Sam Aleckson

Samuel Williams
Born 1852
Charleston, South Carolina
Pen name Sam Aleckson
Notable works Before the War and After the Union: An Autobiography
Spouse

Mary A. Williams (first)

H. Williams (second)
Children

Susan Cox

Samuel B. Williams
Relatives

Alexander Williams (father)
Susan Williams (mother)
Clemont Williams (grandfather)
Alice Williams (sister)
Louisa Williams (sister)

Robert C. Williams (brother)

Samuel Williams(1852-1934(?)), better known by his pen name Sam Aleckson, was an American slave and author of Before the War and After the Union: An Autobiography.[1] Like his father, Alexander Williams, and his grandfather, Samuel was born into slavery in 1852 in Charleston, South Carolina. His great grandfather, Clement Williams, was brought from Africa in the Atlantic slave trade.[1] Samuel Williams' story offers a rare look into the lives of the urban enslaved in North America, a side of slave narratives that is often unknown. Samuel Aleckson had the great fortune of being taught the three "R's" by his owners.[1] Once freed, he used his literacy to document his life and obtained publication. Aleckson quotes Shakespeare to readers of his autobiography before its Contents by drawing from Othello: "I will a plain unvarnished tale deliver," a line often used in slave narratives.[2] At the time of its inception, Aleckson wrote his narrative in response to his old age and a debilitating case of blindness.

Early life

In his narrative, he states, "The place of my birth and the conditions under which I was born are matters over which, of course, I had no control. If I had, I should have altered the conditions, but I should not have changed the place; for it is a grand old city, and I have always felt proud of my citizenship."[3] His mother and father were owned by separate families but they lived on the land of the family that owned his father. His mother and older brother worked with her owners while he remained in his grandmother's care because he was too young for any practical use.

Aleckson enjoyed his life with his and his father’s owners, saying they were "of all slave holders, the very best."[4] Throughout the entire beginning of this story, there is not a single account of a beating, or of any slave being subjected to any truly disagreeable work. The younger children had almost all of their time free to play. Early on, Aleckson would play with the neighbor’s white children, and later with other black children on the plantation that he moved to. However, Sam makes sure to indicate, "There is nothing good to be said of American slavery. I know it is sometimes customary to speak of its bright and its dark sides. I am not prepared to admit that it had any bright sides, unless it was the Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln..." [5]

In his early childhood, while the four white children Samuel played with were at school, Samuel was taught how to read and write by the children's aunts. He was taught using only one book, which he called "Thomas Dilworth's," referring to A New Guide to the English Tongue by Thomas Dilworth. From the book, Samuel claims he learned about grammar, weights and measures, ciphers, and morals. In addition, Samuel describes the popular use of slates for his lessons, as well as his fascination with fable illustrations that instructed what was moral and what was not:

"...such as that of the man who prayed to Hercules to take his wagon out of the mire; of the two men who stole a piece of meat; of the lazy maids and of the kindhearted man who took a half frozen serpent into his house."[6][7]

He also states many slaves were punished for being found in possession of the schoolbook, though the reward of mastering the book was being considered a "prodigy of learning" within the slave community.[8]

Of his owner, Aleckson stated, "Mr. Ward was what was called a "good master." His people were well-fed, well-housed, and not over-worked. There were certain inflexible rules however, governing his plantation of which he allowed not the slightest infraction, for he had his place for the Negro... His place for the Negro was in subjection and servitude to the white man." [9] Aleckson alludes to his master's classism, pointing out that his white supremacy ideology did not extend to all whites and that there were some he would have barred from slaveholding. Ward, like many other slaveholders, asserted his role as owner with a paternalistic view. He provided well for his slaves while demanding complete obedience. He took care to always know their whereabouts by insisting he authorize any departure from his land and he had no qualms about punishing those slaves he felt defied him.

As a boy, Aleckson learned to ride horses from one of his owners. Aleckson states, "He taught me to ride, and when I could sit my horse well 'bare-back' he had a saddle made for me at the then famous 'McKinzie's' saddlery, sign of the 'White Horse' at the corner of Church and Chalmers street."[10] This education on horseback was not wholly unique to Aleckson's experience. In fact, enslaved people were essential to the world of horse racing in the American South. Jockeys and trainers were commonly enslaved people. Despite limited privileges, these enslaved horse riders were still subjected to the realities of being slaves in a slave society.[11]

