This forgotten slave language is seeing a revival thanks to TikTok

My favorite example is Stonewall Jackson, who was fiercely religious and taught Sunday School to slave children while teaching at VMI before the war. Jackson and another like-minded man of his church were teaching the children to read, which of course was illegal. Someone called them out on the questions. Jackson did exactly what you would expect Stonewall to do. I paraphrase: “We are commanded by the Lord Almighty to preach the gospel to all men. This is the Great Commission. It is our Christian duty. And we believe (being good Presbyterians ...) that every man’s soul is his own, and that every man should be able to read the Gospel for himself, because he too will stand someday before the throne of God and be judged. Yes, we are teaching these children to read. It is a duty we owe to God. If Virginia has a law denying the Great Commission, the law be damned.” That settled the matter. Jackson went on teaching slave children to read.

Great story - thanks for sharing.

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