In March 1963, a slave named Gordon escaped slavery from plantation in Krotz Springs, Louisiana. He would traverse over 40 miles on foot of the inhospitable land deep in the woods and swamps of Louisiana. He took onions from the plantation to wipe on his body to throw off the scent of the bloodhounds that slave catchers use to re-capture escaped slaves.
Gordon would eventually reach Union lines and to safety. At the time, Union General Ulysses S. Grant, who was in charge of all western armies, had given an order that no escaped slave that reached Union lines would be returned. They would be protected if they made it to their camps. Gordon would be legendary by the photo that would be taken of his scarred back.
Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, who took the first permanent photograph in 1826, was from France and credited with inventing the first photograph machine, albeit, historians still argue on that to this day, but in most history books he gets the credit. In 1839 the photograph began to get used in the United States, so by 1963, it was still a new phenomenon. The photograph revolutionized how people received information. Most humans are visual creatures, so the ability to see live people in stories was important.
During the first half of the 19th century, there had been pockets of strong abolitionist sentiment. William Lloyd Garrison is one of the most famous. His story as an abolitionist is taught in most graduate school history classes. Another is Frederick Douglas, a former slave who escaped slavery to the north and told northerners the horrific nature of slavery, but it wasn’t until the photograph of Gordon that propelled it into the national consciousness when it appeared in Harper’s Weekly in July 1863
Gordon had been severely whipped during his many years as a slave. His back was covered in welts from the lashing of the whip. It showed the de-humanizing nature of slavery. Once the photograph was published and circulated around the north, it re-energized Union Soldiers to what they were fighting for and also caused many northern blacks to join the Union Army, along with slaves who escaped to Union lines and ended up fighting for the north.
Gordon joined the Union army and served as guide for three months once the Emancipation Proclamation allowed for the enlistment of Black Soldiers to the Union Army. During that time as a guide, he was captured by the Confederate army. They tied him up and beat him so severely that they thought he was dead. He eventually came to life again and escaped for a second time to Union lines. He would rejoin the Union army and rose to the rank of Sergeant.
His photograph is now one of the most famous photos of that period. It helped rejuvenate a depleted Union army and give them the reasons they were fighting. It also led to the mass enlistment of Black Soldiers to the Union forces.
I cannot wait to see “Emancipation.” Will Smith is a great actor who will do well representing Gordon. I will be watching this with my kids also.
https://time.com/6239790/emancipation-movie-true-story-racism/
