Federal Writers' Project – Life Histories/2020/Summer II/Section 01/Henry Abernathy

Overview

Henry Abernathy was an African American carpenter who was born in 1861 in Davidson County, Tennessee. He was interviewed on December 10, 1938 by Lillian Love in Nashville, Tennessee for the Federal Writers Project.

Biography

Early Life

Henry was an African American man born in Davidson County, Tennessee. His dad, Henry Abernathy, was a minister, carpenter, and farmer. His mother, Sarah Abernathy took care of the house and his four siblings. His family moved from Bordeaux to New Hope and Henry's father died while they lived there. Henry attended a school in Jordonia up until the seventh grade, then he left and started to work as a builder.

Later Life

Henry met his wife, Maggie Patton when he left school. They lived together for six years and then she died. They had three children and two out of three passed away. Henry got remarried to Jennie and at the time of the interview they had been married for almost 40 years. They moved to Nashville together and had six children. Henry was a very strong believer in God and practiced Christianity throughout his whole life.

Social Issues

Living Conditions for African Americans

In 1865 slavery was abolished, but African American's still weren't treated completely equal to their white peers. Most southern black Americans lived in desperate poverty. Ex-slaves were payed way less than the white man doing the same job. Due to their low income, African Americans were forced to rent land from previous white slave owners. Year after year, African Americans saw very little progress in their economic and political status. It was very difficult for an African American family to survive off of their pay checks, especially if they had children. Many families lost their children at young ages because of their lack of access to resources. Stanford's medical team found that, “the combination of lower living standards, greater exposure, heavier labor, and poorer medical care gave slaves a higher mortality rate than whites.” African Americans not only were paid less, but they weren't given the same resources to be successful as others in the community did. In addition, African Americans and people of color were separated from white people in railroad cars, schools, depots, hotels, theaters, restaurants, barber shops and other establishments. African American's were given cheaper and lower grade items than their white peers. Although slavery was banished, African Americans were still mistreated in every aspect of their lives. This had an impact on their advancement on the social totem pole.

Education for African Americans

By 1885, most southern states had laws requiring separate schools for Black and white students. Not only were the children separated, African American students were given less educated teachers, poor classroom resources, and dated materials. Thomas Maloney researched and discovered that the "members of a typical African American family at the start of the twentieth century lived and worked on a farm in the South and did not own their home. Children in these families were unlikely to be in school even at very young ages.” African American kids who didn't attend school or left at an early age instantly became inferior to the white students. The lack of quality education for African Americans made them less likely to hold better-paying skilled jobs, and made them more likely to work for lower-paying companies. There was an ongoing cycle of little progression for African Americans and their economic status due to the consistent neglect of change in the school system.

Role of Religion for African Americans

In the south there was importance behind religion and churches for African Americans. They believed that God saw all people, color or no color, as equal. This gave them a sense of hope and joyfulness regardless of how miserable their personal situations were. Worshipping together with singing, dancing, and love created a community for the African American people. Having a sense of community through the church was major for the African American culture, because they felt like they belonged in the presence of the lord. The black churches became centerpieces of African American culture, not only as places of personal spiritual renewal and communal worship but also as centers for learning, socializing, and political organization. Black ministers were seen as community leaders. Their beliefs played a big role in keeping their spirits high and desire for a better future.