Fort Snelling

The footprints of the chattel slavery that once gripped this nation can be found in many states. In southern states, the built environment of slavery exists in many structures erected prior to 1860. These antebellum structures were either built by the enslaved, or their labor provided the wealth for their construction.

Fort Snelling

The built environment of slavery also exists in northern states, finding them is more of a challenge, but not impossible. To find the built environment of slavery in northern states, one must first accept the fact that chattel slavery existed in that region of the United States. Therein lies the challenge. Our educational system failed most, leading them to believe that slavery in the United States was only a southern thing. Even I fell victim to that way of thinking.

Some northern historic sites perpetuate the myth of slavery being a southern thing by not interpreting the slavery that existed at their property. These sites existing legislation was not founded on the concept of telling a complete story.

Eight years ago, I was a victim of ignorance, I relegated that peculiar institution of slavery to plantations in southern states, because that is what my limited education in American history taught me. Need I say, I do have a college degree. Being a South Carolinian, it was a revisionist history that was taught to me. This revisionist history taught me nothing to be proud of as an African American. To break out of that funk, I conducted the research that taught me that I possess the DNA of a proud and resilient people. This research also taught me that slavery was more than a southern thing.

Brentsville Jail

There are those times when I can visit sites that break the mold of enslaved people only occupying slave cabins on southern plantations. I’ve slept in jails because that’s where captured escaping enslaved people were kept, if they were taken alive, until they could be retrieved by their enslavers. Additionally, I’ve slept in barns, freedman’s cottages, churches, attics, basements, institutions of higher learning, a dungeon, a boat, a courthouse lawn, a former bank and we’ve even pitched tents at sites where slave dwellings were once located.

The Octagon House, Washington, DC

I get the most pushback from people when I tell them I’ve spent nights in slave dwellings in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Wisconsin. People engaged in conversations about slavery in northern states usually default to the Underground Rail Road or the Union Army ridding this nation of slavery. Amazingly, slavery didn’t end in Washington, DC until April of 1862, and I have spent a night in the Octagon House.

I slept at Fort Crawford in Prairie Du shein, Wisconsin. I often hear people say that America’s original sin was slavery. I disagree, I think our original sin was purging the Natives. You see, southern Army officers were sent out west to conduct these purges, Jefferson Davis was one of those southern officers, he had an enslaved man with him at Fort Crawford in Prairie Du shein. The sad thing about the matter was that the Army officers were compensated for the upkeep of the enslaved person. More proof that slavery was not just a southern thing. 

Fort Snelling

People were also enslaved at Fort Snelling located St. Paul, Minnesota at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers. On Saturday, August 4, 2018, I spent a night in Fort Snelling. The Louisiana Purchase and Manifest Destiny made it necessary to acquire and develop the land once occupied by Native Americans. Fort Snelling played a vital role in the purging of those Natives. Two people caught up in a legal conundrum that chattel slavery imposed on this nation were Dred and Harriet Scott. Dred was brought to Fort Snelling by his owner John Emerson, an army surgeon. It was Dred Scott’s presence in the free state of Minnesota that was the basis for his petition for freedom before the United States Supreme Court. Of course, the Supreme Court led by Chief Justice Roger B. Taney ruled in 1857 that all Blacks, slaves as well as free, were not and could not become citizens of the United States. 

Fort Snelling

Historic sites have employed the use of archaeology to recreate buildings that once stood on those sites. James Madison’s Montpelier and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello have employed this method of recreating buildings. Using the archaeological findings, the place where I would sleep at Fort Snelling was built on the footprint of the previous building.

What impressed me most about the site was that the orientation film was fair and balanced. It did not sugarcoat the message about purging the Natives or of enslaving people at the fort. As expected at a site interpreting military history, costumed interpreters are a strong component of what is offered to the public.

The public program was well attended and surprisingly diverse. Many of the participants were interacting with the Fort for the first time.

Fort Snelling

The tour of the fort was well attended by a diverse audience and focused on the chattel slavery that was practiced within its walls. The tour culminated with a fireside conversation about slavery and the legacy that it left on this nation. The conversation could have gone longer but most of the people involved would not be spending the night.

