Toombs County History & Genealogy

Toombs County History & Genealogy
Vidalia - The Sweet Onion City

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

The Herald-Sun - The words of former slaves told at Historic Stagville plantation

The Herald-Sun - The words of former slaves told at Historic Stagville plantation Tempie Herndon, the Rev. Squire Dowd, Fanny Cannady, Henry Bobbitt, Andrew Boone, Thomas Hall and Dave Lawson all began their lives in slavery in North Carolina. Actor Kashif Powell portrays Henry Bobbitt, a former slave from Warren County. His narrative is combined with Bobbitt’s brother Clay. Bobbitt shared his memories of beatings, slave sales and his wife being sold off. “I really enjoy [Henry Bobbitt] and his narrative. I feel like he got through slavery and got through the hardship of it through humor, as a lot of slaves did,” Powell said. He said an important aspect of slavery that’s overlooked is the coping mechanism of humor.