lettersofnote.com — In August of 1865, a Colonel P.H. Anderson of Big Spring, Tennessee, wrote to his former slave, Jourdan Anderson, and requested that he come back to work on his farm. Jourdan — who, since being emancipated, had moved to Ohio, found paid work, and was now supporting his family — responded spectacularly by way of the letter seen below (a letter which, according to newspapers at the time, he dictated).
Jan 30, 2012 View in Crawl 4
jerroldsJan 31, 2012
Even uneducated - this man speaks better than a good percentage of the population today.
jarysmJan 31, 2012
I don't mean to disrespect the ex-slave at all, but I believe, as a student of history, certain contexts should be highlighted here.
1. The man isn't speaking. As he could not (hopefully: YET) read or write, he dictated the letter to a professional writer. Professional writers at the time often made their money writing and sending letters for the illiterate, one of their offered services was cleaning up grammar and dialect.
Because of this, the letter is no indication of the speaker's linguistic abilities.
2. Even if we could know exactly how he would have worded the letter, the ex-slave's language would have seemed impressive to us (most likely in vocabulary) because respect in language is so often given to "traditional" speech. His speech was, by definition, traditional because he is a speaker from an earlier period. Language, by our nature, evolves and adapts. People, by their nature, revere and respect what is old and established.
What gets me about the Ex-Slaves story is the incredible boldness and scathing rebuke he made public, even though it is hidden in sarcastic politeness. He all but openly accuses the old master of raping the ex-slave's oldest daughters, which from the context of the day we can safety assume to be horrifyingly accurate. The es-slave outs the man as a Rebel collaborator,and mocks the indignity of his request by pointing out the many years of unpaid labor he enjoyed from the ex-slave and his wife. Furthermore, to point out that the old master would not have anyone to write to unless a third party had kept the man from shooting the ex-slave as he escaped the hell that was his past life is righteousness in words.
The ex slave deserves our respect. Hell, this letter should be mailed to a few confederate apologists I can think of.
karlhJan 31, 2012
I would totally understand if he just said "F*** you, Colonel!" and let the writer embellish it a little.
publiclurkerFeb 1, 2012
I would have understood it better if he made a special effort to ensure that that reply was not embellished.
kc0jsfJan 31, 2012
fluoride in the drinking water and aspitame in overweight and anorexic teenie boppers diet sodas is be melting our brains.
dteleFeb 2, 2012
I'm not speculating on how well he speaks because the letter was dictated = written by someone else.
talen75Jan 31, 2012
Wish we could have seen the Colonel's face as he read the letter. Priceless.
mjcs77Jan 31, 2012
I don't know why anyone would digg you down for this comment. I'm retaliatory-digging you back up. ;)
jarysmJan 31, 2012
I bet it got the puffy read of the indignation of a man who acts with indignity.
anthonyaleFeb 1, 2012
It took a little digging but I found a pic of the Colonel. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e87mvQWpF14/Tny2EKuTaEI/AAAAAAAAARw/F9qoYoQ6Brg/s1600/kfc.jpg
spacecowb0yFeb 1, 2012
You do realize it says kfc.jpg at the end of that URL right?
anthonyaleFeb 1, 2012
...and I would of gotten away with it too, if it wasn't for you kids, and that pesky spacecowboy spelled with a zero.
Lighten up my man. I know the world is a mean street to walk on, but you may want to lighten up and grab a smile where you can find them. The internet is perilous.
encognitoJan 31, 2012
Simply amazing. He put the former slave owner in his place with dignity and grace.
free_xbox_liveApr 14, 2012
Wow, Very good read. Well written for a slave. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KkGeLfUKIo
maz2331Jan 30, 2012
Factoring in inflation, the sum of $11,680 in 1865 would be equivilant to $164,391 in current dollars.
toxicwaffleJan 31, 2012
So he earned $350 a month (in todays dollars) at his new job
quisquisFeb 1, 2012
http://www.westegg.com/inflation/infl.cgi
$351.87 per month.
toxicwaffleFeb 1, 2012
Honestly?
quisquisFeb 1, 2012
Yeah...
