On this very cold morning I went to the John Wornall House Museum for Black History Month. I went early too. I knew if I thought about getting out or staying that staying in would probably win. I parked and it was just 10 am. Thankfully there were other people who must have had the same thought.
John Wornall
Slaves would have been used to build this house in 1856
The Palour
Used for formal events.
Slaves would not be allowed to enter except to clean
Upstairs where the slaves would live.
There were 4-6 slaves living on this property.
Sitting Room
The center room for the family
Attached to people who were flight risks.
Matilda Wornall, a freed woman who's husband was a slave owned by John Wornall's grandfather. The grandfather claimed the couple's children as his property. Matilda filed with the court arguing that the children would belong to the mother's owner and since she had no owner the children would be free. She won.
In 1863 John Wornall began to pay his 4 slaves so they would stay with the family. This did not work and they escaped probably traveling to the free state of Kansas.
Approximately 180,000 Black men, both free and escaped slaves, served in the Union Army, making up around 10% of the total Union forces. They were paid $3 less per week than the white soldiers.
The Wornall home was used as a hospital for both Confederate and Union soldiers. Pallets laid on the floor, and the wounded and dying filled the house. Eliza (John’s wife) and Frank (his nine-year-old-son) were present in the house and did what they could to assist – feeding the men, boiling water, and providing comfort when they could
There were not many job opportunies for freed slaves.
In 1870, it is known that the Wornall's hired 2 women to help in the house.
Many men joined the army.
Kansas offered land to anyone who would farm the land for 5 years.
Mama's bench - Let one women care for multiple children at a time.
Education was very important to freed slaves.
Master Bedroom that John Wornall shared with his wives.
They talked about J Nichols and his deed covenants preventing
Black People from owning properties in the neighborhoods he developed.
He developed 6000 homes and apartments.
Door so help could enter the upstairs master bedrooms.
During the 1920s and 1930s Jazz helped the black community
make a name for themselves.
This is not a great subject but it very informative. It was an audio tour. I listened to it again while typing this up. I think I included most of the stories. I didn't include many of numbers because I kept having to back up the recording get them.
I plan to go back in 2 weeks for President's day.
Until tomorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment