Tag Archives: slavery

The Old House Whispers

Posted on March 2, 2015 by Silver in the Barn

The old house had long been a mystery to me. I discovered it while walking in a state-owned wildlife refuge just around the corner from my own old house. I turned a corner and there it sat, overgrown with vines and saplings and peering out … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Random Ruminations | Tagged antebellum, frances benjamin johnston, plantation, Ruins, slavery, vintage photos, Virginia, wedding photos | 179 Comments

“My Folks Don’t Want Me To Talk About Slavery”

Posted on November 17, 2014 by Silver in the Barn

The complicated legacy of the American South is beautifully captured in Kate Campbell’s song. My regular readers know I’m fascinated with history and the Civil War and slavery in particular. The little book I excerpt in this post has haunted me … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, History | Tagged carnegie survey of architecture, civil war, federal writers' project, frances benjamin johnston, nonfiction, Old South, plantation, slave narratives, slavery | 79 Comments

Civil War Enigma: A Comfortable Story

Posted on September 30, 2014 by Silver in the Barn

It’s not unusual to see mention of the Civil War in my local newspaper; after all, I do live in Richmond, Virginia, the former capital of the Confederacy. When I moved here twenty-odd years ago, I had no idea that the “War of Northern … Continue reading →