I don't know what you mean to be saying here; I was simply providing corroborating evidence to your claim.
fertilebastardFeb 1, 2012
$164,391 .... Not a lot of money for a lifetime of labor for two people.
classydaveJan 31, 2012
I'm going to keep this article, and hopefully get a chance to utilize this brave mans words in MY correspondence with the assorted bankers, employers, and other soul sucking monsters I am forced to deal with in my life.
I salute the originator of his letter - little did he know he's be one of the LAST free men in the United States.
anomaly100Jan 30, 2012
I love this part:
"Mandy says she would be afraid to go back without some proof that you were disposed to treat us justly and kindly; and we have concluded to test your sincerity by asking you to send us our wages for the time we served you. This will make us forget and forgive old scores, and rely on your justice and friendship in the future. I served you faithfully for thirty-two years, and Mandy twenty years. At twenty-five dollars a month for me, and two dollars a week for Mandy, our earnings would amount to eleven thousand six hundred and eighty dollars. Add to this the interest for the time our wages have been kept back, and deduct what you paid for our clothing, and three doctor's visits to me, and pulling a tooth for Mandy, and the balance will show what we are in justice entitled to. Please send the money by Adams's Express, in care of V. Winters, Esq., Dayton, Ohio. If you fail to pay us for faithful labors in the past, we can have little faith in your promises in the future."
Philly_mktgFeb 2, 2012
Me too!
hitwondersApr 19, 2012
Not really a slave if he was earning more money than I'm making...
http://www.newaffiliatemarketingtips.net
lookatme9Jan 31, 2012
Slavery at its worst. However, I like the letter, and the courtesy, he showed while writing it, even to the one who actually shot him.
smurfzJan 30, 2012
That was beyond awesome!
tomgfromcanadaJan 31, 2012
wow, that was a great blast from the past. thanks to wiki for answering what the hell victuals are.
lucas123Jan 31, 2012
The sarcasm is wonderfully subtle, yet completely palatable as you read the letter.
"Mandy says she would be afraid to go back without some proof that you were disposed to treat us justly and kindly; and we have concluded to test your sincerity by asking you to send us our wages for the time we served you. This will make us forget and forgive old scores, and rely on your justice and friendship in the future."
alphacubeJan 31, 2012
Aww, the Colonel was trying to convince what he assumed was a dead beat know nothing former slave to come back to work at his plantation for measly pay and hardly any social considerations but with a s**t load of back-breaking-work-till-you're-dehydrated-and-pissing-blood labor.
Needless to say, I doubt Mr. Anderson received any money from the Colonel. I hope this Jourdan Anderson made a good life for his family and himself.
assassyn360Jan 31, 2012
Epicness transcends time.
anomaly100Jan 30, 2012
What a find!
igorunchainedJan 31, 2012
That was great!
Reminded me of the letter to Sarah Logue from her runaway slave.
anthologyjoe1Feb 1, 2012
a beautiful look into the forgivness of a mans soul.
ObaAdeleFeb 1, 2012
A well-thought-out letter that threw the ball back at his old master and written in a manner that was respectful but firm yet compelling and there was no way the old master could and would have fulfilled the demands. It was like reading a negotiation between two pros who most probably knew each other very well. Inspiring and low key as well as straight to the point.in a manner that was permitted in that era.
urdumania1Jan 31, 2012
That was beyond awesome!
skinturtleJan 31, 2012
heheh...yeah baby!
neotechniJan 31, 2012
I was really impressed at the proper grammar considering it was written back when they didn't let Black people learn how to read or write.
smpaisnutrientsJan 31, 2012
Dictated
neotechniJan 31, 2012
That would only correct spelling.
thomasfloydriggsFeb 1, 2012
Thanks for posting this letter. It really has not been that long ago and so we still have a long way to go towards a just society.
doodlemasterFeb 1, 2012
I'm from Dayton, ohio
thebrose42Mar 19, 2012
Awsome!!
thebrose42Mar 19, 2012
Awsome!!
Philly_mktgFeb 2, 2012
Truly awesome.
