Contraband Commemoration at Fort Monroe

Point Comfort at Fort Monroe is the site where the first slaves were brought ashore from Africa in 1619. Coincidentally, Fort Monroe also happens to be the place where, over two hundred years later, the institution of slavery began to be broken. In 1861, three enslaved men -- Sheppard Mallory, James Townsend, and Frank Baker -- escaped from the Confederate Army, to which they had been leased by their masters. Walking from Yorktown in the dead of night, they approached the Union Army and requested to be given refuge in exchange for Confederate intelligence. At the time, the Fugitive Slave Act made it illegal to aid runaway slaves, and said all runaways must be returned to their owners under penalty of law.

To get around this, General Benjamin Butler decided he would treat the men as contraband -- property seized from the enemy in war. As contraband, they would be entitled to remain at the fort and would not have to go back to their owners. This led to a steady stream of runaways seeking refuge at the fort and influenced President Lincoln's decision to give the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863.

Last night, Anouk and I attended the ceremony commemorating the 156th anniversary of the daring escape that started it all. It was an educating and meaningful event that celebrated the bravery of Mallory, Townsend, and Baker and the importance of the contraband decision. There were speakers that told us about the history of the times, a libation ceremony honoring African culture, historical
actors who recreated the night of May 23, 1861, and a candlelight vigil and moment of silence for all of those who toiled in slavery. Our favorite part was hearing one of the descendants of a Contraband speak about her ancestor and his contributions to Hampton history.

The commemoration ceremony was hosted by Fort Monroe Authority and the Contraband Historical Society, which puts on events throughout the year in addition to this one. Check their site for future events and also to find an awesome lesson plan for teachers and homeschoolers that focuses on the contributions of Contraband slaves.