Treated as non-humans by Southern state laws in the decades prior to and during the war, slaves were not allowed to marry. Many slave couples compensated by engaging in simple rituals signifying informal marriages. White Baptist leaders of the South remained defiantly supportive of black slavery throughout the war, although some voiced support of laws…
This month reality begins setting in among the freedmen of the Sea Islands along the coasts of South Carolina and Georgia. The land they were promised, the land upon which they are now trying to make a living and support their families, is imperiled. In January Union General William T. Sherman signed an order turning…
The Van Wert Baptist Church of Paulding County, Georgia closed its doors in late 1864 due to the battles raging in and around Atlanta. Reassembling in January 1865, the congregation since has struggled. The minutes of a church conference (business meeting) held this day refer to post-war realities. “After the opening of conference as usual,…