The truth is that whites from the beginning freed slaves and fought to free them. They hid them, they helped with the underground railroad. Perhaps it wasn’t the goal of the Civil War, but it was a benefit we all wanted. We lost our pride in the fact that we ended slavery....that’s how I was taught our history.
Even in my little town in upstate NY, we have homes with hidden passages and hiding spots for those traveling along the underground railroad. People forget that when they blame all of us.
How different would things be today if this history, these stories weren’t hidden from all of us?
Samuel Adams owned a slave for a few short minutes. She was given to Adams wife and he announced that she would not live under his roof as a slave. He pronounced her free from the moment she crossed the threshhold.
Her name was Surrey if anyone is interested in digging up the story.