In the early to mid 1800's a free Black man was the largest furniture manufacturer in North Carolina. Yes, I did say a free Black man. A furniture designer of such notariety that the then governor of the state ordered desks for his entire cabinet from this particular entreprenuer. And, some North Carolina museums and churches still, to this day, have furniture designed and manufactured by him and his employees. Yes, he grew up free and Black, even though back then being free in one state didn't mean you were free everywhere in America.
The gentleman in question is Thomas Day, born in Virginia in 1801, later migrating to North Carolina taking the family furniture business with him. His parents both came from prosperous Black families who were free, and had been since the Revolutionary War between America and England. There were countless Blacks who were free during the period of enslavement, although American history never mentions them or their status. America wanted Blacks to stay in their place, poor, uneducated, and with no self motivation to improve their lot in life. They had plenty of motivation, but few opportunities.
I first became aware of Thomas Day in 2003 after several years of
volunteering at museums and other non-profits that supported Black Culture, like the African American Cultural Complex in Raleigh.
In 2003 I was offered a scholarship by the The Thomas Day Education Project(TDEP) to attend their Crafting Freedom summer workshops. The group's mission is to educate K - 12 school teachers on how to teach Black History, primarily using as examples the lives of two North Carolina artisans & entreprenuers, Thomas Day, and seamstress Elizabeth Keckly.
In 2004 I joined the TDEP staff, as tour guide, workshop moderator
and re-enactor, playing the role of Thomas Day himself in a staged reading of a letter he sent to his daughter while she was away in school. I stayed with the TDEP for several years.
Day was indeed very successful with the family furniture business after relocating to the tiny town of Milton, NC. He was determined to become an accepted member of the entire community as an honest, hardworking businessman. He joined the local church, and even designed the church pews that are still there today. He had customers from all over the state. And, his reputation grew beyond the bounds of North Carolina. Day's workshop on Main Street in Milton is now a National Historic Site, and thousands of people come every year to see where the great man worked.
Now, Day did "own" several enslaved Black men who worked in his shop. He had whites working for him as well, but has come under some scrutiny and criticism recent years for owning slaves. In the business climate of the day, however, all of his competitors owned enslaved Black men, and there's no way Day could compete with a fully paid staff. At least, that's we he wanted everyone to think. Day paid his "slaves" a salary, and finanaced their freedom and education.
Day was a very complex man, and a strong abolitionist. You see, because he was the owner of a commercial enterprise, Day could travel to places like New York, Philadelphia and other seaport towns under the guise of business travel. Now, he did conduct business, but his trips also had a hidden agenda. Day, and many other prosperous Black from all over the country would meet at Annual Conventions for the Improvement of Free People of Color to discuss strategy. Many members of this group had once been enslaved but found a way to buy their freedom. Also, the members supported the Underground Railroad. In fact, one convention delegate stowed away runaway slaves in crates when he traveled by train. Also, while traveling Day and many of his fellow convention delegates often used false names, and always stayed at the same hotels so as not to raise eyebrows.
Knowledge of his activities as a "spy" for the abolitionist movement would not have down well if it had been widely known, especially back in Milton, and Day's undercover work would have been hampered. And, as for the slaves he owned, Day did pay them, also gave them room & board, and provided money for them to further their education when they left his employment. This was a facade to make him more acceptable in southerners' eyes, while still helping Blacks who were less fortunate.
Today, Thomas Day Furniture brings a high price at auctions, and is much sought after, worldwide.
For more info on the Thomas Day Education Project go to, www.thomasday.net
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