stay at the Bush-Holley house was the first time that I knowingly shared the slave</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">dwelling experience with the Caucasian descendants of slave owners and get this, one guest was the</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">descendant of a slave and slave owner.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I can recall that when I became a Civil War reenactor 20 years ago, some Confederate</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">reenactors would be quick to voluntarily reveal to me that their ancestors did not own</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">slaves as if to justify to me and themselves that the Civil War was not about slavery. I have</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">read and have a signed copy of the book titled Slaves in the Family by Edward Ball. None</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">of that really resonated with me until I recently got involved with the group Coming to</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the Table. The Coming to the Table story is about connecting people and the past to the</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">present and future in a way that is relevant for our nation. Housed at Eastern Mennonite</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">University’s Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, CTTT was launched when people whose</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ancestors were connected through an enslaved/enslaver relationship realized they</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">had a shared story that remained untold. Today, they and many others believe that the</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">legacies and aftermath of slavery impact our nation in seen and unseen ways and they are</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">committed to writing and telling a new story about our nation’s past and the promise of our</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">collective future.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a9JOReJkE5I/T3uTWob0rSI/AAAAAAAAB3o/iL4eMa_muVY/s1600/bush+holly+group+shot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="278" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a9JOReJkE5I/T3uTWob0rSI/AAAAAAAAB3o/iL4eMa_muVY/s400/bush+holly+group+shot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Left to right: Joseph</span><span class="il" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffffcc; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #222222; text-align: -webkit-auto;">McGill</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; text-align: -webkit-auto;">, Grant Hayter-Menzies, Dionne Ford Kurtti, Reverend David Pettee</span> </span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It was through this group that I was introduced to Grant Hayter-Menzies, Reverend David Pettee</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and Dionne Ford. They would all share the Slave Dwelling Project experience with me on the</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">night of Friday, March 30, 2012. I met David and Dionne three weeks prior in Richmond, VA at</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the national conference of Coming to the Table. Grant, who was instrumental in making the stay</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">happen, I only knew through telephone conversations, facebook and emails.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">According to its brochure, “the circa-1730 Bush Holley-House, a National Historic Landmark, is the</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">centerpiece of the Greenwich Historical Society’s site on Cos Cob Harbor. Bush-Holley House is</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">significant on multiple levels and has been preserved to feature many of the architectural elements</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">added in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Today, the landscape and gardens of the historic</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">buildings are restored to circa 1900, a visual statement that allows visitors to recognize many</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">artworks created on site. Once you enter the house, you’ll find that your tour offers a glimpse</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">into two distinct eras that tell a story of dramatic change over time.” In my opinion, this brochure</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">nor the information that I came across on the website does not do the site justice for all that it is</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">successfully doing to interpret its slave holding past.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Panelists from left to right: Dale Plummer, Joseph <span class="il" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffffcc; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">McGill</span>, Dr. Allegra diBonaventura, Grant Hayter-Menzies, Reverend David Pettee, Dionne Ford Kurtti</span></b><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Prior to the stay, staff at the Bush-Holley House arranged for a panel discussion on the subject</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">of slavery in the north. In addition to the three people who would join me in the sleepover, the</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">following people were also included on the panel; Dr. Allegra diBonaventura, Assistant Dean of the</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Yale University; and Dale Plummer, City Historian of Norwich</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and Chair of the Emancipation Proclamation Commemoration Committee. The discussion was</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">given to a standing room only crowd with lots of questions asked afterwards. It was exciting to see</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">a diverse audience there especially because I knew most of the African Americans who attended.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My uncle was there who I had not seen in 21 years, he was accompanied by his daughter who, by</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">my recollection, I was meeting for the first time. This mini family reunion was reminiscent of the</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">first northern stop for the Slave Dwelling Project at Cliveden in Philadelphia, PA in 2011. There two</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">aunts and my first cousin all of whom I had seen for 20 years met me at Cliveden.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Trying to interact with all the people wanting attention after the panel discussion was a challenge</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">but a good problem to have. I eventually ended up in the space where we were to spend the night.