After being pushed back by the Colonials at Virginia, Britain's Lord Cornwallis moved his forces to Yorktown. After heavy fighting, the British surrendered on October 19, 1781.

Colonial re-enactment _ Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia 2010 

Within our community, the British occupation gave rise to legendary tales about "the Little coloured drummer boys" who marched behind the fife players into battle: 

 

 In 1972,or so, my mother gave me this photo of the little drummer boy as a college graduation present. She said that little mama(Amelia Evans Greene) told her of the legend, and that she supposed that someone must have told her.

I've held on to it ever since. 

 

 

  I had been staring at this Gibson Crockett cartoon for nearly a decade before I realized that it wasn't Nixon, but Johnson who controlled the "silent majority".

In the "emotionalism" of the 60s we had overlooked the man in charge; the straw that stirred the political pot.

His decision to not seek re-election in February of 68' had created somewhat of a "mental block"; causing us to disassociate the subsequent chain of events with his presidency.

Aside from appearing in the Washington Post, the cartoon appeared in one of my under-grad texts:

The Negro in 20th Century America_ by John Hope Franklin and Isidore Starr, published by Vintage Books(1967).

Now satirist are suppose to be funny; but their cartoons often took on sinister overtones, particularly when presented in the classroom setting:

This one got my attention quick; recognizing that many a truths are spoken in jest.  

Within the Numerican Nation, the Church was considered sanctuary; beyond Master Jack's grasp. 

 

...Two courts were formed for the trial of the conspirators,... Of about 150 cases brought before the first court for trial, 34 were condemned to death and 37 to transportation beyond the limits of the State. Among those who received the death sentence were Denmark Vesey,...Peter Poyas,...and Gullah Jack...

 In the 2nd court one (1) was sentenced to death, 7 to transportation, and the remaining accused were dismissed.

The trials lasted from the 17th of June to the 8th of August, 1822. And of the negroes convicted, 35 received the death sentence, and 34 were banished from the State.

Of those hanged,... three were Governor Bennett's slaves...Vesey and Poyas met their death with firmness, refusing to make any statement whatsoever.

                                                  (Volume I, page 557)

What makes Denmark Vesey a hero is the fact that he was a "Free" man who dared speak of freedom, irrespective of color, during a period of institutionalized slavery.

How wide spread his message was, we do not know: Not much beyond the Charleston Harbor area would be an educated guess.

The State Legislature approved the manumission of one Peter Desverneys for  disclosing the Denmark Vesey Conspiracy (1 man freed, 35 hanged).

Further evidence that the conspiracy, to the extent that there was one, was not very wide.

The nature of slavery was such that a slave would sell-out his own mother, if it meant freedom. The fact that only one individual was set free, further speaks to a limited conspiracy; if any.

Compare/Contrast this to the "conclusions" of John Napp & Wayne King in their book United States History, published in 1998 by American Guidance Services,                Inc. and used in traditional Middle School classrooms:

...Having heard of a possible revolt by the slaves of that city, the authorities prepared for trouble. A group of 9,000 people led by freed slave Denmark Vesey had planned to attack several South Carolina cities...

_Charleston was known as Charles Town, and/or Charlestown, during the Colonial Era (the major slave trading port of the Carolinas).

_Beginning about 1783 the old name (Charles Town) disappears from the geographical nomenclature of South Carolina, and shortly thereafter Columbia was designated as the state capitol.

_Charleston was/is located in the "low country", while Columbia is "up-country".

_The "Denmark Vesey Conspiracy" occurred just south of the city:

   Denmark Vesey, Gullah Jack, Peter Poyas, Monday Gell, and 30 others were hanged, 1822, for conspiring against "massur jac"...ie. they wanted to walk free.

The captioned photo was taken at the Charleston harbor during a visit in the Summer of 2001:

We were in town for a wrestling camp hosted by the Citadel. Rather than drive the 140 miles (each way) from Kershaw, we stayed at local hotels, and toured Charleston during our spare time.

      Rock Spring Church anchored the religious community of my youth.

It was here that Mother sang Precious Lord, and here that "the numen pranced about their grave:"

It was here that we took refuge from the Night-Riders; it was here that we prayed for devine intervention.

It is here that many of our people now rest. And if you look within a 25 mile radius, you'll find the rest of them: within religious communities marked by White Oak, Ebenezzer, Macedonia, Cedar Creek, A.M.E.; geo-political boundaries such as Kershaw, Lancaster,.. areas known as Liberty Hill, Red Hill, Flat Rock, etc.

That's the primary reason why I revealed the names as they existed at the turn of the 20th Century ( to facilitate your search) :

John and James Harris 78'

"...you break a man the same way you break a Bull:

Ride him until all he can think of is giving up; then ride him somemore."

 

 

Now revisit the reference to straw-men; blinded by conscience, befuddled by faith.

 Bulls no-more!" 

Come-on pop pop!

Tell me about the time that you, and Uncle Jim, took on a million night-riders for lunch.

 

OH, this is going to be good.

 

 

 

Well you see little one, back in 69' or 70', uncle Jim and I snuck back into South Carolina:

Master Jack found out!

"What the hell are those reading & writing numen doing back in these parts" he screamed.

Then he ordered the good Rev. Spine-less to go and find out.

Now I remembered Rev. Spine-less from the old days; so when I saw him coming, I hollered

 "Go back! Tell your Lord that we have some unfinished business at White Oak."

"...some say that it's a sign of weakness for a man to beg; then weak I'd rather be, if it means having you to keep..."

Life's a sequential learning process; one in which each generation's survival is heavily dependent upon the knowledge and strength of the one before.

Time waits for no one. Learn what you can, while you can. Choose your mentors wisely and listen to their advice (as long as it makes sense).

[ Remember that in Numerican parlance: to beg conveys a sense of endearment; borne of blood, sweat & tears. When used within the sub-culture in South Carolina it was generally understood to convey a sentiment similar to the words "and I love you too." ]

 

I believe that parents have a non-delegable duty to ensure that their children acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to be successful in life. While our educational institutions may define it as their Mission; we must continue to regard it as our sacrosanct duty.

As you know, I was born with a bible in my hands. When our first child was born, we changed-up the paradigm; placing a copy of Webster's dictionary in his:

Words convey meanings; ignorance to which, we cannot afford.

Take the "N Word" for example; it has been in most standardized dictionaries, as well as "part n parcel" of the English lexicon for decades. Those who suggest otherwise are simply disingenuous individuals.

And as you know, the mere inclusion of the word (in the dictionary) both cultivates and re-enforces its' use.