Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / Aug. 25, 1988, edition 1 / Page 8
Part of The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
■4 1^: Wi 1*:. Page 8A LIFESTYLES Somerset Place Homecoming On a somnolent June day in 1786, the slave ship ''Camden" drifted Into Edenton harbor and unloaded her cargo of African slaves. Stumbling from the slav er's fetid hold, these dazed and exhausted men and women found three prosperous white planters eagerly awaiting their arrival. Josiah Collins, Nathan iel Allen and Samuel Dickinson had purchased guinea Jack, Fanny and the 7 other Africans to work 100,000 acres they owned near Lake Phelps in modern-day Washington Coun ty- Separated from homes and traditions, these Africans, their descendants, and other Ameri can slaves, carved out a white agricultural, manufacturing and lumber empire on the edge of the malarial "Great Alegator Dismal" swamp. In the process, they left their Indelible mark on Josiah Collins' lucrative 5,870 acre plantation, Somerset Place, On Saturday, September 3, 1988, from 9 a,m. to 5 p.m,, this former antebellum coastal estate near Creswell, now a state historic site, will host a special reunion. Thousands of Somerset slave descendants from across the U.S. (some first- generation born free), along with such luminaries as "Roots" au thor Alex Haley, will celebrate ancestral contributions and common heritage at the 1988 Somerset Place Homecoming. A highlight of this reunion (the first took place in 1986) will be .Mrlcan-Amerlcan folklore, mu sical and artistic traditions — I'he American Black Contrlbu- (ion." Though the small clearing near Lake Phelps changed com pletely between Colonial and Civil War times, the slaves who labored here always retained I heir unique African heritage. Seen by most whiles only as hu man chattels, they passed the traditions of their native land from, generation to generation. Cultural Resources Secretary Patric Dorsey commented, Black Americans originally came to the new world against their will, but over the years they have enriched our civilization with African traditions and art forms. The 1988 Somerset Homecoming is a unique oppor tunity to celebrate family ties and the contributions ‘which have enhanced every American's life." And it is a rich history. The estate entered its glory days when Josiah Collins III took over Somerset Place in 1829. Utilizing the muscle and talents of over 300 black slaves, Collins offered aristocratic guests for mal gardens overhung with ma- Jestie cypress and sycamore trees and a splendid 14-room mansion, Christmas at somer set became famous throughout Eastern North Carolina and in cluded a Joyous slave folk cele bration known as "John Koon- er." Of uncertain origin, historians have linked the ceremony to Muslim influences in Africa. At Somerset, it was a ritualistic, costumed slave presentation in corporating both traditional dance and music. Culminating in gifts from the Collins family, the vent was eagerly awaited in the slave quarters. This ceremony will be reenact ed at the Homecoming by Chuck Davis; African-American Dance Ensemble, an award-winning dance troupe from Durham whose forte is music and move ment inspired by West African and African-American cultures. The Ensemble is currently packing in crowds across North Carolina on the Black Folk Her itage Tour. Somerset visitors may also en joy another talented Black folk heritage tour group, the Bad- gett Sisters. Performing without musical accompaniment, this "jubilee-style" (named for the fa mous Fisk Jubilee Singers) gos pel trio from Caswell County ex hibits vibrant sound and artistry. Connie Stedman, Ce- lester Sellars and Cleonia Graves sing harmonized spiritu als and gospel music rooted in Southern black bondage and Af rican tradition. Blues — another black musical contribution to America -- will be performed at the Homecom ing by Greenville's Littlejohn and Company. And lead guitar ist Jeff Littlejohn is descended from Somerset slave Alpheus Littlejohn. In honor of the reun ion attendees' ancestors, the trio will play an original compo sition, "^merset. The Children." Other musical entertainment includes the Drums of africa and moving slave songs by the 40- voice Angelic Choraleers choir. In a salute to jazz, pianist Dr. Ernest Brown will pound out the toe-tapping rhythms of