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June 19, 2009 | | Comments 2

Happy Juneteenth!

juneteenth-throwcross-posted at Momma, here come that girl again!

Happy Juneteenth!

Juneteenth, June 19, is traditionally recognized as the day the last slaves, in Texas, learned of their freedom. Think of it as the Fourth of July for slaves and their descendants. Here’s a website with history and suggestions for parties.

Now. Since my last posting, I’ve read several articles and blog posts on racism. The most interesting one, which hails from racismreview.com/blog, of course, had this letter that I’m sharing with you. I’ll save commentary for later, but here’re some thoughts from Ta-Nehisi Coates. Just enjoy the read and leave your thoughts. ____________________________________

SOURCE: Child, L[ydia]. Maria. The Freedmen’s Book. Boston: Ticknor and Fields, 1865. pp. 265-267.
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Dayton, Ohio, August 7, 1865

To my old Master, Colonel P.H. Anderson, Big Spring, Tennessee.

Sir: I got your letter, and was glad to find that you had not forgotten Jourdon, and that you wanted me to come back and live with you again, promising to do better for me than anybody else can. I have often felt uneasy about you. I thought the Yankees would have hung you long before this, for harboring Rebs they found at your house. I suppose they never heard about your going to Colonel Martin’s to kill the Union soldier that was left by his company in their stable. Although you shot at me twice before I left you, I did not want to hear of your being hurt, and am glad you are still living. It would do me good to go back to the dear old home again, and see Miss Mary and Miss Martha and Allen, Esther, Green, and Lee. Give my love to them all, and tell them I hope we will meet in the better world, if not in this. I would have gone back to see you all when I was working in the Nashville Hospital, but one of the neighbors told me that Henry intended to shoot me if he ever got a chance.

want to know particularly what the good chance is you propose to give me. I am doing tolerably well here. I get twenty-five dollars a month, with victuals and clothing; have a comfortable home for Mandy, — the folks call her Mrs. Anderson, — and the children — Milly, Jane, and Grundy — go to school and are learning well. The teacher says Grundy has a head for a preacher. They go to Sunday school, and Mandy and me attend church regularly. We are kindly treated. Sometimes we overhear others saying, ‘Them colored people were slaves’ down in Tennessee; but I tell them it was no disgrace in Tennessee to belong to Colonel Anderson. Many darkeys would have been proud, as I used to be, to call you master. Now if you will write and say what wages you will give me, I will be better able to decide whether it would be to my advantage to move back again.

As to my freedom, which you say I can have, there is nothing to be gained on that score, as I got my free papers in 1864 from the Provost-Marshal-General of the Department of Nashville. Mandy says she would be afraid to go back without some proof that you were disposed to treat us justly and kindly; and we have concluded to test your sincerity by asking you to send us our wages for the time we served you. This will make us forget and forgive old scores, and rely on your justice and friendship in the future. I served you faithfully for thirty-two years, and Mandy twenty years. At twenty-five dollars a month for me, and two dollars a week for Mandy, our earnings would amount to eleven thousand six hundred and eighty dollars. Add to this the interest for the time our wages have been kept back, and deduct what you paid for our clothing, and three doctor’s visits to me, and pulling a tooth for Mandy, and the balance will show what we are in justice entitled to. Please send the money by Adams’s Express, in care of V. Winters, Esq., Dayton, Ohio. If you fail to pay us for faithful labors in the past, we can have little faith in your promises in the future. We trust the good Maker has opened your eyes to the wrongs which you and your fathers have done to me and my fathers, in making us toil for you for generations without recompense. Here I draw my wages every Saturday night; but in Tennessee there was never any pay-day for the negroes any more than for the horses and cows. Surely there will be a day of reckoning for those who defraud the laborer of his hire.

In answering this letter, please state if there would be any safety for my Milly and Jane, who are now grown up, and both good-looking girls. You know how it was with poor Matilda and Catherine. I would rather stay here and starve — and die, if it come to that — than have my girls brought to shame by the violence and wickedness of their young masters. You will also please state if there has been any schools opened for the colored children in your neighborhood. The great desire of my life now is to give my children an education, and have them form virtuous habits.

Say howdy to George Carter, and thank him for taking the pistol from you when you were shooting at me.

From your old servant, Jourdon Anderson.

Entry Information

Filed Under: Black History YearBlack Reparations

About the Author: My primary interests are social linguistics, and social history, primarily African American history. When I go back to school for my Ph.D in history, oh trust, I'm not going to be sick forever, I'd really love to do my thesis on African and African American languages throughout American history to today. I'd compare, for instance, the earliest pidgins to slave dialect to post-bellum black dialect, say of the 1920s, to today's "Ebonics." And if I had to become even more specific, I concentrate on the lexicon and diction of black women. But, I have a really strong interest in anything sociological, including religion. I've actually applied to divinity school and would be accepted except my health keeps preventing me from finalizing the application process. Anything sociological also includes economics (at least enough to know if politicians are lying), anti-racist activism and race relations, politics, and education. I'm all about black empowerment and think reparations would be one of a number of steps in the process of racial harmony and justice. I care about the plight of the poor regardless of race/ethnicity. So basically, I'll try my best to keep you informed about the goings-on of the world. Don't be surprised in lengthy absenses. Don't be surprised by any particular post - I generally write about whatever interests me at the moment.

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  1. Rube The Gifted says:

    Seems like he just wanted The best for his family and I love the fact that he charged his Former Master for his Labor and his wifes.. I wonder of he got paid though prolly not but REPARATIONS are due and Congress Apologized for Slavery Yesterday now they can PAY UP!!!!

  2. Patty says:

    This is a very informative article that I read.. Every Family should consider this one..

    Thanks

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