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THE BLACK MAN : His Antecedents, His Genius, and His Achievements

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THE BLACK MAN : His Antecedents, His Genius, and His Achievements University of California Berkeley THE BLACK MAN, HIS ANTECEDENTS, HIS GENIUS, AND HIS ACHIEVEMENTS. BY WILLIAM WELLS BROWN, AUTHOR OF " CLOTELLE," " SKETCHES OF PLACES AND PEOPLE ABROAD, " MIRALDA, OR THE BEAUTIFUL QUADROON," ETC. E2T PEDE HERCULEM. SECOND EDITION, REVISED AND ENLARGED. fork: THOMAS HAMILTON, 48 BEEKMAN STREET. BOSTON: R. F. WALLCUT, 221 WASHINGTON ST. 1863. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1863, by WILLIAM WELLS BROWN, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. STEREOTYPED AT THE BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY. TO QZ)\\KI xWojCflilek xwa (yAAwwxbi NEGRO* FREEDOM AND EQUALITY, WHEREVER FOUND, &Ijis Volume is JUspeclfuUg . BY THE AUTHOR. PREFACE. THE calumniators and traducers of the Negro are to be found, mainly, among two classes. The first and most relentless are those who have done them the greatest injury, by being instrumental in their enslavement and consequent degradation. They de- light to descant upon the "natural inferiority" of the blacks, and claim that we were destined only for a servile condition, entitled neither to liberty nor the legitimate pursuit of happiness. The second class are those who are ignorant of the characteristics of the race, and are the mere echoes of the first. To meet and refute these misrepresentations, and to supply a deficiency, long felt in the community, of a work containing sketches of individuals who, by their own genius, capacity, and intellectual development, have surmounted the many obstacles which slavery 6 PREFACE. and prejudice have thrown in their way, and raised themselves to positions of honor and influence, this volume was written. The characters represented in most of these biographies are for the first time put in print. The author's long sojourn in Europe, his opportunity of research amid the archives of England and France, and his visit to the West Indies, have given him the advantage of information respecting the blacks seldom acquired. If this work shall aid in vindicating the Negro's character, and show that he is endowed with those intellectual and amiable qualities which adorn and dignify human nature, it will meet the most san- guine hopes of the writer. AMBRIDGEPORT, MASS., 1863. CONTENTS. PAGB ( MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR, 11 THE BLACK MAN AND HIS ANTECEDENTS 31 THE BLACK MAN, HIS GENIUS AND HIS ACHIEVEMENTS. BENJAMIN BANNEKER, 51 NAT TURNER, . .59 MADISON WASHINGTON, 75 HENRY BIBB, 86 PLACIDO, 88 JEREMIAH B. SANDERSON, . .91 TOUSSAINT L'OUVERTURE, . .92 CRISPUS ATTUCKS, . 106 DESSALINES, .......... 110 IRA ALDRIDGE, '. 118 JOSEPH CINQUE, '. 124 ALEXANDHE DUMAS, 128 HENRI CHRISTOPHE, 132 PHILLIS WHEATLEY, 138 DENMARK VESEY, ... 142 HENRY HIGHLAND GARNETT, .149 (7) 8 CONTENTS. PAGH JAMES M. WHITFIELD, 152 ANDRE RIGAUD, 153 FRANCES ELLEN WATKINS, 160 EX-PRESIDENT ROBERTS, 163 ALEXANDER CRUMMELL, 165 ALEXANDRE PETION, 169 MARTIN R. DELANY, M. D., 174 ROBERT SMALL, ......... 175 FREDERICK DOUGLASS, 180 CHARLES L. REASON, 187 CHARLOTTE L. FORTEN, 190 WILLIAM H. SIMPSON, ........ 199 JEAN PIERRE BOYER, ........ 202 JAMES M'CuNE SMITH, M. D., 205 BISHOP PAYNE, 207 WILLIAM STILL, 211 EDWIN M. BANNISTER, . 214 LEONARD A. GRIMES, 217 PRESIDENT GEFFRARD, 220 GEORGE B. VASHON, 223 ROBERT MORRIS, 227 WILLIAM J. WILSON, . 230 JOHN MERCER LANGSTON, 235 WILLIAM C. NELL, . 238 JOHN SELLA MARTIN, 241 CHARLES LENOX REMOND, 246 GEORGE T. DOWNING, 250 ROBERT PURVIS, 253 JOSEPH JENKINS, 259 CONTENTS. 9 PAGE JOHN S. ROCK, 266 WILLIAM DOUGLASS, 271 ELYMAS PAYSON ROGERS, 272 J. THEODORE HOLLY, 274 JAMES W. C. PENNINGTON, 276 A MAN WITHOUT A NAME, 278 * SAMUEL R. WARD, ...,-..... 284 SIR EDWARD JORDAN, . 286 JOSEPH CARTER, 288 JAMES LAWSON, 291 CAPT. CALLIOUX, . 297 CAPT. JOSEPH HOWARD, . 308 MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR. I WAS born at Lexington, Kentucky. My father, as I was was a member of the Wickliffe informed, family ; my it mother was of mixed blood ; her father, was said, was the noted Daniel Boone, and her mother a negress. My early life on the plantation was such as generally falls to the lot of the young slave, till I arrived at the age of nine years, when my position was changed. My master's brother lost his wife, she leaving an infant son a few months old, whom my mistress took to bring up. When this boy be- came old enough to need a playmate to watch over him, mistress called the young slaves together, to select one for the purpose. We were all ordered to