The Slave Dwelling Project has many sleepovers at historic sites where people were enslaved in the state of North Carolina. Three of those sleepovers are the result of our relationship with Jonathan Williams, Assistant Principal, Walkertown High School – Walkertown, NC. In 2014, while in the clubhouse at a golf course, I got the initial phone call from Jon. He had just read an article in the Smithsonian magazine about the Slave Dwelling Project. That telephone conversation resulted in Jon organizing the Slave Dwelling Project spending nights at not one, not two, but three sites in North Carolina in the subsequent years.

Jon’s fervent and sincere passion for utilizing the Slave Dwelling Project to teach students about slavery inspired us to ask him to join the Slave Dwelling Project’s board of directors, which he did, without hesitation. Jon has also presented at three of the four Slave Dwelling Project conferences held to date.

This most recent trip to Walkertown High School did not disappoint. When we visited Jon at Walkertown High School in 2017, the sleepover portion of the event did not go as planned. We did not sleep in the place that we thought we would because of its physical condition. Because of that mishap, we immediately put into action, a plan to spend the night at Old Salem in Winston-Salem, NC.

All it took to start that plan in motion was a phone call to Frank Vagnone, who was then, the new director of Old Salem. Frank and I, at that time, were making plans for other collaborations. 

On Friday, May 4, 2018, that plan to spend a day at Walkertown High School and a night at Old Salem was executed. Board member of the Slave Dwelling Project, Terry James and I, started in the library of Walkertown High School giving presentations about the Slave Dwelling Project to scheduled students. We shared the library space with two staff members from Old Salem, they, of course, gave lectures about Old Salem. Our time at Walkertown High School, went by swimmingly. Some of the students who participated in the lectures would join us for the sleepover at Old Salem.

Old Salem

In our three previous trips to North Carolina to hang out with Jon, never had any of the students join us in a sleepover at any of the historic sites. This year would be different. Twenty-two students (11 boys and 11 girls) and their chaperones would join us at Old Salem to participate in the sleepover.

This would be my first visit to Old Salem and I must say that I was impressed with all that I encountered. It is a collection of historic buildings in their original location that were not relocated there for the sake of saving them. This is a living historian’s paradise. I did not know that the Old Salem was bordered by Salem College. 

The dynamics of how the Moravians owned and treated their enslaved people is fascinating to me. While initially, the enslaved were almost treated as peers, this thought process took a turn for the worse as this young nation continued to develop. The enslaved were not owned by individuals but the entire community which was an interesting concept.

Our tour guide held my attention until the group went into the church. I thought that would be a great time to explore the outside of the church for fingerprints in the bricks of which board member, Terry James and I found many.

The hearth cooking was done in the Singles’ Brothers House, the building that the men and boys would sleep. The students were fascinated by the process and some were dispatched to the garden to gather ingredients for the meal while others stayed in the kitchen to assist the cooks. I witnessed how the experience in the garden kept the attention of all the high school students. They touched, smelled, tasted and gathered some of the ingredients that we would consume that night. The amazing thing is, they (high school students) enjoyed the process.

The meal itself was great, it included chicken pot pie, garden salad, and gingerbread for dessert. The meal came with a lesson in how to use the period utensils. We were also tasked with washing our own dishes after the meal.

After the meal, we proceeded to the building where the ladies would sleep. Outside of that building, was where the conversation would occur. It was interesting to hear why the students chose to be a part of this occasion. And what a great conversation about slavery and the legacy that it left on this nation it was. After our brief introductions, the conversation included:

• Kanye West and his comment about slavery being a choice
• The use of the “N” word
• Confederate flags and monuments
• Police brutality
• Beyonce
• The Black church
• Interpreting slavery at Old Salem

I was amazed that the students were engaged fully in the conversation. As expected and not surprisingly, some were more engaged than others, but we managed to have a meaningful conversation that went on until 11:00 pm. We all then retreated to our spaces, the girls to theirs and the boys to theirs.

The next morning, the conversation continued over breakfast. The conversation over breakfast focused more on the enslaved cook and her family. Some of the young ladies had the pleasure of spending the night in her space, an opportunity I would have died for.

Conclusion

Our sleepover at Old Salem was a complete success. It took a lot of entities coming together to make such an undertaking happen. We are on to something big in furthering the process of utilizing historic sites and buildings as classrooms. The Southern Poverty Law Center recently released a report that stated that only 8% of high school seniors can identify the fact that the Civil War was about slavery. I have a problem with that. As the Slave Dwelling Project continues to honor the enslaved Ancestors, we will continue to utilize historic sites as classrooms. We work with the coalition of the willing. These classrooms sessions will be available to students and adults. This has always been and will always be our contribution to changing the narrative by including the real stories of the enslaved Ancestors.

