Civilian reenactors who portray slaves

[agintomboy]

Re: Civilian reenactors who portray slaves

That brings up something else, that I wish were different, but being white, there's not a durn thing I can do about it.

One major aspect of the 19th century that's missing from reenacting, is slave (or free black) culture as it occurred without white people around. Ironically, it's a world I could never see reenacted except as a modern spectator at an interpretive event, because by definition it wouldn't happen when I'm there, but still, that must have been a vital part of enslaved peoples' lives--the fellowship and shared misery, hope, love, and socializing.

The gap in our reenacted world showed up clearly just before the last Westville, when the McDonald household members were discussing their relationships, and I said, "What about Marvin [portraying their slave]? He doesn't have a black part of town to socialize in. Who can he hang out with?"

We worked out a way for him to hang out at the tavern, but there should have been a whole community beyond what white people were portraying. Hopefully, as more people realize the importance of studying and understanding the heritage of enslaved people, more reenactors will become interested in it, and we'll start to see a critical mass develop to allow a recreation of that world.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

Dear Hank:

One of my early events with AGSAS was our living history at Hanover Tavern, I believe it was 2000 or 2001. We had several firpir vignettes in the tavern for the public as we were preparing to see the teenaged son of the owner off to war. Emmmanuel Dabney and I were busy packing his clothes and we were by ourselves and we spent the whole time complaining about how the free white employees worked less and got paid for their labor. I also was worrying out loud about my ability to pay for my freedom by cooking pies (I was the cook) and despairing of the rise in sugar prices. We were interrupted by the boy's mother and the spectators got to see our change in demeanor once the owner showed up! I am sure that grousing about the day to day problems of slavery occurred amongst the slaves out of earshot of their owners. It was quite revealing to them and they enjoyed the reality of the moment.

Anita L. Henderson
Atlantic Guard Soldiers' Aid Society-Cook

https://www.agsas.org

[agintomboy]

Re: Civilian reenactors who portray slaves

Certainly the reality of slavery will never totally be experienced but I have had moments in which it really hit home.

One such event took place at a private residence constructed in 1859 and owned by a friend of mine. Several years ago we had a non-spectator event and while compromises were made we still (overall) had a first person living history for ourselves.

In my quest to understand the lives of enslaved laborers I portrayed one of the domestic servants of this family. About a dozen white women of varying age from teenage to middle years were present. Over the course of the day I was tasked with serving coffee in the morning, serving lunch about 1PM, and tea about 5PM. Over the course of about 7 hours, I had nearly no conversation (as I was the only black person in attendance), the women were busy trying to clothe and feed Confederate troops with their discussion of forming an aid society in early 1862 (as the setting was), I did not eat or drink with them. I scarfed down a few morsels of food in between serving them and then stood in such a way as recommended in Robert Roberts' The House Servant's Directory (published in 1827, new editions in 1828 and 1843 and available now online for free). I tried as best as possible to model my behaviors off what was recommended in his book and Mary Randolph's The Virginia House-Wife (1824). Still even being the "perfect" servant could fall short. I found my mood often as "She wants one part sugar. This one wants none. Why didn't they ask for that when I just came around this room?!"

A pessimist would say that I always recognized I would never be sold, or actually beaten until blood ran from my body, or anything else that occurred to real slaves; but for a sliver of time I understood what it would be like to be constantly observed. My friends understood what it may be like to not actually be friends with a black guy but rather be the ever watchful boss whose entertaining abilities depended on owning others and forcing them to work. There was considerable conversation after the 5PM tea about what both parties learned and how they felt.

I was hungry and dehydrated as I didn't drink anything for 7 hours beyond one glass of water at lunch.

Em, the most realistic time I spent portraying a slave was when I was a runaway slave woman dressed as a man during Struggle for Freedom. Hank Trent was portraying a slave catcher and I was being hidden by people who were temporarily displaced by the union Army coming through. I was hidden up on a rock promontory where he couldn't see me. I spent about 45 min. by myself up on the rock and experienced a small iota of anxiety, fear, boredom and cold waiting for news that I could rejoin the group and get back to the people who were protecting me. Hank by the way, was excellent as a suspicious slave trader and was appropriately creepy that he started to get to my protectors as well!