run, jump, wrestle, turn somersets, walk on our hands, and go through the various gymnastic exercises that the imagination of our brain could invent, or the strength and activity of our limbs could endure. The selection was to be an important one, both to the mistress and the slave. Whoever should the was in the future to a gain place become house servant ; the ask-cake thrown aside, that unmentionable garment that buttons around the neck, which we all wore, and nothing else, was to give way to the whole suit of tow linen. Every one of us joined heartily in the contest, while old mistress sat on the piazza, watching our every * movement some fifteen of us, each dressed in his one garment, sometimes standing on our heads with feet in the air still the lady looked on. With me it seemed a (ii) 12 MEMOIR OP THE AUTHOR. of life and death blood kin to I matter ; for, being master, felt that I had more at stake than my companions. At last the choice was made, and I was told to step aside as " the lucky boy," which order I obeyed with an alacrity seldom surpassed. That night I was put to soak, after which I was scraped, scrubbed, washed, and dried. The next day, the new suit came down to the quarters; I into it the slaves about and I slipped ; young gathered me, was the star of the plantation. My mother, one of the best of mothers, placed her hands on my head, and, with tears " in her eyes, said, I knowed you was born for good luck, for a fortune-teller told me so when you was a baby layin' in your little sugar trough. Go up to de great house where you belong." With this blessing I bade farewell to* the log " hut and the dirt floor, and started towards the big house." Mistress received me, and laid down the law which was to govern my future actions. "I give your young master " over to said she and if let hurt you," ; you him himself, I'll ears if let him I'll ears pull your ; you cry, pull your ; if he wants any thing, and you don't give it to him, I'll ears he to if let pull your ; when goes sleep, you him wake before it is time, I'll pull your ears." And right well did she keep her promise, for my ears felt the impress of her tender fingers and gold rings almost every day, and at times nearly every hour. Yet I would not have you suppose, gentle reader, that old mistress was of 'low or common but on the my origin ; contrary, she boasted that the best blood of the south coursed through her blue veins. My master, Dr. John Young, was a man of considerable standing in his section of the state. A member of the church, his seat was not often empty during religious service. He was very strict as to the observance of the Sabbath, held prayer night and morning, and entertained more travelling preachers than almost any one in his neighborhood. The doctor did not surpass his wife in devotedness to MEMOIR OP THE AUTHOR. 13 religious observances. Of these travelling ministers, each had a favorite, who in turn used to spend several days on the plantation, hunting, shooting, fishing, visiting, and at times preaching. The Rev. Mr. Pinchen was my mistress's favorite, and he was indeed an interesting character. Short and stout, somewhat inclined to corpulency, deeply pock- marked, quick in his motions, and with a strong voice, he was one of the funniest of men when telling his long stories about his religious and other experience in the south. I had been in the great house nearly three years, when Mr. Pinchen was expected to make his annual visit. The stir about the dwelling, the cleaning of paint, the scalding out of the bedbugs, and the orders and counter-orders from Mrs. Young, showed plainly that something uncom- mon was to take place. High and angry words had passed between master and mistress, one morning, when the latter and snuffl " Never mind weepingly ingly exclaimed, ; you'll not have me here always to hector and tov worry : I'll die one of these days, and then you'll be glad of it. Never mind and send me to before the ; keep on, you'll my grave one of these the Lord will make time. Never mind ; days up his jewels, call me Twme to ylory, and I'll be out of your way, and I'll be devilish glad of it too." Her weeping in- creased, and she continued, "Never mind; brother Pinch en will be here soon, and then I'll have somebody to talk to me about religion." At this moment, Hannah, the waiting maid, entered .the room, and Mrs. Young gave orders with " regard to Mr. Pinchen's visit. Go, Hannah," said she, " and get the chamber ready for brother Pinchen : put on the new linen sheets, and see that they are dry, and well aired if are I'll air The arrival ; they not, you, my lady." of the clergyman, the next day, was the signal for new and interesting scenes.
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