Letter From a Former En-Slaved African to his Former Master

From the book Should America Pay: Slavery and the Raging Debate on Reparations, edited by Raymon Winbush, pp. 101–102.

(The following letter was published in The Freedmen's Book, a collection of African American writings compiled by the abolitionist Lydia Maria Child in 1865. This letter is a response to a slave owner who has written his former slave at the end of the Civil War, asking him to return to work in Tennessee.)

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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 yor wanted me to come back and live with you again, promising to do better for me than any body else can. I have often felt uneasy about you. I thought the Yankees would have hung you 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 a 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.

I want to know particulary what the good chance is you propose to give me. I am doing tolerably well here. I get $25 a month, with victuals and clothing; have a comfortable home for Mandy. The folks here call her Mrs. Anderson, and the children Milly, Jane, and Grundy go to school and are learning well. We are kindly treated. Sometimes we overhear others saying, "Them colored people were slaves down in Tennesssee." The children feel hurt when they hear such remarks; 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 Marshall-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 32 years, and Mandy 20 years. At 25 dollars a month for me, and 2 dollars a week for Mandy, our earnings would amount to $11,608. 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 Adam'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. 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 comes 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 your were shooting at me.

From you old servant,

Jourdan Anderson

It gets very simple when the issue is interpreted in the terms of labor for wages unpaid.

As the rest can always be argued.

It is about the money.

It's clean and clear.

PEACE

Jim Chester

What I really like most about reading these letters is seeing that while many slaves may have been functionally illiterate, they were still very much highly intelligent!

Not being able to read or write didn't stop them from having superior knowledge.

This letter shows to me the tragedy and triumph of this man and his family. Sometimes it's hard to read slave narratives ... but, I always feel enlightened after I do.

Has this letter been edited? The phrasing seems very modern...

Nope ... I found it when it popped up on Stumble. I forgot to save the web page, but I'll try to find you a link through my history.

This is from a collection of archives on display at Duke University and was part of an exhibit collection that was traveling back in 2007, if I'm not mistaken. Supposedly, the original of it was one that is too fragile for them to scan .... but can be viewed at the campus by researchers at any time.

My impression, though, was that it was probably not written by Mr. Anderson himself. I think he probably had help ... and probably from his new employer.

Okay ... I lied!

The Letter is from the website of the W.E.B. Dubois Learning center. Their homepage is HERE.

The Duke University Libraries Page was a whole 'nother thing I was looking at ... but, you might find it interesting as well!

EbonyRose, you are busy.

That really helps those like me who don't always have the diligence to 'nose around' through the stuff that is important to us.

Thank you....AGAIN!!

This letter shows to me the tragedy and triumph of this man and his family. Sometimes it's hard to read slave narratives ... but, I always feel enlightened after I do.---EbonyRose

I was watching some discussion...on CSPAN it think...about the Slave Narratives.

The featured speaker pointed out that the project moderators often instructed the transcribers to downgrade the grammar, and speech characteristic 'in the record' thereby demeaning and marginalizing the speaker...the former slave..., and the information being related.

Thanks 'Mr. Charlie'.

PEACE

Jim Chester

quote:

You will also please state if there has been any schools opened for the colored children in your neighborhood.

would an ex-slave have used the word "neighborhood"?

well it looks like i'm wrong



The word "neighborhood" from takeourword.com

Neighborhood dates from the 15th century, but it wasn't used in the sense of `district' until the late 17th century. It comes from Old English neah `nigh' and gebur `peasant, freeholder (dweller).' Hood- was added to neighbor to create the word, -hood adding the meaning `a condition or state.'

Community, by the 14th century, meant `a body of people associated by common status, pursuits, etc.' It comes from Middle English comunete, which comes from Old French comunete. The French word came from Latin communitas, which is from Latin communis `common.'

paid for by your local wordfreak committee

paid for by your local wordfreak committee---negrospiritual

Whew!!!

It is such a relief to know I am not the only one who notices this stuff.

I was really 'ticked' when I heard the author (on CSPAN) relate how this 'downgrading' of the language of the 'Slave Narrators'!!!!

As you (may) know, I am a 'freak' about the language we apply to ourselves...AND needless to say that applied to us by 'others'.

PEACE

Jim Chester