Three Months in the Southern States, Lt. Col. Arthur J.L. Fremantle, page 75.
Warning: Period language in reference to African Americans.
May 3 1863. [in Houston] The general took me out for a drive in his ambulance, and I saw innumerable negroes and negresses parading about the streets in the most outrageously grand costumes--silks, satins, crinolines, hats with feathers,
lace mantles, etc. forming an absurd contrast to the simple dresses of their mistresses.
The quote about the women's clothing is also very interesting. I realized most women's dress did tend to be pretty simple. But I am intrigued by who the "negroes and negresses" were who were "parading about" in silks and satins and lace? Do you have any insight into the demographics on that one? Was there a wealthy black merchant class of note in Houston maybe? Or was it a holiday?
Terre
They were almost certainly slaves, since there were only 2 free black males and 7 free black females listed in the 1860 Census for Harris County. Here's what the Online Handbook of Texas says about free blacks:
"A stricter law passed in 1840, which gave free blacks two years to leave Texas or risk being sold into slavery, was effectively postponed by President Sam Houston. Throughout the 1840s and 1850s manumitted slaves who remained in Texas without seeking legal sanction from the legislature formed a third category of blacks in Texas-those who were neither free nor enslaved. After annexation, the legislature passed stricter laws governing the lives of free blacks. These new laws called for harsh punishments usually reserved only for slaves, including branding, whipping, and forced labor on public works. In 1858 the legislature even passed a law that encouraged free blacks to reenter slavery voluntarily by allowing them to choose their own masters. The increased restrictions and the rise in white hostility resulted in a virtual halt to additional free black immigration to Texas and may have caused a reduction in the Texas population of free blacks. The United States census reported 397 free blacks in Texas in 1850 and 355 in 1860, though there may have been an equal number of free blacks not counted."
The slaves may have been in town, working for themselves, and paying their masters a percentage of their pay. Some slaves were allowed to work for themselves "after hours" or on weekends, or to accept tips that they could keep. The silks and satins and lace could have been hand-me-downs acquired before the war. While technically everything that the slave had was owned by the slaveowner, most slaveowners didn't interfere with personal property accumulated by slaves. Federal soldiers were often surprised at what they found in slave cottages and were convinced that the masters had just stashed some of their valuables there to protect them. Many slaves were shocked and very angry when their property was ransacked along with the master's.
I don't think it was a holiday. There were too many accounts of slaves enjoying dressing up. When you have so few opportunities to express yourself, clothing is a relatively easy way to do it.
Vicki Betts
It was a Sunday.
Annette
Aha! That makes sense.
Vicki Betts
Thanks ladies. I am having a hard time imagining how slaves could scrape together enough money to buy that type of finery, silks and satin being pretty pricey. With boots going for $100 .... how much for satin? but it does sound very reasonable that they were hand me downs. And some slave owners of course did dress their house slaves up pretty fancily, as a badge of prosperity I suppose. I am sure you must be right one way or the other.
I was trying to find a link to one of my favorite period images, objectionable title notwithstanding. It is called "The Darky's Vanity" and is a stereo card showing a man in what looks like livery preening, and joking and teasing back and forth with a woman, presumably his owner. It is just a very human image. Does anyone happen to have access to this image?
Terre
I found a hand-colored stereograph on an auction website, called only "The Darky," but believe it is the same one? The black man is standing in the foreground holding out the ends of his neckcloth. The white woman is sitting and smiling in the background of the image. There is no personal (inappropriate) interaction, but she is pleased with the result of her gift(?) to her servant. Of course it is posed and exaggerated for effect, and I assume the Houston newspaper reports were also somewhat "embellished" to make better copy.
Oh, wait - we know that journalists and the media *never* taint, slant or enlarge the story to sell more papers!
Robin G-C
I would not say it was comic exactly, Robin, if by that you mean humor at the expense of the black man. That is what I think is so different about this one. It is actually a warm and sympathetic little vignette in one frame, like all good photographic storytelling. He was strutting his stuff in front of the vanity mirror, at about that time the woman comes in and catches him and starts teasing him. His response is to play along by hamming it up for her. That is the way I read it!