Fort Snelling

It is seldom that I sleep alone anymore in spaces once inhabited by the enslaved. I would sleep alone in this space, kind of. While I slept alone in the space once inhabited by Dred and Harriet Scott, two other staff members slept in a building in another part of the fort. While I anticipated a peaceful night of sleeping, the Minnesota mosquitoes had other ideas. The insect repellent acted as a salad dressing and I was the salad for the mosquitos.

Conclusion

For me personally, this trip exposed a lot of the flaws we had as a young nation. Purging Natives and enslaving African Americans are all major components of what played out at Fort Snelling. I am certain that initially, purging Natives and enslaving Africans were not elements of the stories that were told at Fort Snelling. While one visit by the Slave Dwelling Project to a historic site does not indicate pass/fail for honoring the enslaved Ancestors, it does indicate that willingness to do the right thing.

From what I witnessed in my limited time there, Fort Snelling is far along in telling a complete story. I will leave you with this piece from Ryan Dawes of KFAI MinnieCulture.

Tamera Johnson

Fort Snellling

I had the privilege of attending the excellent lecture by Mr. McGill at the Minnesota Historical Fort Snelling site and the in-depth tour and fireside discussion in the evening. I attended since as a native Minnesotan I wanted to acknowledge and honor the approximately 30 slaves who lived and toiled at Fort Snelling. I have long studied American history with a focus on slavery and Native American issues. I was greatly moved by the information given and shared by the participants. The post-event discussions at the fireside were insightful, meaningful and poignant. If as a nation we are to heal from our past transgressions, we must honestly acknowledge how these travesties still affect us. We must also continue with open discussions on how best to heal and remedy the problems we still face.

Cassady Blog Post – The Slave Dwelling Project

Fort Snelling

On Saturday, August 4 Joseph McGill made his first visit to Historic Fort Snelling at Bdote, a historic site administered by the Minnesota Historical Society. I was assigned to be the event coordinator, so for several months prior Joseph and I corresponded about his visit and the programs we’d offer while he was here. I was excited to meet and work with Joseph since I was familiar with his work already, but I wasn’t sure how interested the Twin Cities community would be on this topic. Many Minnesotans still think of the history of enslavement as a “Southern thing”, not realizing that its reach extended this far north and that our state was complicit in supporting the institution during the first half of the 1800s. Would people be interested in hearing this story, one that is at odds with the stereotype of “Minnesota nice”?

We planned two programs for the day: a free public lecture about The Slave Dwelling Project and Joseph’s work, and a special ticketed after-hours tour of the site exploring the stories of enslaved people who lived and labored at Fort Snelling.

Fort Snelling

Because I am a worrier I checked with the box office frequently for status updates on ticket sales. Just two days before the event I learned that only three out of forty tickets had been reserved for the evening tour. If few people were interested in the tour, how many would come for the presentation? What if no one came? Does this mean that no one wants to hear this history? In this time of divisiveness was the topic too difficult for people to handle? I was afraid we’d embarrass ourselves by presenting a poor showing at both programs.

Fort Snelling

The day arrived and I was fortunate enough to be Joseph’s host/driver/guide for the day. We spent time touring the site, visiting with staff, and discussing the work we do. Admittedly, all the while I was distracted by a gnawing worry that no one would come and that Joseph would be forced to present to an empty auditorium and tour with only a handful of people. However, when the time came for the afternoon presentation I was thrilled to see the auditorium packed with guests of all ages. Many audience members were people of color, a group of people the site has traditionally underserved with its programs and events. What was meant to be an hour-long program turned into a 2-hour event with dozens of people staying to ask questions and speak with Joseph personally. Many also flocked to the ticket desk to inquire about participating in the evening tour. We sold out and (unfortunately) had to turn some people away. The response to the programs was more than I could have imagined.

Fort Snelling

I had the opportunity to speak with some of the folks who attended the programs, and I learned that for many of them this was their first visit to the site. Several specifically told me that they had never before felt that Historic Fort Snelling at Bdote had anything for them, and now felt a connection to the place and its history. Beyond that, I watched guests connect with each other, talking and laughing and sharing ideas throughout their experience. By exploring this painful history together, and having the opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas, the group created a sense of community inclusive of people of different ages and cultural backgrounds. In some small way, through working with Joseph to offer this unique experience, I felt we were helping to achieve the mission of the Minnesota Historical Society – using the power of history to transform lives.

Thank you, Joseph, for helping us bring people together.