While doing some historical genealogical research this morning, to assist a poster to Afrigeneas I came across an interesting record.
I was browsing though papers of The Freedman's Bureau:
The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands...
...often referred to as the Freedmen's Bureau, was established in the War Department by an act of March 3, 1865. The Bureau supervised all relief and educational activities relating to refugees and freedmen, including issuing rations, clothing and medicine. The Bureau also assumed custody of confiscated lands or property in the former Confederate States, border states, District of Columbia, and Indian Territory.
I was searching for some information about South Carolina, and wound up on the pages detailing crimes:
"Reports of Murders and Outrages"
One very poignant record caught my eye, and though not a murder, or rape, or more sensational crime, it stuck in my head, and I went back to it, to read it again. It made me think about how we have changed since 1865, the end of the Civil War, and also made me think of how long it takes to make changes, and how far we still have to go.
Here's the record:
REPORT OF OUTRAGES COMMITTED BY WHITES ON BLACK AND BY BLACKS ON WHITES FOR THE MONTH OF MAY 1867 BY LIEUT. F. W. LIEDTKE 43RD INFANTRY A. SUB-ASST. COMR. F. B.
By whom committed: Calhoun Nichols, white. On whom committed: Clara Anderson, colored. Place: Greenville, S. C. Outrage committed: assault & battery. Remarks: Calhoun Nichols, a mere boy, was, May 25.67, quarreling with Clara Anderson, a colored girl, because she would not call him "Mr. Nichols," he, however, calling her "Clara." Both were engaged in cleaning a church in Greenville. Clara Anderson persisted in calling him "Calhoun," whereupon he struck her. I had him arrested and bought before a Magistrate, but in consideration of his youth and the fact that he begged Clara Anderson's pardon, paid her ten dollars damages and the Magistrate's costs, I allowed the case to be dropped, warning him however that he had no right to call other people, not in his employ, by their Christian names and require them to address him as a Master.
This may be one of the first recorded records of a black person, a black woman, demanding respect. We all know about Rosa Parks, we all are familiar with Civil Rights struggles. But this simple story of Clara Anderson saying - no - you will not call me out my name, if you call me Clara well then I can call you Calhoun, brought tears to my eyes.
African-Americans were addressed as "boy" or "girl", never Mr. or Mrs. African-Americans, if they lived to be very old, were perhaps given the title of "Auntie" or "Uncle", but never Auntie Jones...no, it was Aunt Jemima, or Aunt Sadie.
Even today, we hear the echoes of this lack of respect in the dog whistles, and characterizations used to describe Barack and Michelle Obama.
I am sure Clara Anderson was viewed as "uppity" for stubbornly asserting her rights, and got struck for doing so.
I'm pleased that the magistrate fined Calhoun Nichols ten dollars - a large sum in post civil war South Carolina. I'm not pleased that he didn't go to jail. Interesting that this assault took place in a church.
This simple vignette, says so much to me about our nation's troubled history. The Presidency of the United States is the most symbolic office in our nation. Many people have discussed the "issue" of black Americans support of Senator Obama in his quest for that office.
Many of "us" still remember the world where we were never Mr. or Mrs. and in some cases are still not. We've waited a long time for this, and we shall see what America's answer is in November.
Forget about the 40 acres and a mule. America, just give us some respect for having helped build this nation, and for our many long years as POW's - prisoners of a different kind of war.
Can't say that word without Aretha Franklin's music dancing in my ears.
I know her song was about a man givin' a woman her props, but it's about time America gives us some as well.