Closed AccountFeb 1, 2012
that's winning...someone should send this to iran w/ a lil different wording.
grey580Feb 1, 2012
Way to go man. In other words.
f**k yo couch gentlemenh!
compgeekFeb 1, 2012
Well said and elequantly phrased. Shows that just because one has been a slave and was uneducated does not mean that one cannot be a civil gentleman
lorem1000Feb 1, 2012
I liked the part with the whole letter.
saehildFeb 1, 2012
BAD ASS
stealthspcFeb 1, 2012
It's nice to see how far we've come but we still have a lot of work to do.
intensevisualsFeb 1, 2012
oh mandy..
crashdvisJan 31, 2012
Funny. This guy who actually was a slave, was happy with his new situation and wasn't begging for reparations. How do we go from a person who was actually a slave with an actual grievance not asking for handouts, to today where people who were never slaves demanding that people who never owned slaves pay them money? It's funny how things change in a century and a half.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
mredofcourseJan 31, 2012
You make it sound as if there's a large calling for individual reparations and handouts. Can you actually name a prominent politician asking for these things today? Or are you just digging up things from the past, just years after African Americans had things like the legal right to go to school, work, own property, etc...
crashdvisJan 31, 2012
I live in Chicago so yes there is. It's something that is brought up pretty regularly here.
dachipzJan 31, 2012
That's sad!
jarysmJan 31, 2012
I still don't see the evidence. I'd love to read it too, if you have any.
irvman21Jan 31, 2012
Try putting "Al Sharpton reparations" or "Jesse Jackson reparations" or "Sheila Jackson Lee reparations" or "Ronald Burris reparations" into the google, you'll be able to educate yourself to your hearts content on their support for reparations.
irvman21Jan 31, 2012
You have to be kidding, virtually every prominent African American politican has gone on record calling for repatations, here are a few examples:
Al Sharpton on Meet the Press:
REV. SHARPTON: I'm in favor of reparations, and I'm in favor of it in the context of I support the bill HR-40, proposed by Congressman John Conti (Conyers), the leading Democrat in the House Judiciary Committee, and if the Democrats retake the House, he would be the chairman of the Judiciary Committee.
Jesse Jackson on his support of reparations:
"All those years of work without wages are the foundations of America's wealth," Jackson says. "America must acknowledge its roots in the slavery empire, apologize for it ... and work on some plan to compensate."
Sheila Jackson Lee on her support of reparations:
Reparations is a serious issue that should be seriously discussed. Not only can we not deny African-Americans the opportunity to discuss the issue on the world stage, we cannot deny the rest of the world the opportunity to discuss the issue with America.
Ronald Burris:
"I’ve been consulting with Richard Barber who has been pushing for the establishment of the African American Permanent Fund (AAPF), which would be incorporated as a not for profit corporation," Burris explained. We’re talking about from 80 billion to 100 billion as the endowment for this fund. This fund would make grants for scholarships and educational purposes for Blacks as part of reparations along with low interests business loans for economic development for the Black community."
mredofcourseFeb 1, 2012
I don't think "virtually every prominent African American politician" means what you think it means.
particleman420Jan 31, 2012
i guess you stopped reading in the first paragraph and didnt continue to read the part where he asked for his and his wife's due back pay?
usarugulaJan 31, 2012
Not only are you unnecessarily politicizing this, you also are an idiot.
Psychology 101: if you both beat and starve a man, he will be happier when you only starve him. That does not mean he is receiving fair treatment.
bookantJan 31, 2012
Apparently, you didn't bother to actually *read* the letter before commenting.
"Mandy says she would be afraid to go back without some proof that you were disposed to treat us justly and kindly; and we have concluded to test your sincerity by asking you to send us our wages for the time we served you. This will make us forget and forgive old scores, and rely on your justice and friendship in the future. I served you faithfully for thirty-two years, and Mandy twenty years. At twenty-five dollars a month for me, and two dollars a week for Mandy, our earnings would amount to eleven thousand six hundred and eighty dollars."
"We trust the good Maker has opened your eyes to the wrongs which you and your fathers have done to me and my fathers, in making us toil for you for generations without recompense. Here I draw my wages every Saturday night; but in Tennessee there was never any pay-day for the negroes any more than for the horses and cows. Surely there will be a day of reckoning for those who defraud the laborer of his hire."
ronnielbrownFeb 1, 2012
Hm.