During the War

Aleckson recounts his arriving in Charleston one day to find that "men were going about the streets wearing blue cockades on the lapels of their coats."[12] This was his first realization that there was a war going on, though the effects (amazingly high prices for everything and the disappearance of many of the young men to go fight) had been felt for a while. Aleckson recounts the conversations between the slaves at this time regarding the impending war and their support of General Robert Anderson maintaining control of Fort Sumter. Once the conflict began, due to laws the Confederate States of America had passed, African Americans were barred from being soldiers in the Confederacy, but Aleckson would have been too young to have been drafted. However, Aleckson took his brother's place as officer's boy after he passed away. He ran errands for the soldiers but he was never mentioned in the remembrance of Confederate soldiers. African Americans would be legally drafted within the last two months of the Civil War for the Confederate cause.[13]

Aleckson's childhood home on Guignard Street was destroyed by the Great Charleston Fire on December 11, 1861. This fire destroyed many of the main landmarks such as the Charleston Circular Church and Institute Hall where the Ordinance of Secession was signed,[14] and Aleckson remembered it to be the biggest blaze he would ever see in Charleston.[1] Remembering the event in his memoir, Aleckson describes how "the sparks seemed to rain down as we ran."[15] Thus, Aleckson's memoir serves as an eye-witness account of the chaos and fear created by the Great Fire.

After the War

After The South lost the war, came the period of carpet bagging and reconstruction. Aleckson remembers going with his father, who was "one of a delegation of men selected for the purpose of calling on some gentlemen of Charleston." This was but one meeting of many that helped establish the "black code," a set of laws that ostensibly made life in South Carolina just as bad for negroes than it had been with slavery. These codes restricted African Americans in the working economy, forcing them to work in a labor economy based on low wages or debt.[16] His father was not a part of this legislation – that which he took part in was something of a town council, and the Black code was put in place by the entire state. He wondered why, at least in his time, we didn’t hear much about this, saying that perhaps "somebody is ashamed of it."[17]

In 1876, Samuel's employer asked him to vote for General Wade Hampton. Aleckson would evidently not vote in the election; however, the man went to hear General Hampton speak. In his memoir, Aleckson remembers the General's speech.

"Our only desire he said, was to save our dear old state from utter ruin. Then, raising his right hand to heaven he said these very words as near as I can recollect, "If I am elected governor, I swear to God that not one right or privilege that you now enjoy shall be taken from you!"[1]

Samuel honored his sincerity, but did not vote. Aleckson also noted that many of the promises that General Hampton made did not come to fruition and that in fact acts of disenfranchisement and Jim Crow laws were being enacted against blacks.

Aleckson's memoir, written in the early 1900's, uses pseudonyms for the majority of individuals and places that he speaks of. There are several exceptions though, including General Wade Hampton and Secessionville. His memoir was published in 1929 by Gold Mind Publishing Company.

After the Civil War, Samuel moved to the Northeast where he and his daughter, Susan, lived in both Lebanon, New Hampshire and Windsor, Vermont. According to the 1910 census, Aleckson and his daughter were living in Lebanon where they worked as servants for the Carty family.[18] In Vermont, both worked for author Thomas H. Thomas. They were listed in the 1920 United States Federal Census, living in Windsor Village with the Thomas Family.[19]

Samuel is listed in the 1940 United States Federal Census as living in Cambridge, Massachusetts in the house of William Cox. Cox was married to one of Samuel's daughters, Susan.[20] William A Cox worked with his son, William A Cox Jr., in Gold Mind Printers in Boston, Massachusetts.[21] It is likely that is the same printing company that published Samuel's memoir, as the publisher named in the book, Gold Mind Publishing Company, was based in the same city and has a similar name.[1]