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It was there that the reporters wanted their interviews. Maneuvering in the space was a challenge.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It was a space that was set up to be seen from an observation area. Allowing us to sleep there was</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the site’s curator worst nightmare and rightfully so. The space was filled with artifacts and replicas</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and materials that depicted a space lived in by enslaved people, therefore only Grant and I could</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">sleep in that space. Allowing too many people in to that space could compromise its structural</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">integrity, therefore David and Dionne had to share the space in the observation area. Luckily, we</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">were only separated by 3 feet high plexiglass. Of my 30 prior stays, this space could be compared</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">to the Russell/Reinhard house and Winsor/Aull Greek Revival mansion both in Lexington, Missouri.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The space which was originally separated from the house was eventually attached similar to the</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">slave dwelling at Cliveden in Philadelphia, PA.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Once the reporters left, we all went outside to perform a libation ceremony to the ancestors.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Interesting because although we were only four people, the place, our backgrounds, and our</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">reasons for being there made for some heartwarming and tear jerking requests.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2amx23gfLN4/T3uQcbbYT4I/AAAAAAAAB3Y/HQE8ZtjhVzs/s1600/bush-holley.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2amx23gfLN4/T3uQcbbYT4I/AAAAAAAAB3Y/HQE8ZtjhVzs/s640/bush-holley.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Once back inside the space, the publishers of my blog for the second consecutive time, made</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">arrangements for me to communicate live with an audience through Facebook. The questions</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">came fast and furious and I kept up as much as my blackberry would allow all the time being</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">thankful that this project was compelling enough for people to want to engage in a live chat. It also</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">proved that I must improve my capacity to communicate if I want to continue to offer an audience</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">an opportunity to engage in live chats. What I took from that experiment is that the questions</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">asked forced me to think more about the space and the people who occupied it, and for those who</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">participated, I say thank you for reminding me that this project is not about Joseph McGill but about</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the enslaved people who occupied their assigned space in the Bush-Holley House and other places</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">like it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After the live chat, I engaged in conversation with Dionne, Grant and David. We talked about</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">how the house was threatened with demolition when I-95 was proposed. With our collective</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">knowledge of how interstates were planned, we concluded this area had to be an African American</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">neighborhood. We talked about the challenges of ten enslaved people sharing a 25 by 20 feet space</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">that also coupled as storage space. We talked about the pushy reporter who tried to provoke us</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">into saying things we might regret once we calmed down. We talked about how the group Coming</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">to the Table brought us all together for this occasion. We talked about genealogical research and</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">my disdain for same and how I am thankful for people like the three of them who have the patience</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">for research. We talked about the three of them being prolific writers and how I will be calling on</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">them for inspiration for the writing I will eventually do for the Slave Dwelling Project. We talked</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">about being the descendant of a slave owner and a slave as is the case of Dionne. And then there</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">was sleep.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">By 6:30 am everyone was awake. I was happy to learn that no one accused me of talking in my</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">sleep, snoring yes, but not talking in my sleep. The libation ceremony, the pushy reporter, the</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">live chat, sharing the space with descendants of slave owners, all had the potential of providing</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ingredients for an interesting sleep conversation. The group conversation did continue from the</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">previous night when I blatantly asked David and Grant the question: “Do you feel like outcasts for</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">revealing the history of the slave owning by your ancestors?” By the answer they both gave, it is</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">apparent that both of these men have drawn a line in the sand and will not retreat despite what</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ridicule that might come their way. I guess that became clear to me when I was in Richmond three</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">weeks ago with the group Coming to the Table because there were more people there like Grant</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and David. We all left the space as we came in, with a reporter coming to gather our thoughts about</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">our overnight stay at the Bush-Holley House.