Jonathan Williams and Frank Vagnone, you may take a bow, for you have gone above and beyond in doing your parts to make this a success.

Leslie Hayes – WHS Student

My experience at Old Salem was fun because my classmates and I got to hang out with each other outside of school. But it was also an eye-opener because we were walking around places that slaves lived, and it was a proud moment for me because the African American race has been through so much and yet we still succeed through it all. My favorite moment was making dinner because I got to cook our food while others went to get spinach for our salad. I would recommend this experience to others because you learn about people from the same culture as you, and you also get to experience things they did as well.

———————————————————————————————————————

Kendal Bazemore – WHS Student

My experience at Old Salem was very humbling because my classmates and I got to see what the slaves at Old Salem experienced during their lifetime. I think it’s important for other young African Americans to experience this because we need to know what we came from and that we are what our ancestors wanted us to be. The overnight stay was a little uncomfortable because we didn’t have any mattresses and it was hot, but once I got a sleeping bag I fell asleep within an hour. But our conversation at the fire was the most memorable because we got to talk about racism, black stereotypes, how we should respect ourselves, and generations after us and how we can change their aspects on racism. I would definitely go again because it is a great experience to remember and years from now I can tell my kids that my sister and I went on a slave dwelling field trip and spent the night, and maybe that would interest them to do the same thing.

———————————————————————————————————————

My Slave Dwelling Experience

Michael Walls – WHS Student

My name is Michael Walls and I am a student at Walkertown High School. I was recently given the opportunity to take part in a Slave Dwelling Project visit at Old Salem in Winston Salem, North Carolina. I feel like volunteering to take part in this was a great way for meeting new people, socializing, and being helpful. When I first arrived at Old Salem what caught my eye was the very beautiful architecture. After everyone got their stuff dropped off, we took a walk towards a church where we learned about the African-American culture during that time period and what they went through. I learned a lot about the what happened in Old Salem and how various ethnicities of people lived. All of the students helped make dinner in the kitchen and it was a very good meal. We had several conversations at a campfire about social issues, and how we should deal with them. I am very thankful to experience what I did on that day, and if I could do it again, I would be very happy to.

———————————————————————————————————————

Kevin Stacey – WHS Student

When I was asked to participate in the Slave Dwelling Project visit, I was like I did not want to go but when I got there I got to know things that I had never known about my ancestors like how they lived on a day to day lifestyle. It was a great experience how slaves ate back then. And the slave project taught me not to take things for granted because my life would not be the same way if slaves were not freed.

———————————————————————————————————————

Old Salem Reflection

Sincerely, Zarion Blackwell – WHS Student

This trip was a life-changing event for me. I knew when I arrived at the single boy’s home to stay for the night it was going to be difficult. There was no electricity. Although I did enjoy staying there. I’m glad we had the opportunity to discuss real-world problems around the campfire that night. That was my first time ever being around a campfire. The food that was served for dinner earlier that day was very delicious, and it was an extremely difficult eating with the utensils that were given but the food made its way into my mouth. I would love to do something like this again especially seeing where my ancestors lived. I’m really thankful that Mr. Williams gave me this opportunity I will never forget.

 

———————————————————————————————————————

Slave Dwelling Blog

Jonathan Bueno – WHS Student

I am really glad I got the opportunity to attend the Slave Dwelling Project overnight trip. I learned so much about the history of Old Salem and also things I didn’t know about slavery and how everyone lived back then. It really was like stepping back into time. I got to experience it in person and I got to sleep where the slaves would sleep back then. This trip has motivated me to want to learn more about the history and background of this country and of my hometown. I would definitely do this kind of trip again, and I would like to thank everyone who made this trip possible. It really was a great experience to hear the story of the people back then.

