preserve black alabama

One of my favorite historians, John Blassingame, wrote in his groundbreaking book, The Slave Community,  “the plantation was a battlefield where slaves fought masters for physical and psychological survival.” He did not describe it as a ‘civilizing school,’ a ‘positive good,’ a ‘necessary evil,’ a job, or a home. It was a war for survival. On the plantation battlefield, a contest of wills took place. The will of the enslaver to wield power through sheer force, terror, and brutality faced off with the will of the enslaved to remain unconquered.

 Privilege, power, and punishment vs. the natural condition of man: free. 

Frederick Douglass, one of the most famed freedom seekers, wrote about his two hour fight with Mr. Covey. Covey, the “negro breaker”  was charged with breaking Douglass’ spirit. It was his job to reduce Douglass from indomitable to submissive.   Douglass won the battle of wills. He later wrote the “grand aim of slavery is to reduce man to a level with the brute.” Just like Frederick Douglass, enslaved people in Alabama resisted the continuing concerted efforts to extinguish their spirits. 

James Williams escaped slavery in Alabama. He told his story in the Narrative of James Williams: An American Slave Who Was for Several Years a Driver On a Cotton Plantation in Alabama, published in 1838.  As a driver, Williams was charged with carrying out the overseer’s orders which included whipping his fellow bondsmen.  When at all possible, he tried to not carry out the directives. Sometimes he was punished for protecting his fellow bondsdpeople. Being in his position, an intermediary between the powerful and powerless, Williams was a keen observer of human behavior.  To keep himself safe and those under his charge, he had no choice but to learn about people and personalities. He shared his observations. 

“On almost every plantation at the South you may find one or more individuals whose look and air show that they have preserved their self-respect as men;— that with them the power of the tyrant ends with the coercion of the body– that the soul is free, and the inner man retaining the original uprightness of the image of God.”  

Enter Big Harry. Big Harry was one of those men. Physically, he was a stout man, athletic, smart, and a top notch worker. But more importantly, he was “of a high and proud spirit which the weary and crushing weight of a life of slavery had not been able to subdue.” Men like Harry were feared and hated by enslavers and overseers. Harry did not follow the socially prescribed deference for men of his class.  Neither did he show fear. He did his work and spoke when spoken too. Nothing more, nothing less.  His enslaver, Master George, according to James Williams, despised Harry’s “indomitable spirit.” He sought to break it.

 Master George used his overseer Huckstep to do his dirty work. James, knowing full well of Huckstep’s aim, warned Harry of impending danger. On days when he knew Huckstep planned to harass him, James gave Harry a heads up so he would not be caught off guard. Huckstep manufactured situations that would force Harry to fail resulting in punishment.. In one such instance, he overworked Harry by assigning additional tasks at the expense of his regular task weeding cotton. Harry worked until 2 am but was not able to make up the lost time, as intended. Huckstep raged at Harry for not finishing the cotton weeding. Harry, like a mountain, was unmoved by Huckstep’s ranting, raving, and threats. His steadiness only fanned the flames of Huckstep’s hatred and   swore he’d “no longer bear that nigger’s insolence.” 

 As time went on, Huckstep continued to harass Harry who remained at ease in his work and composure. Harry maintained that he did his work and that was enough. Huckstep was entitled to nothing more, especially not the sadistic satisfaction of seeing him suffer. He “would sooner die than have the accursed lash touch him.” Being a man of few words, but true to those words, Harry stood firm. Time passed. Harry continued to work. Huckstep continued to stew in anger until it boiled over.

Seeing that Harry was unmoved by his terrorizing, Huckstep upped the ante.  This time he brought a gun. Harry, true to his form, simply said  “He may shoot me, but he can’t whip me.”  The bullet pierced Harry’s chest. Finally, he got a reaction. Harry threw his hands in the air and exclaimed “Oh, Lord!” before he fell into the cotton. Big Harry died. As James Williams noted  he was buried with all the dignities of “brute” as was customary in Alabama.  “No coffin, no decent shroud, no prayer.” His body, and only God knows how many others, was  merely thrown into a hole like refuse.  Although his physical body was destroyed, his indomitable spirit is eternal. Harry was deprived of a proper burial. Those who  cared for him and witnessed his murder screamed in horror. Their wails were met with the whip.

This is my tribute to Harry whose last name, date of birth, and parents are unknown. May this serve as the celebration of his life, the last respects, and flowers he did not receive when he was unceremoniously tossed into a hole in 1835. This is for the friends who were forced to suffer and mourn in silence. May Harry rest in peace. One hundred and ninety one years late. Delayed, not denied.

History is hard. It can be used to heal, or it can be used to hurt. I choose healing, the restoration of wholeness. The yogis say when you heal yourself, you heal seven generations before you. I view no separation between myself and my ancestors. I am grateful for those who held their ground and shed their blood in the heart of dixie. Without them there would be no me. Their resistance is my resistance to degradation. Their pain is my pain. Their joy is my joy.  I am creating. I am healing.

We are healing.

For further exploration of these indomitable spirits:  

James Williams. Narrative of James Williams, an American Slave, Who Was for Several Years a Driver on a Cotton Plantation in Alabama. 

Frederick Douglass, 1818-1895. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. Written by Himself