Episode 128 – National Ex-Slave Mutual Relief, Bounty and Pension Association Show Notes

By / / Leave a Comment / 5 minutes of reading

The concept of ex-slave pensions gained traction in 1890 and became a full movement by the beginning of the 20th century. Learn about the history and demise of the movement, the leaders, and how to find ancestors among the records.

Previous Episodes:

What is it?

  • Initiated most heavily by Walter R. Vaughan, a white southerner, who founded the National Ex-Slave Pension Club Association
    • An attempt to stimulate the southern economy after the Civil War
    • Modeled after pensions for Civil War veterans
    • Wrote the text for HR1119 which was introduced by Rep. William Connell (R-NE) on June 24, 1890
  • Other organizations:
    • National Ex-Slave Pension Club Association
    • Ex-Slave Petitioners’ Assembly
    • Great National Ex-Slave Union: Congressional, Legislative and Pension Association of the U.S.A.
    • Ex-Slave Pension Association
    • Ex Slave Department Industrial Association of America
    • Western Division Association
    • Ex-Slave Pension Association of Texas
    • Ex-Slave Pension Association of Kansas
  • Organization with longevity
  • The $68 million lawsuit
    • “In 1915 the association filed a class action lawsuit in federal court for a little over $68 million against the U.S. Treasury. The lawsuit claimed that this sum, collected between 1862 and 1868 as a tax on cotton, was due the appellants because the cotton had been produced by them and their ancestors as a result of their “involuntary servitude.”
  • The Johnson v. McAdoo cotton tax lawsuit is the first documented African American reparations litigation in the United States on the federal level. Predictably, the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia denied their claim based on governmental immunity, and the U.S. Supreme Court, on appeal, sided with the lower court decision.”
  • “The bill, even as amended, clearly discloses that this large sum of money is not the property of the appelle at all, but on the contrary, that he is merely its custodian in virtue of his office.” – Johnson vs. McAdoo
  • Cause argued as late as 1932 from Congressman Oscar DePriest

Why should we care?

  • What if the bill had passed? How much would our ancestors have made?
    • 51 years of age and younger (born 1840-1865) would receive $4 per month (equivalent to $115.23 today)
    • Between 50 years and 59 years of age (born 1830-1840) would receive $8 per month ($230.46) until they reach age 60 when payments would be increased and a $100 lump sum payment ($2880.76)
    • Between 60 years and 69 years of age (born 1831-1840) would receive $12 per month ($345.69) until they reached age 70 when payments would be increased and a $300 lump sum payment ($8,642.27)
    • 70 years and over (born up to 1820) would receive $15 per month ($432.11) for the rest of their lives and a $500 lump sum payment ($14,403.78).
  • Connection to today’s history – federal case against Steve Bannon and the fund to build the wall. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2020/08/20/postal-service-police-bannon/
  • Why does progression or achievement for Black people have to be tied to some form of compensation or benefit for other people?

Perceptions in the Black Community

How do we access the records?

What can we find once we dig in?

  • General Correspondence
    • “A short list of names of people who wrote the Pension Bureau for Information, 1916-1917:”
      • Mr. C. S Simmons, Sumner, TX
      • Mr. T. J. Blackwell, Nerotown, OK
      • Mr. H. A. Gray, Greenville, MS
      • Mr. W. E. Bratton, Beaumont, TX
      • Mr. R. H. Benton, Point Pleasant, MO
      • Mr. Rush O. Coston, Uniontown, PA
      • Mrs. Hugh L. Wright, New Edinburg, AR
      • Ms. Deliath Johnson, Lula, MS
      • Mrs. Mary Reynolds, Uniontown, PA
      • Mr. Lawrence Dudley, Marianna, FL
      • Ms. Rolena Preesmy, Vannadale, AR
      • Mr. J. Blaine Jenkins, Call, TX
      • Mr. Tom Edward, Waco, TX
      • Mr. Ralph Harday, Montgomery, AL
      • Mr. D. W. Sneed, Ennis, TX
      • Mr. Cyrus Hawkins, Cedar Grove, LA
      • Mr. H. B. Powel, Riverton, LA
      • Mrs. George E. Mc Crary, Center Ridge, AR
      • Ms. Rachel B. Allen, Trigg, AR
      • Mr. C. McAdams, Munford, AL
      • Mr. S. E. Brown, Ranford, FL
      • Mr. Albert Harrison, Felixville, LA
      • Mr. Joe Roark, Paris, TX
      • Mr. A. L. Jackson, Indian Bay, AR
      • Mr. Armstead Bauman, Flora, MS
  • Case Files

Where do we go from here?

  • Search for ancestors who may have written inquiries to the organizations or the federal government for claims
  • Search for ancestors within the existing collection on Ancestry
  • Research a potential chapter in your ancestral locations

Episode Resource Content

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Scroll to Top