——————————————————————————————————————–
——————————————————————————————————————-
Slave Dwelling Project Reflection

Jonathan Battle – WHS Teacher Assistant and Coach

My name is Jonathan Battle. I am a Teacher Assistant/Coach at Walkertown High School. I was asked to chaperone this event about a couple weeks before the event and at first, I was very cautious about what it was all about. slave dwellings??? It really blew my mind! I had no interest in sleeping in places slaves, my ancestors, slept. I didn’t see the benefit of the trip at first. I was ignorant to what I was being asked to do at the moment. But something; call it fate, call it curiosity, or what have you, made me give it a second thought and I actually did some research on the project. I became intrigued by the very thought of getting a chance to learn and lay down in an area that many years ago was inhabited by what very well could have been my ancestors. Or at the very least a close resemblance of what they may have encountered. I also felt the need to take responsibility to lead some of the youth at my school. Being a younger African American teacher here at Walkertown, I took it as a privilege and a duty to see that I am an example of pursuing knowledge that our younger, and old generations, should WANT to learn more about. But I wanted mostly to show our young men that were able to come, that our history is important, and it is important that we show interest in it. We need our young black males to start to take back a sense of pride in who we are. So I said yes and I am extremely glad that I did! It was an AWESOME and DEEP experience. My only hope is that the young men and women that came got the same feelings that I did, and took something very valuable away from this.

Walking around and listening to stories of the people who were enslaved there at one point was very powerful. No one gets to hear the story behind the story. In my view before all slaves were the same. Not here. Not Old Salem. I had times where I was filled with emotions, walking by the old church and see gravesites of children and adults alike. It was brought to my attention that someone found fingerprints in some of the bricks of the houses and the church.

Remnants of the labor that these slaves put in. If not just for a second it touched me. As I touched the fingerprints left behind, I felt a story. I felt like they all left a story behind. I got to thinking; Who made this brick? What was that day like? I stood there in awe that I could be having so much emotion running through me, that I had to take a second to myself. If only for that one second, said a prayer, as if the people’s fingerprints I just touched could hear me. I touched the fingerprints as if they could feel me. It was a very awesome, strong, touching, and powerful moment for me that I will never forget. Something that small as a fingerprint.

We ended the night by the campfire. We were able to open up and got to hear a lot of insight from our young men and women. We were blessed to hear a lot about how they felt about back then, right now, and what the future can and will hold. I really do hope that they took that time seriously. I believe in my heart that they did. Some of the topics were hard for them and it was real. It needed to be. This whole experience needed to get real on them and on us as chaperones. I feel like it was the perfect way to end the night.

After my experience, I look forward to the chance the one day do it again. The Slave Dwelling Project is something that should be mainstream. Not many people understand that there is a story behind the story when it comes to slavery. I believe every place has its own hidden history. I believe it’s important for this information to come to the light.

———————————————————————————————————————

Matt Crews, Social Studies Department Head, Walkertown High School

A career as a teacher can take you to some interesting, unexpected places. And it leads you to meet all sorts of people inside and outside of the classroom. I have had the privilege to experience things and places that I would never have the opportunity to have done so outside of this profession. The latest new experience I’ve been a part of is the Slave Dwelling Project.

I first became aware of Joseph McGill’s work last May when he and Terry James came to Walkertown to speak to our students. This year, I took an extra step and volunteered for the overnight stay. The experience was powerful and educational on a number of levels. Our stay in Old Salem brought history alive for myself and my students. You really feel history living when you see chicken pies and potato fritters made in an 18th-century style kitchen and 21st-century students picking and eating fresh herbs from the Old Salem garden. Watching the kids struggle with two-hundred-year-old eating utensils was, I must admit, amusing. But it’s a good lesson nonetheless.

Of course, the food is not why we came to this place to discuss these important topics. The campfire ring after dinner was a time that brought many emotions. I was proud of my students who spoke their mind without fear of who might be listening or what others might say. And when they were pressed or challenged, they defended themselves with thoughtful replies. Topics ranged from Kanye’s thoughts on the “choice” of slavery to the need to be thoughtful about the type of music young people listens to. Moments like these are good for all people because it reminds us that the world is complicated; we can’t distill complex issues of race and prejudice down to, no pun intended, black or white. There are so many complex, varied ways that these subjects manifest themselves, that we have to take the time to address the nuance of various opinions.

As I told the group when I introduced myself, I believe it is important not just to teach about the past, but to also address the myths that certain groups have built and to tear down those myths with evidence. The work McGill does is important because to this day there are many who believe in the view that slavery was some choice or that it was somehow “not that bad”. Education in the classroom and in the historical setting are critical to tearing down these myths.

F

or me, I see history as the way we teach about our past with an eye towards improving our future. But no matter how much we want to believe it, our national history is not a very clean, pious, pure story. There is blood and chains and destruction littered throughout the three-plus centuries since Europeans arrived here. It is important that projects like the Slave Dwelling Project address the past, come to terms with it, and then work towards moving on. Some cry that we dwell on these dark chapters of our history, but only when we agree on that history can we move past it to a brighter future. It isn’t about apologies for what our ancestors did, but about recognizing what they did and atoning for it.

