Oscar Faber to William F. Newcomb with enclosure
race relations
During the spring of 1868, some white Virginians established local branches of the Ku Klux Klan, which had been organized in Tennessee about two years earlier. It lasted only a few months in the state, but not before members committed acts of violence in various localities, including Williamsburg, Warrenton, and Lee and Rockbridge Counties. The KKK was revived in Virginia during the 1920s.
Oscar Faber
Ku Klux Klan, Realm of Virginia, Richmond Department Papers, 1868, Accession 20957, Organization Records, Library of Virginia.
1868
Library of Virginia
CC BY-SA
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Manuscript letter and broadside
15_0065_001, 15_0065_002, 15_0065_003
Richmond City, Essex, Gloucester, Mathews, and Middlesex Counties, Virginia
Fires at Petersburg, Virginia-Ruins of the Colored Baptist Church of Harrison Street
African Americans, religion, violence, race relations
Early in the morning of May 1, 1866, fires damaged several African American churches in Petersburg, including the Sunday school building adjacent to one of them. Many white Virginians feared that the schools would become hotbeds of radical Republicanism.
<em>Harper's Weekly</em>, May 19, 1866, p. 317
Harper and Brothers
May 1, 1866
Library of Virginia
CC BY-SA
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Engraving
15_1076_003 Pbg church
Petersburg, Virginia
"Act to Establish and Maintain a Uniform System of Public Free Schools"
African Americans, education, segregation
Virginia's General Assembly passed an act to create the state's first public school system on July 11, 1870. Section 47 of the act required that "white and colored persons shall not be taught in the same school, but in separate schools, under the same general regulations as to management, usefulness, and efficiency. . . ."
Virginia General Assembly
<em>Acts of the General Assembly of the State of Virginia, Passed at the Session of 1869–'70</em> (1870), 402-417.
Richmond, Va.: James E. Goode, Printer
July 11, 1870
Library of Virginia
CC BY-SA
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Book
15_1075_001a, 15_1075_001b, 15_1075_002a, 15_1075_002b, 15_1075_003a, 15_1075_003b, 15_1075_004a, 15_1075_004b, 15_1075_005a, 15_1075_005b, 15_1075_006a, 15_1075_006b, 15_1075_007a, 15_1075_007b, 15_1075_008a, 15_1075_008b
Virginia
Jacob E. Yoder Diaries, April 28, 1866 entry
African Americans, education, race relations
Jacob Eschbach Yoder (1838-1905), a Pennsylvania native, came to Lynchburg in 1866 to help educate freedpeople. He left after a few months, but returned in 1868 and continued to teach and serve as an administrator for the African American schools in Lynchburg until his death. Despite his idealistic intentions, he confided to his diary his deep ambivalence aobut his job, the abilities of his colleagues, and the prospects for African American education. Yoder kept a diary between 1866 and 1870, some of which has been published as <em>The Fire of Liberty in Their Hearts</em>, ed., Samuel L. Horst (1996). This entry has been published.
Jacob E. Yoder
Jacob E. Yoder, Diaries, 1861-1870, Accession 27680, 51148, Personal Papers Collection. Library of Virginia.
April 28, 1866
Library of Virginia
CC BY-SA
Out of the Box <a title="Jacob Yoder" href="http://www.virginiamemory.com/blogs/out_of_the_box/2015/06/17/jacob-yoder-freedpeople/" target="_blank">blog entry</a> on Jacob Yoder.
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Bound manuscript
14_1165_001, 14_1165_002, Yoder diary_04-28-1866_transcription_14_1165_001-002.pdf
Lynchburg, Virginia
Segregated School Districts, Jefferson Township School Census Map
African Americans, education, race relations
Virginia's public school system required racial segregation. In drawing up districts for Alexandria County (later Arlington County), the mapmaker drew what looks like a badly gerrymandered voting district with each dwelling designated as W ("white") or C ("colored"). Jefferson Township was located near what is now Crystal City and the 14th Street Bridge connecting Virginia and the District of Columbia.
Alexandria County Superintendent of Schools Records, 1851-1920, Alexandria/Arlington County Court Records, Local Government Records Collection, Library of Virginia.
1870
Library of Virginia
CC BY-SA
<a title="Alexandria Superintendent of Schools Records" href="http://ead.lib.virginia.edu/vivaxtf/view?docId=lva/vi04272.xml" target="_blank">Finding Aid</a> to Alexandria County Superintendent of Schools Records.
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Manuscript drawing
11_0080_001 Segregated districts Plat
Alexandria, Virginia
Mount Tirzah Baptist Church, April 28, 1867, Sabbath Evening Minutes
African Americans, religion, race relations
Before the Civil War, churches often had black and white members, although they were segregated within the congregation. African American churches were required by Virginia law to have white ministers, and after the Civil War, many African Americans established separate churches to achieve autonomy. On April 28, 1867 Mount Tirzah Baptist Church members voted to grant letters of dismissal to those who wanted to organize "a separate church composed of those of their own color."