Terre
Warning: Period language in reference to African Americans.
May 3 1863. [in Houston] The general took me out for a drive in his ambulance, and I saw innumerable negroes and negresses parading about the streets in the most outrageously grand costumes--silks, satins, crinolines, hats with feathers,
lace mantles, etc. forming an absurd contrast to the simple dresses of their mistresses.
The quote about the women's clothing is also very interesting. I realized most women's dress did tend to be pretty simple. But I am intrigued by who the "negroes and negresses" were who were "parading about" in silks and satins and lace? Do you have any insight into the demographics on that one? Was there a wealthy black merchant class of note in Houston maybe? Or was it a holiday?
Terre
They were almost certainly slaves, since there were only 2 free black males and 7 free black females listed in the 1860 Census for Harris County. Here's what the Online Handbook of Texas says about free blacks:
"A stricter law passed in 1840, which gave free blacks two years to leave Texas or risk being sold into slavery, was effectively postponed by President Sam Houston. Throughout the 1840s and 1850s manumitted slaves who remained in Texas without seeking legal sanction from the legislature formed a third category of blacks in Texas-those who were neither free nor enslaved. After annexation, the legislature passed stricter laws governing the lives of free blacks. These new laws called for harsh punishments usually reserved only for slaves, including branding, whipping, and forced labor on public works. In 1858 the legislature even passed a law that encouraged free blacks to reenter slavery voluntarily by allowing them to choose their own masters. The increased restrictions and the rise in white hostility resulted in a virtual halt to additional free black immigration to Texas and may have caused a reduction in the Texas population of free blacks. The United States census reported 397 free blacks in Texas in 1850 and 355 in 1860, though there may have been an equal number of free blacks not counted."
The slaves may have been in town, working for themselves, and paying their masters a percentage of their pay. Some slaves were allowed to work for themselves "after hours" or on weekends, or to accept tips that they could keep. The silks and satins and lace could have been hand-me-downs acquired before the war. While technically everything that the slave had was owned by the slaveowner, most slaveowners didn't interfere with personal property accumulated by slaves. Federal soldiers were often surprised at what they found in slave cottages and were convinced that the masters had just stashed some of their valuables there to protect them. Many slaves were shocked and very angry when their property was ransacked along with the master's.
I don't think it was a holiday. There were too many accounts of slaves enjoying dressing up. When you have so few opportunities to express yourself, clothing is a relatively easy way to do it.
Vicki Betts
It was a Sunday.
Annette
Aha! That makes sense.
Vicki Betts
Thanks ladies. I am having a hard time imagining how slaves could scrape together enough money to buy that type of finery, silks and satin being pretty pricey. With boots going for $100 .... how much for satin? but it does sound very reasonable that they were hand me downs. And some slave owners of course did dress their house slaves up pretty fancily, as a badge of prosperity I suppose. I am sure you must be right one way or the other.
I was trying to find a link to one of my favorite period images, objectionable title notwithstanding. It is called "The Darky's Vanity" and is a stereo card showing a man in what looks like livery preening, and joking and teasing back and forth with a woman, presumably his owner. It is just a very human image. Does anyone happen to have access to this image?
Terre
I found a hand-colored stereograph on an auction website, called only "The Darky," but believe it is the same one? The black man is standing in the foreground holding out the ends of his neckcloth. The white woman is sitting and smiling in the background of the image. There is no personal (inappropriate) interaction, but she is pleased with the result of her gift(?) to her servant. Of course it is posed and exaggerated for effect, and I assume the Houston newspaper reports were also somewhat "embellished" to make better copy.
Oh, wait - we know that journalists and the media *never* taint, slant or enlarge the story to sell more papers!
Robin G-C
I would not say it was comic exactly, Robin, if by that you mean humor at the expense of the black man. That is what I think is so different about this one. It is actually a warm and sympathetic little vignette in one frame, like all good photographic storytelling. He was strutting his stuff in front of the vanity mirror, at about that time the woman comes in and catches him and starts teasing him. His response is to play along by hamming it up for her. That is the way I read it!
Terre
