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First Blacks of Portsmouth, Part 2
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Written by Valerie Cunningham
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Page 4 of 4
AFRICAN LADIES SOCIETY (Continued)
The mere existence of The Ladies Charitable African Society implies the presence
of knowledgeable leaders who were committed to improving the condition of blacks
as slavery was ending. The name is a conscious identification with similarly named
groups formed in other northern black communities during the period. The name
of this organization is suggestive because these women were clearly engaging in
an ethic of giving-similar to white charitable societies-while simultaneously
practicing the centuries-old tradition of communal responsibility known in African
cultures. The social work performed by these women, black and white, was of vital
importance to the well-being of the community.
Yet, black associations boasted a unique vision. A common notion held by most
African-American service organizations was that local action on behalf of the
individual ultimately strengthened all black people. This "universalist" view
was consistent with African tradition and with the black American experience of
constant struggle for small victories in a pervasively racist society.
Many organizations catered to the special needs of free blacks, particularly
those just emerging from slavery. In addition to classroom instruction, the Ladies
Charitable African Society would have provided legal advice, employment references
and opportunities for political networking through an exchange of information
from all available sources. Because of the circumstances of slavery, black men
were more tolerant of women activists than was generally true of the society at
large. Although wives and daughters were customarily perceived as subordinate
to men, women and men often worked as partners in meeting the needs of their particular
communities. Experiences gained as participants in Portsmouth's Negro Court was
undoubtedly valuable preparation for eventual freedom and self-government.
On the surface, slavery in New Hampshire may appear milder when held up to the
horrors of slavery in the Caribbean or deep South. Yet, bondage in Portsmouth
was just as painful as bondage elsewhere. It is difficult to articulate the personal
isolation which must have been experienced by the slave immigrants introduced
suddenly, involuntarily and violently into a culturally alien world. Not only
did blacks arrive on unknown shores speaking languages that were unfamiliar perhaps
even to other Africans, but they came from different experiences in slavery, from
various parts of Africa, the Caribbean and the American South. Slave women and
men tried to preserve their dignity while accommodating the whims of self-appointed
masters. They were multilingual, adding English to the African languages they
brought with them; they ate strange foods and performed unfamiliar work; finally,
they learned the social practices of this bizarre new world.
The intellectual and spiritual integrity of centuries-old African civilizations
was degraded and displaced in the traumatic process of enslavement. Africans became
"American" in order to survive. The first blacks of Portsmouth are models of their
persistence.
Editor's Note: Valerie Cunningham has been researching, writing and teaching
about local black history for 25 years. Her avocation has made her one of the
region's experts and she is consultant to the Black History section of SeacoastNH.com.
This article, complete with detailed footnotes, first appeared in Historical New
Hampshire (Vol. 41, No. 4, Winter 1989) published by the NH Historical Society.
It is reprinted here with permission of the author.
Copyright (c) Valerie Cunningham. All rights reserved. This essay appears exclusively
on SeacoastNH.com. First posted 1997.
<< Start < Prev 1 2 3 4 Next > End >>
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| Saturday, November 21, 2009 |
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