February 11, 2008
Freedmen voiced their concerns
By O.C. Stonestreet
Following the conclusion of the American Civil War, those newly-freed began to organize themselves and to take the first steps in participating in the political process.
This account, as it appeared in the Statesville American newspaper April 16, 1867, tells of a meeting the freedmen in Statesville held 10 days earlier and voiced some of the concerns of the newly-freed people.
The newspaper is on microfilm and can be viewed at the Iredell County Public Library.
If you read carefully, you will see that in the sixth resolution, the freedmen are proceeding to establish their own churches, making this announcement a kind of “declaration of religious independence,” although there were black worshippers who continued to attend predominately white churches for the rest of their lives.
According to Mitchell Community College instructor Phyllis Bailey, the oldest black congregation in Iredell is believed to be the appropriately-named Freedom Presbyter-ian Church located north of Statesville on U.S. Highway 21 (Turnersburg Highway), which was organized in October 1865.
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The meeting was organized by calling Rev. N.J. Williams to the chair, and appointing Leander McClelland, Secretary, with Julius Erwin, Chas. Clarke, Julius Wilson, Albert McClelland, David Chambers, Frontis Simonton, Baker Davidson, and Pearson Young, a Committee to draft resolutions expressing the object and desires of the meeting.
After retiring, the Committee appointed to draft resolutions expressive of the feelings and purposes of the freedmen of Iredell County, reported the following:
The Elders, Deacons and leading men of the Colored Presbyterian Church of Iredell and adjacent counties, assembled in Convention in the town of Statesville, to consult regarding their Religion and Educational interests, believing some expression of their feelings and purposes appropriate to the occasion and calculated to promote kindly feelings between the white and colored races have adopted the following preamble and resolutions:
Whereas God in His mysterious providence permitted our ancestors to be brought from a land of ignorance, superstition and idolatry to this christian land where they and their descendants were taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as well as many of the arts of civilized life, thus bringing good out of evil, and whereas the same Almighty Being has now delivered us from bondage and conferred upon us equal political rights, which we believe to be essential to our elevation as a people (unreadable word).
Resolved 1st. That we recognize in all the history of our race as connected with the white man in America, the over-ruling hand of an Almighty and infinitely wise holy and good God using wicked instruments for the accomplishment of His benevolent purposes and over-ruling evil for our good.
Resolved 2nd. That while we feel it our christian duty to be grateful ourselves and to teach our children to be grateful for FREEDOM and American citizenship, we desire to cultivate the most friendly relations with all mankind and especially with those whom we long and faithfully served, and to many of whom we are bound by recollections of the kindliest nature.
Resolved 3rd. That we appeal in token of our sincerity, to the records of the late civil war and challenge the world to show a nation having so much to gain, waiting with equal patience, deliverance by the hands of God, or a nation whose condition has been so materially improved, bearing the change with like equanimity.
Resolved 4th. That while we will seek to redress no wrongs of the past, and shall frown upon all attempts, come from whatever source they may, to alienate the two races contrary to the best interests of both and contrary to the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ, we desire to enjoy rights which God has conferred upon us, ever seeking in our enjoyment the guidance of that wisdom by which the greatest happiness of both races may be secured.
Resolved 5th. That we earnestly appeal to the wise and good in Church and State, to use every effort to remove unfounded prejudices, unjust suspicions and secure impartial justice between man and man.
Resolved 6th. That while in our best judgement the interests of our race require the organization of churches where we can enjoy the privileges in the House of God which have been conferred upon us in the state, we separate in a christian spirit and tender to our former brethren our best wishes, and shall ever pray that the ministers who have taught us of the Love of God, may be made wise to win souls, and the churches where we found Jesus and first tasted the sweetness of a Savior’s love, may ever be glorious in displays of converting grace.
Resolved 7th. That language cannot express our gratitude to those kind friends in the North who have contributed so liberally to sustain our churches, and schools, and to those in the South who in their own deep poverty have given us land for church and school purposes and for the burial of our dead and have aided us to erect our houses of worship.
Resolved 8th. That we endorse the action of Catawba Presbytery and shall ever pray that the blessing may attend their efforts to educate and evangelize our long down trodden race.
Resolved 9th. That we thank God the day has come when white and colored men can sit together in the same Presbytery, making no distinction of color and openly declaring that God is no respecter of persons.
Resolved 10th. That our thanks are tendered to Col. Alexander Sharpe, Mayor of the town of Statesville, for the prompt recognition of our rights and full protection in their enjoyment.
