Jourdan Anderson’s letter to his former master, Colonel Anderson, expresses how Jourdans feels about the freedom and opportunities he gained after being emancipated. Jourdan informs his former master that he had a job that paid him a salary of twenty five dollars per month, had provisions of food and clothing, and was able to afford housing. Jourdan also informs his former master that his children are able to attend school and Sunday school, and that he and his wife Mandy regularly attend church every Sunday as well. Jourdan expresses that despite hurtful comments from some people, he and his family are treated in a respectful manner from their neighbors and church acquaintances. After being emancipated, Jourdan was able to obtain documents that have proof that he and his wife Mandy were legally emancipated from their former master. An important aspect of Jourdan freedom is that Jourdan is able to make of choice of where and who he wants to work for
From the information presented in Jourdan’s letter to Colonel Anderson, it can be inferred that Jordan was not treated well on plantation when he was a slave. In the beginning first paragraph of the letter Jourdan mentions that Colonel Anderson attempted to shoot Jourdan two times before he left the plantation. Jourdan also expresses that when he was a slave under Colonel Anderson, that he and his wife never got paid, and that they were treated the same as livestock. I believe that Jourdan was not serious about working under Colonel Anderson again, because despite the polite tone that Jourdan uses in the letter, the tone also expresses his resentment towards how Colonel Anderson treated him when he was working in the plantation. I believe that Jourdan wrote the letter to Colonel Anderson to show that he has created a better life outside of the, and the overall message that Jourdan letter conveys is that he is capable of surviving on his own.
Albion Tourgee’s letter to Senator Abbott informs the Senator that the Ku Klux Klan is performing violent acts of murder and lynching towards African Americans, because the Ku Klux Klan to suppress political involvement amongst the African Americans. For example, Tourgee mentions that Senator John W. Stephens was stabbed five to six times by the the Ku Klux Klan due to his influential position as a senator. Another example of the Ku Klux Klan violent acts was an incident where the group bounded a female and male African American together, placed them on the be, and proceed to burn the house as they rode off. Tourgee blames the government for allowing the Ku Klux Klan to carry out their violent acts of crime, because the government did not take action to suppress the Ku Klux Klan activities. Tourgee suggests Congress recognize the violent acts of the Ku Klux Klan as federal crimes, organized a militia to protect citizens from violent crimes, and to hire detectives to investigate the activities of violent groups such as the Ku Klux Klan.
Tourgee fears that if the violent crimes of the Ku Klux Klan continues, then African Americans will be forced to revert back to the slave system due to their lack of presence in social, political, and economic matters. Judging from Tourgee’s letter, I believe that the Ku Klux Klan was a large organization in 1870. The reason why I believe that the Ku Klux Klan was a large organization, is because Tourgee mentions various violent crimes from the Ku Klux Klan in different counties across the region. Another reason why I believe that the Ku Klux Klan is a large organization, is because Tourgee indicates that in a short period of time, the Ku Klux Klan accumulated a large number of violent acts against African Americans.
From Jourdan’s and Tourgee’s letters, there is an indication that whites who live in the south begin to attempt to suppress the freedom that the African Americans gain. Jourdan’s letter from 1865 reveals that some whites develop a mutual respect towards him and his family, while others still viewed them as slaves. This gives an indication that there is a split opinion on African American presences in society. Tourgee’s letter from 1870 reveals how southern whites, specifically the Ku Klux Klan, have developed a radical mindset of beliefs that African Americans were not equal, and should be punished for believing they are equal with white citizens. Overall, both Jourdan’s and Tourgee’s letter reveal how after being emancipated from slavery, African Americans would face difficulties attempting to alleviate social tensions with white citizens.