So from here, I hope that more students of all colors and political persuasions will take part in this project and have these frank, difficult discussions. Adults are sometimes stuck in their ways and difficult to sway from a wrong opinion, but as the discussion in Old Salem showed, young people are willing to open up and express their opinions and ideas for change. Just like my introduction on that night, I could go on and on about the experience at the Slave Dwelling Project. But, as I am out of space, I will leave it at one final thought: confront the past, assess it, learn from it, and grow from the lessons learned.

 

———————————————————————————————————————

Mary Shackleford – WHS Teacher Assistant

I want to thank Mr. Williams for asking me to chaperone. I really enjoyed everything we did. This is very important work and I know it’s not easy trying to get Slave Dwelling Project together. I am so thankful for you all who have been researching to find out about slavery and you did not stop. This was a wonderful experience for me. I wish a lot more could have gone to enjoy this overnight experience and the talk around the campfire. I was very pleased with our students and I felt that they enjoyed it as well. I hope they learned a lot from this experience and went home and told their families. I told my family and others about my overnight in Old Salem, they were as shocked as me, because they knew that had never happened before. I would do it again because the more I know the more I grow and understand slavery more. I just want to say keep up the great work. I would love to see more schools or anybody get involved with the Slave Dwelling Project. Once again thank you so much.

———————————————————————————————————————

Jon Williams, Assistant Principal, Walkertown High School – Walkertown, NC

This overnight stay was my fifth with the Slave Dwelling Project. While every visit is unique in its own way, this one to Old Salem Museum and Gardens in Winston-Salem, NC was like none other. This was the fourth educational experience I have organized for my students, but this was the first one where we actually had students stay overnight in a space once occupied by slaves. Previous visits were ones where Joe and the SDP did a school presentation to many students and then just a few adults did the overnight later that day. In Joe’s words, this visit was “ground-breaking.’

This visit started out as just a random call to the Old Salem Museum Director, Frank Vagnone, last year when our overnight stay site in Walkertown proved to be a little too treacherous for the overnighters from Walkertown High School and the Walkertown Area Historical Society. The wooded area where we were going to stay was … well, too wooded… and the potential for dangerous critters was high. So, self-preservation prevailed and we stayed in an area church who offered a place to stay for the night. Joe made a call to Frank and the ball was rolling to put together an overnight stay at Old Salem the following year.

I don’t believe all of this coincidental. Frank and Old Salem were working on the launch of the “Hidden Town Project” at Old Salem where they were in the process of uncovering the historical site’s affiliation with slavery and the freed Africans that lived in Salem years ago. This story had been “hidden” as so much history is if it does not have a happy ending. Umm, sound familiar?? Again, the important work that Joe is undertaking is widespread and is expanding at historical sites, universities, schools and elsewhere. It’s a good thing that it is…

So after the phone call, planning began and Frank and Martha Hartley were tremendous in their preparation for our students to conduct an overnight stay. We ended up having 10 male students, and 9 female students, and 7 adult chaperones from Walkertown High School who did the overnight at Old Salem. Many of their stories are shared with you in this blog post that Joe has posted on this visit. Again, this visit was truly special because we had young and bright minds give beautiful testimonies at our campfire. Our students spoke their minds about issues such as Kanye West’s recent comments of slavery being a “choice,” the Confederate Flag and monuments, the use of the “n” word, rap music, and many other topics. The conversations were important, robust, and relevant to our students and adults. I truly believe that most if not all students understood the “gravity” of this overnight stay and the words that were being spoken. Words that will spread and work to make a difference in recognizing the histories of the people that stayed in Salem against their will… and the stories of the many who have not been told here and elsewhere.

Another reason for the visit being “ground-breaking” is that a door has been open. The potential for more student stays at Old Salem and other spaces is growing. More historical sites and school systems are going to be open to this kind of educational experience for their students. It is all about telling the “real” history of the people in your community and ensuring that the contributions of the enslaved are not forgotten, but celebrated.

A huge thank you goes out to the following people who made this visit happen at Old Salem Museum and Gardens:
• Frank Vagnone, Martha Hartley
• Joe McGill, Terry James, Prinny Anderson
• Walkertown High School Teachers, Teacher-Assistants, and students
• Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools
• Old Salem Museum and Gardens
• The Slave Dwelling Project

Again, it takes a “village” to make something like this happen. What’s even better is that the “village” is growing, and this important work is moving forward because of it.
Jon Williams, Assistant Principal, Walkertown High School – Walkertown, NC