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Next post: <a href="http://www.aboutourfreedom.com/2012/04/slave-dwelling-project-accounts-from.html">Slave Dwelling Project accounts from the attic </a>(The accounts by D<b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">ionne Ford Kurtti, D</b><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">avid Pette, and G</b><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">rant Hayter-Menzies).</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></b></span><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-827955972335892819.post-32492974097646451402012-02-28T20:45:00.003-08:002012-02-28T21:05:54.454-08:00Discovering "The Colored Teachers' Agency" - Part One<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">This is the first in a series of posts about The Colored Teachers' Agency which was established to help African American teachers find employment. I first stumbled upon a reference to The Colored Teachers' Agency in an article in <i><a href="http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83025797/">"The People's Recorder 1893-1925"</a></i> on <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronicling_America" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Chronicling America">Chronicling America</a>. I. M. A. Meyers was the manager of the agency in <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=34.1897222222,-82.1547222222&spn=0.1,0.1&q=34.1897222222,-82.1547222222%20(Greenwood%2C%20South%20Carolina)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Greenwood, South Carolina">Greenwood, South Carolina</a>.<br />
<br />
I have ancestors who were teachers, and I was fascinated to know there was a agency such as this charged with helping African American teachers find employment. They were required to pay a yearly membership fee and received help finding dues, as the ad says below on September 11, 1909. In this particular case, the agency had secured eight good paying jobs. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HoT6edEd6UI/T02bo8GxYSI/AAAAAAAABuI/9OxTyOaJpYY/s1600/Colored+Teachers'+Agency.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="403" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HoT6edEd6UI/T02bo8GxYSI/AAAAAAAABuI/9OxTyOaJpYY/s640/Colored+Teachers'+Agency.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h1 style="color: #343268; font-family: Georgia, Verdana, Arial, serif; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The people's recorder. (Columbia, S.C.) 1893-1925, September 11, 1909, Image 1</span></h1><h3 style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.4em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Image provided by <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=33.9975,-81.0252777778&spn=0.01,0.01&q=33.9975,-81.0252777778%20(University%20of%20South%20Carolina)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="University of South Carolina">University of South Carolina</a>; <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=34.0005555556,-81.0441666667&spn=0.1,0.1&q=34.0005555556,-81.0441666667%20(Columbia%2C%20South%20Carolina)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Columbia, South Carolina">Columbia, SC</a></span></h3><h3 class="" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.4em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Persistent link: <a href="http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83025797/1909-09-11/ed-1/seq-1/" style="color: #003366;">http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83025797/1909-09-11/ed-1/seq-1/</a></span></h3></td></tr>
</tbody></table>As I widened my search, I discovered yet another reference to "The Colored Teacher's Agency" in <a href="http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83016810/">"The Appeal (Saint Paul, Minn 1889-19??)</a>" This ad had been placed in the paper by the Manager of the National Colored Teachers' Agency in <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=38.8951111111,-77.0366666667&spn=0.1,0.1&q=38.8951111111,-77.0366666667%20(Washington%2C%20D.C.)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Washington, D.C.">Washington, D. C.</a>, Thomas J. Calloway. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eAsT7pg8-NE/T02jEHCklII/AAAAAAAABuY/IN0qajKWNUY/s1600/Thomas+J+Calloway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="403" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eAsT7pg8-NE/T02jEHCklII/AAAAAAAABuY/IN0qajKWNUY/s640/Thomas+J+Calloway.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h1 style="color: #343268; font-family: Georgia, Verdana, Arial, serif; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Appeal. (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, August 20, 1892, Page 2, Image 2</span></h1><h3 style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.4em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Image provided by <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_Historical_Society" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Minnesota Historical Society">Minnesota Historical Society</a>; <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=44.9441,-93.0852&spn=0.1,0.1&q=44.9441,-93.0852%20(Saint%20Paul%2C%20Minnesota)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Saint Paul, Minnesota">Saint Paul, MN</a></span></h3><h3 class="" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.4em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Persistent link: <a href="http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83016810/1892-08-20/ed-1/seq-2/" style="color: #003366;">http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83016810/1892-08-20/ed-1/seq-2/</a></span></h3></td></tr>
</tbody></table>So I had by now concluded that various states had a chapter of this agency and probably fell under the umbrella of the national organization. Below, I will discuss a little bit more about the life of Thomas J. Calloway.<br />
<br />
Just above the article on the bottom right corner of this page was an advertisement for Wilberforce University in Ohio. I was pleasantly surprised since this was a St. Paul, Minnesota paper. This is my mother's Alma Mater.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gm4LyHU1Fps/T02f9kvdHVI/AAAAAAAABuQ/VC2ogrxwPyU/s1600/Wilberforce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="403" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gm4LyHU1Fps/T02f9kvdHVI/AAAAAAAABuQ/VC2ogrxwPyU/s640/Wilberforce.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h1 style="color: #343268; font-family: Georgia, Verdana, Arial, serif; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Appeal. (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, August 20, 1892, Page 2, Image 2</span></h1><h3 style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.4em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Image provided by Minnesota Historical Society; Saint Paul, MN</span></h3><h3 class="" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.4em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Persistent link: <a href="http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83016810/1892-08-20/ed-1/seq-2/" style="color: #003366;">http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83016810/1892-08-20/ed-1/seq-2/</a></span></h3></td></tr>
