The system of slavery and its dark component called human chattel, is a difficult part of American history. But it is also a necessary tool in understanding the development of the most powerful nation in the world. When I saw this book recommendation, my interest was piqued and I knew I had to make the purchase. Slavery was not a foreign subject but a slave in the White House? I guess I should not have been surprised but it was a shock. And at that moment, I knew the only thing left to do was to start reading this book by author Elizabeth Dowling Taylor.

Former President James Madison (1751-1836) holds a special place in United States history as a founding father of the Republic and defender of the Constitution. Madison along with his wife Dolley Madison (1768-1849) were a beloved first couple. However, there are aspects of their lives which are not as glamorous, such as their roles as owners of enslaved people. Among their slaves was a man named Paul Jennings (1799-1874) whose life story is the focus of Dowling’s work. While I read, I was amazed at the amount of information Dowling provides due to Jenning’s status as a slave. It is likely that his direct proximity to the Madisons contributed to the amount of available information to tell his story. During slavery, this was far from normal and I kept that in mind as I savored the book.

From the beginning it is known that Jennings was born into slavery and kept by the Madisons. However, within the confines of their Montpelier estate in Orange County, Virginia, Jennings did have a rare standing among enslaved people, and his duties allowed him to bear witness to history in the making. Further, in contrast to the endless number of broken families, Jennings married while enslaved. The story of how it happened is told by the author and I found myself speechless. The conditions under which he and first wife Fanny Gordon (d. 1844) kept their marriage alive are mind-bending. And Jennings would marry twice more, but not while enslaved. Those marriages come later in the narrative along with several children who play crucial roles in keeping the Jennings name alive.

As the story progresses, it is impossible to ignore the glaring contradiction between the founding principles of America and what was practiced across the nation. Madison himself could not ignore the matter nor his peers who shaped the growing country. However, none were eager to part ways with the human labor which kept their lives intact. And like his predecessor Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), Madison also believed deportation was a via option in the wake of total emancipation. The idea never gained enough traction, and slavery did not end in Madison’s time. But in 1812, a conflict erupted which exposed slavery as America’s “Achilles heel”. The conflict would also place Jennings in a position to witness history from inside the Madison White House. I paid particularly close attention to this section because the War of 1812 is a conflict which remains overshadowed by the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783) and American Civil War (1861-1865).

In hindsight, we know that the War of 1812 did not result in America’s collapse, but the fear of a British takeover was real, and the chaos inside Washington was intense. Jennings was there to witness it and played a critical role in protecting artwork which is part of American culture to this day. Personally, I had not heard the story before and learned it here for the first time. Following the war, a series of events occur in the story which pave the way for Jenning’s freedom and life a free man. We revisit the decline of James Madison through Jenning’s eyes and learn about the case of the Pearl Schooner in 1848. The latter is heartbreaking, but it also served as an example to Jennings and other Blacks both enslaved and free of why slavery must end. Thankfully for Jennings, he had a benefactor in the seasoned politician and statesman named Daniel Webster (1782-1852).

Years before Webster would doom his presidential prospects for his position regarding the Compromise of 1850, he had taken direct action against slavery which he saw as evil. And although he would not be considered an abolitionist in the traditional sense, his actions regarding Paul Jennings are interesting, and the story is one of the brighter moments in the book. And once Jennings gained his freedom there was no turning back and he lived the remainder of his life as a free man. Jennings outlived both Madisons and his relationship with Dolley is interesting following the late president’s death. In 1861, Jennings met John Brooks Russell who realized that his new friend had a story to tell. His account was recorded and released as ‘A Colored Man’s Reminiscences of James Madison‘. The short writing piece is included in the epilogue and is well worth reading. The link in the title leads to the book which is available on Archive.org.

Taylor’s book came as a surprise to me but having finished it, I am grateful that I found it. It is well-written, well-researched, and the past comes to life in a story we are fortunate to have on record. I have no doubt that there were thousands of slaves like Paul Jennings whose stories are lost to history. The bore witness to America’s creation, expansion, and struggle with human bondage. There is no shortage of disheartening stories regarding slavery, but Jennings eventually found peace and happiness. And that provides the uplifting conclusion not always found in the stories of former slaves. I enjoyed reading this book and it is another invaluable piece of American history which we should not overlook. Highly recommended.

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0065RDH20
Publisher ‏ : ‎ St. Martin’s Press, January 3, 2012