ragtime. Although Somerset slaves were better treated than many — some were taught to read and the Collins family usually sold their slaves as a family unit — a life of bondage was still their dally lot. Most lived in 18-foot square cabins shared with 14 other slaves and could be beat en or even hung for various in fractions. However, by the 1860s, change began to blow across the plantation's mani cured acres. When Yankee troops Invaded the Albemarle region during the CivU War, the Collins family was forced to leave Somerset and flee inland with many of their slaves. And in 1863, Josiah Col lins III died in poverty at Hills borough, A seventh generation Collins descendant, Frances In- gliss, commented at the first So merset reunion: "Slaveiy was an awful system and it eventually brought down those who favored it. Josiah Collins lost everything in the end. The only thing he took out of the old plantation was a brok en silver knife." After the war, the Collins's re turned home to a looted, run down plantation. Although they tried to revive the crippled estate. Reconstruction's de pressed economy and lack of slave labor eventually forced the family to sell Somerset. Over the next 60-odd years, the old plantation had seven differ ent owners. Former slaves scat tered all over the U.S. and ante bellum Somerset became a dim memory of the freed slaves and their progeny. The State of North Carolina stepped in and acquired a ruined Somerset Place in 1939. although the mansion house and outbuildings were still in tact, the slave quarters were rubble. The slave ■ hospital, chapel, and cemetery were virtu ally lost. But the Homecoming will allow visitors a chance to see and understand the eveiy- day life of a Somerset slave. Sylvia Whitford of Plymouth will demonstrate traditional Af- rican-design handicrafts such The Chuck Davis AMcan-Amerlcan Dance Ensemble will reenact a‘^ slave Christmas ceremony at the 1988 Somerset Homecoming on September 3. Participant in the slave wedding that took place at the first Somer set Place Homecoming. as the "Somerset tasket"--a broom sedge and split oak con tainer once made at the planta tion. Nantucket and South Caro lina sweetgrass basket-making also will be showcased. In addi tion, ancient traditions such as African baby wrapping (a meth od for carrying children on one's back) will be explained. Somerset's antebellum past will also come to life through dramatic interpretations and reenactments. Famous black abolitionist Harriet Tubman's tremendous achievements will be spotlighted through the tal ents of actress Gloria Lowery- Tyrell. In addition, a reenactment of a slave wedding directed by Ter rance Afer-Anderson and fea turing two Somerset descen dants promises to be a colorful highlight of this day. Complementing the live enter tainment, Homecoming visitors can browse among distinctive Afro-American sculpture, paint ings, collages, guilts, pottery, and pen and ink drawings. Plus, Dorothy Redford, Somerset Homecoming organizer and the plantation's genealogist, will present her new book, "Somerset Homecoming-- Recovering a Lost Heritage." A Book-of-the-Month Club selec tion, it will be published nation ally in August by Doubleday. "Researching Somerset family links and history has been one of the most fulfilling experienc es of my life," said Mrs. Redford. "Both Somerset Place and the events scheduled for the 1988 Homecoming embody African- Americans' contributions to America's cultural heritage." For further information, call the Public Information Office at 919-733-5722 or Somerset Place at 919-797-4560. A yellow ribbon around a tree welcomes slave descendants to the;, Collins "big house" at Somerset Place State Historic Site. ^ - ' Somerset Descendants Gather Somerset Place had their first homecoming in 1986. Descendants gather In fix>nt of the colony house. The mansion is in the background. In 1836 Louisa Collins' father died at Somerset Place Planta tion near Creswell, N.C,, leaving her an inheritance of land and 81 slaves. Louisa and her hus band, Dr. Thomas Harrison, took the slaves and moved to Marengo County, Ala. There the family established Faunsdale Plantation where Louisa's great-granddaughter lives today. On Saturday, September 3, de scendants of Louisa's slaves, along with thousands of other descendants of Collins slaves, will gather