Human Confessions

On Monday and Tuesday of each week, you can find me at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens in Charleston, South Carolina.  I take pride in giving the tour titled, From Slavery to Freedom.  The opportunity to disseminate the history of the enslaved people at Magnolia Plantation has recently become more important to me. Important, because it is trending that some people come to plantations and get upset because they hear about the history of enslaved people.  Their Gone With the Wind, sugarcoated, mint julep version of history is being challenged, and they are pushing back. Their complaints have gone viral. More historic sites, north and south, are changing their narratives to include the stories of enslaved people, something that they should have been doing all along.

People on the From Slavery to Freedom Tour, have proven to me that they care about this aspect of American history because this is one of many tours at Magnolia of which they can choose. Despite that, I can easily detect some who would rather be somewhere else as I engage them for the 10 minutes that I have their attention.  The question and answer period reveal that some are still seeking those good slave owners, and they want me to confirm that for them, but I cannot.

But I digressed, the purpose of this blog is to report on our most recent sleepover and living history program at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens.

It does not surprise me anymore when people tell me that they are descendants of slave owners.  For the past nine years, the Slave Dwelling Project and historic sites provided the environment for people to feel comfortable in making those astounding revelations in mixed company.  I’ve got a signed copy of Edward Ball’s book titled Slaves in the Family, published in 1998.  Until reading Ball’s book, I never thought about people as descendants of enslavers, as if that bloodline stopped in 1865 with the abolition of slavery.  Now, the Slave Dwelling Project seems to attract those who are descendants of those who enslaved people.  These confessions are different from some Confederate reenactors, I’ve met in the past, who’ve made it clear to me that their Ancestors did not enslave people. On my social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), personal conversations, lectures, and campfire conversations,  descendants now confess about their slave-owning heritage.  The Slave Dwelling Project has also partnered with Coming to the Table.  Their mission is to provide leadership, resources, and a supportive environment for all who wish to acknowledge and heal wounds from racism that is rooted in the United States’ history of slavery.

Our campfire conversations before our sleepovers at historic sites are now becoming much more robust.  The discussions are generally about slavery and the legacy it left on this nation. Locust Grove in Louisville, Kentucky was a great example of the power of these conversations, three hours in, and the participants still wanted to talk more.  At Mount Calvert in Upper Marlboro County, Maryland, we had 100 plus people show up for the conversation when our cutoff is thirty-five. At the Beauregard – Keyes House in New Orleans, Louisiana, the conversation got so contentious that I had to call a time out.  At Monticello, with the descendants of Sally Hemmings, the conversation was about the relationship between President Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemmings, consensual or nonconsensual? We’ve talked about White supremacy and White privilege.  At the Old Charleston Jail, we spoke about the recidivism rate of African Americans in the prison system. We’ve talked about John Brown, Denmark Vesey, Nat Turner, terrorists or freedom fighters. Reparation is a frequent subject of discussion. We’ve talked about Confederate monuments, weddings at plantations, mulattos and miscegenation.   But nothing prepared me for this!

On Friday, October 4, 2020, a group of about 30 people gathered at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens in Charleston, SC.  This gathering was business as usual because I’ve stayed at Magnolia Plantation more time than any other. The weather was perfect, and some had traveled from as far as North Carolina, Georgia, and Illinois to participate. From teenagers to seniors and all ages in between, they were all a part of this diverse group.  The number of people who showed up for the campfire conversation and sleepover event was a pleasant surprise because many people usually sign up, but for whatever reasons, many don’t show. This event was different; we reached our preferred maximum number of thirty-five. Those of us who would stay chose our place where we would sleep in one of the four restored slave cabins. If my memory serves me correctly, this would be my tenth time sleeping in the space I chose, an area that I had all to myself.

We tried a new place for dinner, Gilligan’s Seafood restaurant on Johns Island.  Excellent choice, we all managed to sit together and start the conversations that we would continue around the campfire at Magnolia Plantation.  Two young ladies who decided to stay behind while we ate at the restaurant, lit the campfire.

The conversation was normal.  Introductions, the Slave Dwelling Project, the history of slave cabins, and Magnolia Plantation and Gardens.  Three hours into the conversation, and we were still going strong.  I gave everyone an opportunity for a closing statement.  And then she said it!  A hush went over the group.

Standing on an authentic auction block, staying at the homes of former slave-owning presidents, touching many bricks that have the fingerprints of enslaved people, did not prepare me for this stunning revelation.

This revelation gave me and others a lot to ponder as we retreated to our sleeping spaces. One person even considered the need to sleep with one eye open.

Oh yes, the living history event went on without a hitch the next day. 

Conclusion

To maintain privacy, I cannot reveal the confession made at the campfire. We want to continue to provide an environment for people to feel comfortable in participating in these conversations in the future.   Just know that there will be opportunities in the future for you to participate. You can only do this if you can muster the courage to visit sites of forced labor and engage in conversations about slavery and legacy it left on this nation. We want historic sites to know that we want to continue to use their built environments as classrooms and that we come in peace, we mean no harm. The enslaved Ancestor will love you for granting us access.

Changing the Narrative, One Slave Dwelling at a Time

Frederick Deshon Murphy

Staying the night in the dwelling was a real eye opener. In a world in which white privilege is thrown around like a bag full of corn kernels at a frat party’s game of corn hole. I was struck with the epiphany of my own privilege.  That privilege reared itself in the form of communication, opinion, education and sleep. The slave dwelling project creates the perfect ambiance of sharing testimony. The grounds in which those who were once in bondage forces one to become vulnerable and humbled to their surroundings.  On October the 4th the energy around the fire side chat showed me just how powerful human testimony, non-judgement and a genuine desire for understanding can be. 

Enslaved individuals at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens were part of the reason this African American male had a seat at the table, not as a servant, but as a vital connector in creating thought provoking dialogue to peers who walk in the light of privilege on a daily basis. They were and still are the conduits that harness empathy for people of different racial backgrounds, who’s ultimate goal of happiness in life is more alike than different. 

The dialogue highlights our responsibility here on earth to simply do what’s right. To advocate for the oppressed and honor those who were the sacrificial lambs if you will, of unjust cruelties that still permeate various communities till this very day.  

As I swatted mosquitos, checked for lizards, tossed and turned in an attempt to find a “soft spot”, felt bad for my “suite” mates for battle with large water bugs, and shared concerns for coyotes’ yelps. I was quickly made aware of my privilege.  The luxury of my phones ability to entertain and wake me at my desired time, made me feel bad once the alarm sounded. 

It was 7am. The enslaved who once lived in these dwellings would have already been performing free back breaking labor in which has afford me all of the luxuries mentioned above. 

At 7am I sat in guilt and silence. Internally apologizing…

Follow this link to his website.

Servant Emannu’el Branch

The sleepover did not yield as many blog participants as I wished, but it did produce this article by Servent Emanu’el Branch. Quality, not Quantity