[C19fan]

I wonder if the freed slave learned to read and write. I love how he demanded “back wages”. I doubt most college grads would be able to write like this former slave. Maybe they should post this letter in black majority school to shame the students to value education.

[bboop]

My husband thinks it is a fraud, too. ‘The guy writes like an English major.’

[GeronL]

He had the right idea, reparations are from the slaveowner to the slave, not from their great great great great great grand children and people who have no connection to people who were never slaves and have no connection.

I think a huge percentage of people’s ancestors came to America after the end of slavery.

[Second Amendment First]

Maybe they should post this letter in black majority school to shame the students to value education.

It would be a good idea, except for the fact that the "students" could probably not read it, let alone comprehend it. And the concept of "shame"? Forget it.

Some slaves learned to read and write in the dirt behind the barn, under penalty of a flogging if discovered. Now that education has become an entitlement, it has less value than a pair of shoes.

[The_Media_never_lie]

I have my doubts about the authenticity of the letter. It just doesn’t read like the writing of the times.

[Madame Dufarge]

Scroll halfway down the page to hear a 1906 partial recording of a speech by Booker T. Washington.

Elegant enunciation.

Booker T. Washington

[x]

It's said that the letter was "dictated" by the slave.

So, sure, there was some collaboration between Jourdon Anderson and whoever wrote it down and sent it in to the Cincinnati paper, from which it was reprinted in the New York Tribune.

There may have been some polishing and refining of the language by that unknown person.

The indications are that the letter is from 1865 and that Jourdon or Jordan Anderson was a real person, though.

[GOYAKLA]

passionfruit doesn’t need my help but others might like this data.

Note the letter was supposedly dictated. Probably with “much” flourish.
1860 US Census
Name: P H Anderson
[Patrick H Sr Anderson]
Age in 1860: 37
Birth Year: abt 1823
Birthplace: Tennessee
Home in 1860: District 8, Wilson, Tennessee
Gender: Male
Post Office: Tuckers Crossroads
Value of real estate: View image
Household Members:
Name Age
P H Anderson 37
Mary Ann Anderson 33
Patrick H Anderson 13
Martha H Anderson 11
Pauldin Anderson 9
Simes Anderson 6
Edgar poe Anderson 3
Mary M Anderson 1

1860 Slave census

Race: Black
Age: 50
Home in 1860: Civil district no 8, Wilson, Tennessee
Name of Slave Owner: P H Anderson
All Slaves Owned:
Age Gender
50 Male
34 Male
35 Male
28 Male
26 Male
23 Male
22 Male
18 Male
16 Male
16 Male
12 Male
10 Male
10 Male
6 Male
6 Male
6 Male
3 Male
3 Male
1 Male
50 Female
50 Female
25 Female
22 Female
18 Female
15 Female
18 Female
12 Female
12 Female
10 Female
8 Female
3 Female
14 Female