</tbody></table>I next embarked on an online search using Google to see if I could find more references to the agency. I found an ebook on the website, <a href="http://catalog.hathitrust.org/">Hathi Trust Digital Library</a>. I was overjoyed to discover that it is <a href="http://hdl.handle.net/2027/loc.ark:/13960/t2k656x7j">The Teacher's Handbook</a> published by The Colored Teachers' Agency. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JUqiLRy2ATQ/T02oyLC718I/AAAAAAAABug/lxrCCBKb9Zg/s1600/Teacher's+Handbook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JUqiLRy2ATQ/T02oyLC718I/AAAAAAAABug/lxrCCBKb9Zg/s640/Teacher's+Handbook.jpg" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS', arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: -webkit-left; text-indent: -25px;">Calloway, Lettie Nolen. [from old catalog]. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS', arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: -webkit-left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: -25px;"><a href="http://hdl.handle.net/2027/loc.ark:/13960/t2k656x7j">Teachers' Hand-book: Hints On How to Teach Beginners, Language, Grammar, Reading, Orthography, Arithmetic, Geography, History, Penmanship, Drawing, And Vocal Music, And Quotations, Pithy And Choice, From Classical Literature.</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS', arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: -webkit-left; text-indent: -25px;">Washington, D.C.: The Colored teachers' agency, 1893. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>I am quite anxious to read this book and share my reflections. We can learn from the book that The Colored Teachers' Agency had the approval of Frederick Douglass:<br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>"The enterprise is endorsed by Hon. Frederick Douglass who knows a good thing when he sees it--and the press generally. Mr Calloway is a reliable gentleman and when he undertakes anything he generally succeeds with it. He was at one time the Washington correspondent of the Plaindealer at Detroit, and contributed a series of readable articles on the public schools of the South. He is just the man for the work. Washington News Syndicate" </i> (page 33, The Teachers' Handbook).<br />
<br />
<br />
It was written by Lettie Nolen Calloway, and we will need to prove her relationship to Thomas J. Calloway. Thomas J. Calloway graduated from Fisk University in 1889, and from Howard University School of Law in 1893. He was a high school assistant professor in Evansville, Indiana, President of Alcorn University in West Side, Mississippi, and a War Department in Washington, D. C., as well as President of a normal school in Helena, Arkansas. See<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=Ii2Lb374VdYC&pg=PA167&lpg=PA167&dq=%22Thomas+J+calloway%22+alcorn+colored+teachers'&source=bl&ots=tKYrG9NZDJ&sig=xnov1GDW9CPaEyXXtUb6LZD5rwE&hl=en&sa=X&ei=nJlNT4m0JObr0QHBwdywAg&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=%22Thomas%20J%20calloway%22%20alcorn%20colored%20teachers'&f=false">Photography on the color line: W.E.B. Du Bois, race, and visual culture</a><br />
By Shawn Michelle Smith, page 167.<br />
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<a href="http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/id?1228828" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Prof. Thomas J. Calloway, A.B.... Digital ID: 1228828. New York Public Library"><img alt="Prof. Thomas J. Calloway, A.B.... Digital ID: 1228828. New York Public Library" height="640" src="http://images.nypl.org/?id=1228828&t=r" title="Prof. Thomas J. Calloway, A.B.... Digital ID: 1228828. New York Public Library" width="404" /></a><br />
<div class="metacaption" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><h4 style="display: inline; font-size: 1.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Image Title</h4><span style="font-size: 12px;">: Prof. Thomas J. Calloway, A.B. : President Alcorn A. & M. college, West Side, Miss.</span></div><div style="font-size: 1.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div style="font-size: 1.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: left;"></div><h4 style="display: inline; font-size: 1.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><h4 style="display: inline; font-size: 1.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Published Date</h4><span style="font-size: 12px;">: c1900?</span></div></h4><div style="font-size: 1.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div style="font-size: 1.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: left;"></div><h4 style="display: inline; font-size: 1.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><h4 style="display: inline; font-size: 1.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Source</h4><span style="font-size: 12px;">: The college of life : or, Practical self-educator, a manual of self-improvement for the colored race forming an educational emancipator and a guide to success. Giving examples and achievements of successful men and women of the race as an incentive and inspiration to the rising generation, including Afro-American progress illustrated. The whole embracing business, social, domestic, historical and religious education. / by Henry Davenport Northrop, Joseph R. Gay, and I. Garland Penn ; embellished with hundreds of superb engravings.</span></div></h4><div style="font-size: 1.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div style="font-size: 1.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: left;"></div><h4 style="display: inline; font-size: 1.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><h4 style="display: inline; font-size: 1.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Location</h4><span style="font-size: 12px;">: Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture / Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division</span></div></h4><div style="font-size: 1.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div style="font-size: 1.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: left;"></div><h4 style="display: inline; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 19px;"><br />
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<div style="font-size: 1.1em;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I cannot resist thinking about how The Colored Teacher's Agency seems to me like an earlier version of an employment agency. I have so many questions in my mind. I am curious to know when it was first created and if any records survive that would identify teachers or those who applied for membership. I am equally as anxious to read the handbook to see what I can glean. </span></div></div></h4></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4