Anita

Anita

[ElizabethClark]

Re: Civilian reenactors who portray slaves

Moderator Bonnet On:
This thread has now been pruned three times to remove inappropriate modern content or generalized crankiness at moderators. Please, if anyone has their knickers in a twist over their perception of moderator action, contact one of the moderators privately and we'll share your concerns with the moderator panel as a whole.

It's very rare we shut down a thread in the Citizen section of this site. It's even more rare that those running the course of the thread off-track are citizen reenactors themselves, and that's holding true here, too. Gents, if you're not able to read the thread and respond without Lost Causer rhetoric, please refrain from reading. We're getting tired of pruning out the modern politics and revisionist junk. (And if you have a problem with my terminology, feel free to complain in private. I promise my feelings won't be hurt.)

I'll be pruning my own comment out in a few days, once we can see that the topic is not being subverted from its previously very useful and interesting discussion.

/ModBonnet

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Civilian reenactors who portray slaves

Hallo!

"One major aspect of the 19th century that's missing from reenacting, is slave (or free black) culture as it occurred without white people around."

A minor aside, being 18th century but perhaps still relevent...

Last December I was in Williamsburg, and came away very favorably impressed with the efforts of slave and free Black interpreters in demonstrating their daily lives BOTH in relation to Whites, but moreso in relation and relationship with each other.
For example, a young man was interested in courting a certain young woman, but was unsure of how to go about it. Having no parents, he was asking fatherly and manly advice from an elderly man he worked with at the tavern.

Curt

[MissMia]

Re: Civilian reenactors who portray slaves

Hallo!

"One major aspect of the 19th century that's missing from reenacting, is slave (or free black) culture as it occurred without white people around."

A minor aside, being 18th century but perhaps still relevent...

Last December I was in Williamsburg, and came away very favorably impressed with the efforts of slave and free Black interpreters in demonstrating their daily lives BOTH in relation to Whites, but moreso in relation and relationship with each other.
For example, a young man was interested in courting a certain young woman, but was unsure of how to go about it. Having no parents, he was asking fatherly and manly advice from an elderly man he worked with at the tavern.

Curt

Wow, what a great moment to witness--courtship and marriage is something I haven't seen portrayed yet...
ps) Has anyone seen a slave wedding re-enated? (just a thought..)

[Becky Morgan]

Re: Civilian reenactors who portray slaves

How much is known about slave weddings? I've seen a few accounts, but they all seem to be secondhand. I'd love to see one.

[Emmanuel Dabney]

Re: Civilian reenactors who portray slaves

Slave weddings are documented in some plantation records and of course, like most things are written from the perspective of the slave owner. Nonetheless, they can provide details from a largely illiterate population.

Even though the Works Progress Administration Slave Narrative interviews are problematic occasionally there is a reference to marriages as well.

Generally the enslaved domestic servants had more planter family directed wedding ceremonies than field hands. However, in some cases it is known too that slaves commandeered the clothing and accessories of owners for parties.

More on this later (running late).

[Emmanuel Dabney]

Re: Civilian reenactors who portray slaves

Finally getting back to this.

One book to look into if interested in the subject of love among enslaved couples:

Chains of Love: Slave Couples in Antebellum South Carolina by Emily West, 2004.

Mary L. McMurran of Natchez, Mississippi wrote on August 4, 1856:

"I have been wishing to write you, dearest Alie, every day since the receipt of your last most welcome letter, but have had a busy week, each day bringing its not-to-be-put-off engagements.
First we were preparing for the marriage of two of our young servants [Patrick & Mime]– two we have reared and trained in the family – the children of old and favourite servants. They were married last Thursday, in our presence, and behaved extremely well with perfect dignity and propriety.They then retired and passed the evening with some invited friends, and had a fine supper, as happy and merry a company as one would wish to see." (See http://www.nps.gov/history/history/o...hf_melrose.pdf)

In my on-going research on the Eppes family who owned an estate in Virginia, that family encouraged their slaves to marry, providing cash when they did marry. Of course, this is a manipulation for the master to naturally increase the number of slaves he owned. Nevertheless, a few times he provided ceremonies and parties for domestic servants AND field hands in his house or in the outbuildings. Additionally, in one case the white hired nurse joined forces with the enslaved maid to throw a party for a slave couple.

Of course frequently, blacks had parties separated from whites in the quarters. There are some (unpublished that immediately hits my mind) descriptions of some parties by planters who were snooping around the quarters at night.

[MissMia]

Re: Civilian reenactors who portray slaves

Great info, Emmanuel!