Further reading

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 http://docsouth.unc.edu/neh/aleckson/aleckson.html
  2. ↑ Olney, James (1984). ""I Was Born": Slave Narratives, Their Status as Autobiography and as Literature". Callaloo.
  3. ↑ Aleckson, pg 17
  4. ↑ Aleckson, pg 19
  5. ↑ Aleckson, pg 29-30
  6. ↑ Aleckson, pg 26
  7. ↑ Dilworth, Thomas (1836). New Guide to the English Tongue; in Five Parts … the Whole Being Recommended by Several Clergymen & Eminent Schoolmasters, as the Most useful Performance for the Instruction of Youth. Liverpool: Harris. pp. 129–39.
  8. ↑ Aleckson, Samuel (1929). Before the War and After the Union. Boston, Massachusetts: Gold Mind Publishing Company. pp. 25–26.
  9. ↑ Aleckson, pg 52-53
  10. ↑ "Sam Aleckson, b. 1852. Before the War, and After the Union". docsouth.unc.edu. Retrieved 2016-04-05.
  11. ↑ Mooney, Katherine (2014). Race Horse Men. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-28142-4.
  12. ↑ Aleckson, pg 86
  13. ↑ "Confederate Law Authorizing the Enlistment of Black Soldiers, as Promulgated in a Military Order". Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  14. ↑ http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20110130/PC1602/301309938/1245
  15. ↑ Aleckson, pg 118.
  16. ↑ "Black Codes - Black History - HISTORY.com". HISTORY.com. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
  17. ↑ Aleckson, pg 140
  18. ↑ http://interactive.ancestryinstitution.com/7884/31111_4330850-00123?pid=167621758&backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestryinstitution.com%2f%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fgss%3dangs-g%26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26gsfn%3dsamuel%26gsfn_x%3d0%26gsln%3dwilliams%26gsln_x%3d0%26msypn__ftp%3dLebanon%252c%2bGrafton%252c%2bNew%2bHampshire%252c%2bUSA%26msypn%3d4943%26msypn_PInfo%3d8-%257c0%257c1652393%257c0%257c2%257c3242%257c32%257c0%257c1169%257c4943%257c0%257c%26MSAV%3d1%26msbdy%3d1852%26msbpn__ftp%3dCharleston%252c%2bCharleston%252c%2bSouth%2bCarolina%252c%2bUSA%26msbpn%3d21847%26msbpn_PInfo%3d8-%257c0%257c1652393%257c0%257c2%257c3245%257c43%257c0%257c552%257c21847%257c0%257c%26msydy%3d1910%26_83004003-n_xcl%3df%26_83004002%3dblack%26catbucket%3drstp%26uidh%3dfh5%26pcat%3dROOT_CATEGORY%26h%3d167621758%26db%3d1910USCenIndex%26indiv%3d1%26ml_rpos%3d5&treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true
  19. ↑ http://interactive.ancestryinstitution.com/6061/4392018_01094?pid=53370803&backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestryinstitution.com%2f%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fgss%3dangs-g%26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26msT%3d1%26gsfn%3dThomas%2bH.%26gsfn_x%3d0%26gsln%3dThomas%26gsln_x%3d0%26msypn__ftp%3dWindsor%2bCounty%252c%2bVermont%252c%2bUSA%26msypn%3d3174%26msypn_PInfo%3d7-%257c0%257c1652393%257c0%257c2%257c3242%257c48%257c0%257c3174%257c0%257c0%257c%26MSAV%3d0%26catbucket%3drstp%26uidh%3dfh5%26pcat%3dROOT_CATEGORY%26h%3d53370803%26db%3d1920usfedcen%26indiv%3d1%26ml_rpos%3d1&treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true
  20. ↑ http://interactive.ancestryinstitution.com/2442/m-t0627-01685-00195?pid=94845740&backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestryinstitution.com%2f%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fgss%3dangs-c%26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26msT%3d1%26gsfn%3dSamuel%26gsfn_x%3d0%26gsln%3dWilliams%26gsln_x%3d0%26msbdy%3d1852%26msbpn__ftp%3dCharleston%252c%2bCharleston%252c%2bSouth%2bCarolina%252c%2bUSA%26msbpn%3d21847%26msbpn_PInfo%3d8-%257c0%257c1652393%257c0%257c2%257c3245%257c43%257c0%257c552%257c21847%257c0%257c%26msydy%3d1940%26msypn__ftp%3dMassachusetts%252c%2bUSA%26msypn%3d24%26msypn_PInfo%3d5-%257c0%257c1652393%257c0%257c2%257c3242%257c24%257c0%257c0%257c0%257c0%257c%26_83004003-n_xcl%3df%26MSAV%3d0%26uidh%3dfh5%26pcat%3dUSFEDCEN%26h%3d94845740%26db%3d1940usfedcen%26indiv%3d1%26ml_rpos%3d1&treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true
  21. ↑ http://interactive.ancestryinstitution.com/2469/10860996?pid=557603148&backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestryinstitution.com%2f%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fgss%3dangs-c%26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26msT%3d1%26gsfn%3dWilliam%2bA%26gsfn_x%3d0%26gsln%3dCox%26gsln_x%3d0%26msrpn__ftp%3dBoston%252c%2bSuffolk%252c%2bMassachusetts%252c%2bUSA%26msrpn%3d4668%26msrpn_PInfo%3d8-%257c0%257c1652393%257c0%257c2%257c3242%257c24%257c0%257c2812%257c4668%257c0%257c%26msydy%3d1929%26gskw%3d800%2btremont%26_83004003-n_xcl%3df%26MSAV%3d0%26uidh%3dfh5%26pcat%3dDIR_CITY%26h%3d557603148%26db%3dUSDirectories%26indiv%3d1%26ml_rpos%3d2&treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true
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