Mount Tirzah Baptist Church
Mount Tirzah Baptist Church Minute Books, 1834-1915, Accession 24261, Church Records Collection, Library of Virginia
1864-1871
Library of Virginia
CC BY-SA
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Photostat (bound manuscript)
MtTirzah_Acc24261, Mount Tirzah Baptist Church minutes_1867_transcription.pdf
Charlotte County, Virginia
Cumberland Baptist Church, May 12, 1866, Minutes
African Americans, religion, race relations
Before the Civil War, churches often had black and white members, although they were segregated within the congregation. African American churches were required by Virginia law to have white ministers, and after the Civil War, many African Americans established separate churches to achieve autonomy. On May 12, 1866, African American members of Cumberland Baptist Church were given permission to leave and organize a new church with the name "New Constitution."
Cumberland Baptist Church
Cumberland Baptist Church Record Book, 1856-1896, Cumberland County Court Records, Microfilm Reel 88, Local Government Records Collection, Library of Virginia.
1856-1896
Library of Virginia
CC BY-SA
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Bound manuscript, microfilm
15_1138_001 Cumberland Baptist, 15_1138_002 Cumberland Baptist, Cumberland Baptist Church minutes_1866_transcription_15_1138_001-002.pdf
Cumberland County, Virginia
Contract between Royall H. Eubank and Pollard Gaines
African Americans, labor, race relations
In December 1865 Pollard Gaines, an African American, contracted with Royall H. Eubank to work his Nelson County farm, tend to all the livestock, repair buildings and fences, cut and haul firewood, fill the ice house, and cultivate the garden "for the white family," in exchange for half the tobacco, wheat, corn, rye, oats, and hay Gaines raised that year. Gaines sued Eubank in the spring of 1867 for not paying him the agreed upon amounts of corn and tobacco.
Royall H. Eubank
<em>Pollard Gaines</em> v. <em>Royall H. Eubank</em>, 1867-004, Nelson County Chancery Causes, 1808-1912, Local Government Records Collection, Library of Virginia.
November 29, 1865
Library of Virginia
CC BY-SA
<em>Gaines</em> v. <em>Eubank</em> <a title="Gaines v. Eubank" href="http://www.lva.virginia.gov/chancery/full_case_detail.asp?CFN=125-1867-004#img" target="_blank">Chancery Suit</a><a title="Gaines v. Eubank" href="http://www.lva.virginia.gov/chancery/full_case_detail.asp?CFN=125-1867-004#img" target="_blank"><br /></a>
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Manuscript
125_1867_004_0005, 125_1867_004_0006a, 125_1867_004_0006b, Royall H. Eubank contract_1865_transcription_125_1867_004_0005.pdf
Nelson County, Virginia
Article of Agreement between William Arvin Jr., and Nancy Arvin
African Americans, labor, race relations
In December 1865 Nancy Arvin contracted with William Arvin Jr., possibly her former owner, to care for his farm for a suit of summer and winter clothing for her and three of her children and for wages for two of her other children. In the aftermath of the Civil War, suitable clothing could be hard to come by and labor contracts sometimes included clothing as part of the laborer's remuneration.
William Arvin Jr.
Lunenburg County Freedmen's Contracts, 1865-1866, Lunenburg County Court Records, Local Government Records Collection, Library of Virginia.
December 5, 1865
Library of Virginia
CC BY-SA
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Manuscript
15_0732_005, William Arvin agreement_1865_transcription_15_0732_005.pdf
Lunenburg County, Virginia
Article of Agreement between William D. Floyd and Susan Burnett, Fannie Burnett, Betsy Burnett, Julia Burnett, Dick Burnett, and Ellen Burnett
African Americans, labor, race relations
This November 1865 contract between William D. Floyd, of Lunenburg County, and six members of the Burnett family is a fairly typical agreement by which a landowner allowed workers to farm his land in exchange of a share of the crop that the workers produced. It contains a penalty clause if Floyd or any of the workers failed to fulfill his or her part of the agreement. The final provision of the contract allowed the parties to appeal to the Freedmen's Bureau to annul the labor contract. Many such contracts contained similar language, indicating that agents of the bureau often took part in negotiating labor agreements.
William D. Floyd
Lunenburg County Freedmen's Contracts, 1865-1866, Lunenburg County Court Records, Local Government Records Collection, Library of Virginia.
November 28, 1865
Library of Virginia
CC BY-SA
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Printed form and manuscript
15_0732_004
Lunenburg County, Virginia