CLEMSON 🕕 It’s Time to do Much More to Restore.
This Incredible lady pictured above is my grandmother Nancy Washington Legree, identified as Nancy Calhoun Legree in a Clemson University Magazine written years ago. Grandma Nan lived to be around 105 years old despite being born into slavery in 1836 and being born to the family of The 7th Vice President of the United States of America, John C. Calhoun. Interestingly, the only positive and prominent history of African Americans that has traveled and been a part of the history of the Calhoun family, is that of Nancy Washington Legree. There is also a small but favorable history of an enslaved child named Sawney, but again none more respected by the Calhoun family as my Grandmother Nancy.
It is well documented that my grandmother Nancy was one of the very first enslaved at Clemson’s Fort Hill Plantation and despite being held enslaved after the Emancipation, she was also one of the oldest survivors. My Grandmother Nancy lived on the current grounds that are Fort Hill Cemetery where many African American graves have been rediscovered. Many graves which were removed from their original and intended resting places, to areas surrounding the Fort Hill Cemetery where their bodies and remains were thrown down the hill and scattered about and therefore remain unidentified. I am all for the research but identifying the remains of hundreds of the formerly enslaved African Americans before you attempt to remedy the situation in which you were aware that existed first, is only a form delaying official healing of the people.
We are well aware of the fact that many of the formerly enslaved weren’t properly documented and therefore any project to identify the unclassified could be an endless journey that takes decades. DELAYS. It is documented that my grandmother lived in a secluded or a special place of her own. Again I remind you that my Grandmother lived on this land and these are the grounds of Fort Hill Cemetery of which Clemson University is currently conducting more research to identify hundreds of formerly enslaved people, yet they failed to do anything at all to honor, acknowledge, or pay respect to one of the very first African Americans that the their forefathers enslaved. Countless research has been conducted and I am very thankful for what we have already discovered and I’m excited about what’s to come, but I have to question if Clemson University’s research is for recording purposes or is it for profit alone. Despite my grandmother and others in my family being written about and being used as a face of Slavery to sell stories and magazines, Clemson University hasn’t knowingly contributed anything to my family, my mission, or anyone else that has been affected by the ramifications of slavery. Nevertheless, Clemson University continues to conduct more research by attempting to identify others who have stories of slavery that are also connected to Clemson University. What is the purpose if it’s not to remedy the lives of those that have been destroyed by Slavery? We are all familiar with the horrible tales of slavery, but now we must remedy the situations that resulted from African Americans being enslaved. Why prolong effective action or movement by first attempting to identify some who will Unfortunately remain unidentified; before you start a genuine journey to correct the lives of those who you are aware that Clemson University has taken from, but never officially given back. We’ve witnessed other City’s and governments across America recently move forward by attempting to repair the devastation which was slavery, but all I’ve witnessed Clemson University do, is continue a system of research for the propose of profit; while leaving the families who were affected to somehow forget or figure it out. How can we forget when our stories are being shown ,told, and sold by everyone but us for profit? How can the majority figure it out, when the descendants of Slaveholders who are still in possession of the profits of slavery, refuse to offer true Opportunity to the children of those that their forefathers robbed of promise?
In September of 2020 The Men Of Color Having Answers Foundation (M.O.C.H.A.) presented a proposal to the City Of Clemson Council to name a Pedestrian Bridge after Nancy Washington Legree in the Calhoun Community. This idea was voted on and Unanimously supported by all members of the Clemson City Government. This was a major victory for the citizens of Clemson, considering it would be the very first marker that identified an African American within the City and the County. It would also be one of only a dozen or so markers placed on bridges, underpasses, roads, and streets throughout the state of South Carolina which identified an African American. The Legree Resolution presented by The M.O.C.H.A. Foundation was passed by the Clemson City Council on October 19, 2020. Despite the Clemson City Councils acknowledgement of the horrors of slavery and the dehumanization of my people, there hasn’t been any movement or actions involving The M.O.C.H.A. Foundation regarding an official date or timing for the Pedestrian bridge to be named.
language written by the Clemson City Council in The Legree Resolution.
Finally The M.O.C.H.A. Foundation would be much more understanding to the actions of Clemson, if their actions were more of Remedy from the research that has already been conducted, written, and examined. The Black community can not continue to allow Institutions that have proven to have profited from the free labor of African Americans to continue to recruit Black high school athletes and these institutions not be accountable for the repercussions of slavery. How do you justify offering millions of dollars a year for the potential of an African American prospect to bring more prestige and profit to the University, yet you seek no value in granting opportunity, reparations, and nor have you shown any merit in genuinely assisting a community of people in healing that have been devastated by slavery. If there should be any doubt about the identity of those who built the school, labored for free, and was never given opportunity; start repairing with one of the very first enslaved and one who was forced to continue to give decades of forced labor even after the Emancipation was supposed to free her. Another very disturbing fact that can not be overlooked is, I represent only the third Generation of freedom in my family because of the continued enslavement of my family by the forefathers of Clemson University. This information is all documented fact and these are only a few of the reasons that I question the motives and efforts to identify some who will unfortunately remain unidentified. My grandmother has history that was respected by the family of a man that Clemson and America still celebrates and honors.
John C. Calhoun, (the 7th Vice President of The United States) was not only the Slaveholder of my family, but there are several documented reports that state that some in my family were potentially fathered by the family of the Calhouns. Despite all of the factual information gathered from research, Clemson University has ignored these facts and have closed a blind eye to the devastation caused to my family and others by the continued enslavement of Black People. Nothing has been done for those who were enslaved, started and built the University. It is time that Clemson University stopped delaying official healing and does so much more to help restore and build the families of the people who are responsible for all of the success that is allowed to be celebrated today. How about Clemson makes a solid attempt with the One who started it all and did it all for free. Nancy Washington Legree, did it all Free.
Nancy Washington Legree