On this particular Sunday morning, Lee attended St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Richmond, V.A. The church service progressed as usual until it was time for communion. When the call to communion was made, an unknown black man rose from his pew in the back of the church and made the long walk down the aisle to the front of the church where he proceeded to kneel at the communion rail.
The members of the church were shocked by this act and remained seated, unsure of what to do. Then, Robert E. Lee rose from his pew. He strode down the center aisle and knelt down next to black man, and the two received communion together. After this act, the rest of the congregation followed suit and took communion.
Given that there is no specific citation or date, I fear that this may be legend or apocryphal, but somehow I think that it matches the man in history.
Although I think Lee might have done such a thing if confronted with the circumstances, it makes me wonder.
Although Ken Burn’s documentaries are enjoyable...he sometimes steps WAY far away from reality.
I can’t believe that a black man would be in a white church at that time in history. I’m not being racist...it was just how it was.
Yeah, about that story... The original version of the story appeared, that anyone can find, in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, in April, 1906, and was reprinted, basically verbatim, in the "Confederate Veteran Magazine", October 1905. Here's that text:
So, far from being a story about Lee's racial tolerance, in it's original form, it was a story about Lee's demonstration of superiority over the "trying and offensive circumstances" of a black man having the temerity to show up in his church, basically by ignoring him, or acting "as if the negro had not been present."
NEGRO COMMUNED AT ST. PAUL'S CHURCH
Col. T. L. Broun, of Charleston, W. Va., writes of having been present at St. Paul's Church, Richmond, Va., just after the war when a negro marched to the communion table ahead of the congregation. His account of the event is as follows:‘Two months after the evacuation of Richmond business called me to Richmond for a few days, and on a Sunday morning in June, 1865, I attended St. Paul's Church. Dr. Minnegerode [sic] preached. It was communion day; and when the minister was ready to administer the holy communion, a negro in the church arose and advanced to the communion table. He was tall, well-dressed, and black. This was a great surprise and shock to the communicants and others present. Its effect upon the communicants was startling, and for several moments they retained their seats in solemn silence and did not move, being deeply chagrined at this attempt to inaugurate the 'new regime' to offend and humiliate them during their most devoted Church services. Dr. Minnegerode [sic., Minnigerode] was evidently embarrassed.
General Robert E. Lee was present, and, ignoring the action and presence of the negro, arose in his usual dignified and self-possessed manner, walked up the aisle to the chancel rail, and reverently knelt down to partake of the communion, and not far from the negro. This lofty conception of duty by Gen. Lee under such provoking and irritating circumstances had a magic effect upon the other communicants (including the writer), who went forward to the communion table. By this action of Gen. Lee the services were conducted as if the negro had not been present. It was a grand exhibition of superiority shown by a true Christian and great soldier under the most trying and offensive circumstances."