Thank you for sharing.
Many people do not know the story of a black man kneeling for Communion at the alter St Paul’s Episcopal Church shortly after the war, shocking the congregation, blacks always went after whites.
A tall lone white man strode to the front and knelt beside him to receive the Lord’s Supper. Soon others, black and white followed. That man was Robert E. Lee.
A tall lone white man strode to the front and knelt beside him to receive the Lord’s Supper. Soon others, black and white followed. That man was Robert E. Lee.
Like so much of the Lee stories, it's likely apocryphal and originated for reasons much different than those attributed to it today. The first account if from a Richmond newspaper some 40 years after the incident is alleged to have happened:
"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."
Richmond Times-Dispatch. Lower left hand corner under the title "Negro Communed At St. Paul's Church".