Governor’s Mansion provides new perspective on the past
Its life encompasses the Antebellum era, Civil War era and the early phases of Reconstruction.
“The mansion continues to uncover the past and create a passage for new comprehension,” said James Turner, director of The Old Governor’s Mansion.
As a way to keep the history of the mansion and the state of Georgia alive, tours are given Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
While these tours are very informative, they are often given from the governor’s point of view. However, the roles have recently been reversed and the Old Governor’s Mansion is now offering a Tuesday specialty tour entitled “Labor Behind the Veil: The History of Slaves and Free Persons.”
“[Labor Behind the Veil] will broach the subject of how these people worked and lived,” said Matthew Davis, curator of The Old Governor’s Mansion.
This version of the tour has been a work in progress.
“We knew there was another story out there and it needed to be revealed,” Davis said.
Through the use of primary documentation, such as diaries and letters, Davis and others were able to write a narrative that gave a voice to the mansion’s slaves and free persons.
“After 5 years of research, it came together quite well,” Turner said.
There are even areas of the mansion that have never been seen before during the traditional mansion tours. This hidden area reveals a narrow, spiral staircase that leads from the upper level of the mansion to the bottom. Its specific purpose was to veil the African-American workers and keep their presence hidden.
While they may not have been physically seen, the fruits of the slaves’ labor was evident in more ways than one.
The wooden floors throughout most of the mansion were said to have a magnificent shine, thanks to the work of a slave. The slaves used milk which contained lactic acid and maintained the floors’ ever-shining appeal.
The African-American workers may have been restricted to a specific stairwell, but they did not allow this setback or any other restriction to cause them to claim defeat. They pushed on in the face of adversity, and now their stories are being heard.
While some of the African-Americans involved in the interactions of the mansion were given the status of a slave, some were considered to be free people. This freedom was often bought or earned by doing additional tasks to gain money.
The tour was created to remove the veil that has been present for many years. It is now being offered free of charge to GCSU students.
“I hope GCSU will take advantage of this opportunity, and come and learn about the African Americans that supported this building,” Turner said.
“Labor Behind the Veil” will be offered by appointment only on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Mar 13 2009. Filed under Features.
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