at Somerset Place for a reunion - a sentimental jour ney - a homecoming. "Today their names may be Baum or Bennett, Collins or Pal ing, Phelps, or Treadwell - al most 4,000 are expected for the day-long "Somerset Place Homecoming: The American Black Contribution." Among de scendants of Louisa's slaves making the homecoming jour ney might be Johnnie Dawson from Georgia and Edmonia Borden of Illinois. Hundreds more live in such Al abama towns as Birmingham, Selma, Demopolis, Uniontown, Faunsdale and in a village called Browns, Ala., less than 10 miles from the plantation their ances tors first saw as they arrived from Somerset 150 years ago, Somerset Place State Historic Site, on the shores of Lake Phelps in 'Washington County, N.C., is preparing for the de scendants to return to their roots — for a "healing time" — for a celebration of American black history. Descendants from all over the country will spend a day turning back the clock — watching vari ous demonstrations of African- American customs practiced by their ancestors, such as dramat ic interpretations, a slave wed ding and a reenactment of a unique slave Christmas celebra tion by Chuck Davis' African- American Dance Ensemble. They can see for themselves what their ancestors ate and what kinds of crafts they produced. Spearheading the reunion, in cooperation with the N.C. De partment of Cultural Resources Historic Sites Section, is Doro thy Spruill Redford of Creswell. Twelve years ago. Mrs. Redford, a descendant of Collins slaves, traced her own ancestry, along with the genealogy of other de scendants. The result was the 1986 home coming with more than 2,000 present. More are expected at this year's reunion. Mrs. Redford was inspired by the television miniseries "Roots." "At that time my daughter asked me (about our ancestors). I didn't know, so I asked my mother," she said, and the search was on. Mrs. Redford learned also the Dorothy Spruill Redford history of the Collins plantation and its owners. In 1786 Louisa's grandfather, prosperous businessman and politician, Josiah Collins of Edenton, and two partners be gan a rice and lumbering opera tion on the lakeshore against such formidable odds as swampy lands, lack of transpor tation and periodic flooding from Lake Phelps. Josiah later bought out his two partners and named the planta tion Somerset Place for the country of his birth in England. Though Josiah's Somerset prospered, he and his family lived across the sound in Eden ton, leaving plantation manage ment to overseers. Gradually, however, the family began to spend more time at the lake. In 1830, Josiah III and his bride, Mary Riggs of Newark, N.J., arrived at Somerset and be gan building the 14-room house known today at the Collins mansion. His arrival signaled ■ the beginning of a grandiose era for the plantation. Josiah Jr. died in 1836. Ac cording to her grandfather's will, Louisa, along with five brothers and sisters, inherited land and slaves, whole Josiah III received Somerset Plantation. According to a contemporary account, Louisa and her hus band "...a short time later started a caravan of Negroes from thEit"^ place..." to the 960 acre Fauns* dale Plantation in Marengo ^ County, Ala. Louisa and Dr. Har rison began their life in Alaba'-"* ma but returned often to Somen-' set. At the same time, Louisa's 81"' slaves began repeating the afio cepted slave existence on large- farms - five and one-half days of C backbreaking toll in the fields:" off Sundays, Thanksgiving and • several days at Christmas. At night as many as 15 crowdiC ed into the dusty, stifling, 18* foot-square cabins in the "quarters." Today, the complex includes' the Collins mansion, six original ■ outbuildings, the Colony House;i (now a visitor center), a largg yard with gardens, archaeologl*" cal remains and the canal from ■ the lake. To welcome Somerset guestS " for the 1988 reunion, volunteers will tie yellow ribbons on the- mile-long row of stately cypress ' trees lining the approach to the house. ' ‘' Those descendants who travel from Alabama and other parts, of the country — those Baums or, Littlejohns or Bennetts or Treadwells — they will all be re- ^ turning to their own roots. And they wlU be proud.
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Aug. 25, 1988, edition 1
8
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75