Preserving and Protecting ALL of Our History

Last week Sue and I spent a couple days in Savannah, Georgia after our anniversary cruise.  Neither of us had ever been to Savannah, so we wanted to make sure we had a chance to see and learn more of the rich history of this area. We started with a trolly tour of the 2.5 miles of square blocks that make up the city of Savannah.  One of the first stops was at the city market which starts at Franklin Square.  This square has a large monument dedicated to the largest unit of soldiers of Haitian descent who fought in the American Revolution. These were free Haitian men who volunteered for a campaign to capture Savannah from the British in 1779.  This more recently erected monument tells a history that has been overlooked by our history books and shows the impact of Blacks in American before slavery.  

As one is taking in this important Black history in Franklin Square, it is hard not to notice the large gray church with red doors casting a shadow from the north on the square. This is the First Black Baptist Church in North America, constituted December 1777. Below the floor of this church are passageways (4ft. by 4ft) where many slaves heading to freedom started their journeys with the help of Deacon Haynes on the Underground Railroad.  Some finding their way to Levi Coffin in Indiana and ultimately freedom in the North or Canada. This church stands as its own monument to the legacy and resilience of Blacks in America. 

It is hard to miss that much of the city of Savannah is built of bricks (from streets to buildings) that have stood the test of time. Even the new construction has continued this legacy. Almost all the original bricks of Savannah’s historic buildings were made by Black slaves. They were so good at making bricks that when the slaves were freed, they took the recipe with them, and the price of bricks skyrocketed. From that time on, only the elite could afford building with bricks. 

Even though these are only glimpses of our history, I want to continue to learn more about and share these stories. As we heard from a parent of one of our Friends Educational Fund recipients this year, we need to preserve and protect this history because it is quickly being erased. Visiting other places and learning their history challenges me to want to learn more about our history in Indianapolis and how Black Americans have had a positive impact on our city and state. I challenge you to find time while you are traveling to put your ear to the ground and hear the stories crying out to be heard. 

(First appeared in As Way Opens in Indy First Friends' Friend to Friend newsletter)