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Jourdon and Mandy Anderson Find doctor’s visits to me, and pulling a tooth for
Security in Freedom after Slavery Mandy, and the balance will show what we are
in justice entitled to. Please send the money
In the summer after the Civil War ended, by Adams Express, in care of V. Winters, esq.,
freedman Jourdon Anderson of Dayton, Ohio, Dayton, Ohio. If you fail to pay us for faithful
thought hard about the postwar prospects for labors in the past we can have little faith in
himself and his wife, Mandy, and their three your promises in the future. We trust the good
children. Colonel P. H. Anderson, their “Old Maker has opened your eyes to the wrongs
Master” in Big Spring, Tennessee, “promis- which you and your fathers have done to me
and my fathers, in making us toil for you for
ing to do better for me than anybody else can,” generations without recompense.
and asked Jourdon and his family to return
to the “old home” to work for him. Free since Besides making sure that their economic
1864, Jourdon and Mandy had made a nice situation would be solid, Jourdon and Mandy
life for themselves and their family in Dayton. wanted to know that their domestic and social
“I get $25 a month, with victuals and clothing; lives as free people would be protected and dig-
have a comfortable home for Mandy . . . and nified. The old patterns of white dominance
the children,” Jourdon explained in his formal and black subordination were unacceptable.
response to Colonel Anderson’s invitation. Jourdon observed that when “the folks here”
Recalling that Anderson had more than once talk to Mandy, they “call her Mrs. Anderson.”
tried to shoot him, Jourdon demanded “some Jourdon and Mandy demanded that their
proof that you are sincerely disposed to treat us daughters Milly and Jane, “now grown up and
justly and kindly” as a condition of return. The both good-looking girls,” be safe from rape and
terms Jourdon and Mandy laid out were clear sexual exploitation at the hands of white men.
and precise: “I would rather stay here and starve and die if
it comes to that than have my girls brought to
We have concluded to test your sincerity by shame by the violence and wickedness of their
asking you to send us our wages for the time
we served you. This will make us forget and young masters.” Mandy and Jourdon were also
forgive old scores, and rely on your justice very proud of their son Grundy, whose teacher
and friendship in the future. I served you had told them that Grundy “has a head for a
faithfully for thirty-two years and Mandy preacher.” They made certain their children
twenty years. At $25 a month for me, and $2 a attended Sunday school and church, as well as
week for Mandy, our earnings would amount
to $11,680. Add to this the interest for the grammar school. Committed to a good edu-
time our wages has been kept back and deduct cation for their children, they asked Colonel
what you paid for our clothing and three Anderson “if there has been any schools opened

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