September, 2024
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Photo Gallery
Ancient Castle Ruins
New Guinea Tribesman
Man Viewing Field
Crowd of Natives
Bruce with Dog Beneath Driftwood
Blacksmith Smelting at Forge
Antique Jug
Yellow Flowers on Stone Wall
Woman at Bakery with Bread
Waterfall at Cliff
Village and Hillside
Trees and Field with Church Spire
The Chief Engine 62
Tall Palm Trees
Stone Wall with Stucco Spire
Stone Wall with Spire
Stone Cliffs and Mountain
Snow-Covered Village
Snow-Covered Village
Sam at Basketball Event
Rustic Village and Street
Rooftop Village View
Riverside Village with Bridge
River with Surrounding Village
Panoramic with Bridge and Mountain
Open Street Market
Once Upon a temple in Bali
Old Historical Passport Document
Monkey Batu
Mine Shaft Cart-way
MINE-Ne Prilazite Sign
Man with Smart-phone
Man Seated at Gravesite
Man in Field with Sheep
Lilacs in Snow
Life in Croatia Graffiti
Large Brown Dog
Historical Black and White Group Photo
Gravesite with Trees
Grassy Knoll With Spire
Giant Chess Game
Gateway Entrance Through Stone Arch
Garden and Forest
Field with Gardens
Dirt Road Beside Buildings and Field
Church Spire and Old Building
Church on Street
Catacomb at Graveyard
Cat Beside Wooden Fence
Bubbling Brook
Bruce Seated with Two Men
Bruce Seated for Lunch
Bruce in Front of a Temple
Bruce During Street-food Transaction
Black and White Men with Horses
Black and White Barn
Beekeper and Apiary
Apartment Complex with Field
Antique Monochrome Church Photo
Antique Jug
Antique Jug
Antique Jug
Antique Jug
Antique Jug
Ancient Stone Fortress
Ancient Church
Sharna’s Great Great Grandmother
Christina LeVant was born enslaved in 1842 on a plantation in Marion S.C. Her father Frank LeVant and his wife were bought over on a slave ship from the east coast of Africa. Christina, known as Tina, worked as a lady’s maid to her slave owner Mrs. W.J. Baker. When Tina’s mother was on her deathbed, she begged her owner Mrs. Baker, not to sell her children. Mrs. Baker granted her request and later in her will, left Tina and her older sister to her brother.
Mrs. Baker died the summer before the Civil War broke out and Tina, then 17 was put in the fields by her new owner, to work as a water girl. She would fill a heavy wooden pail with water, carry it on her head and walk a mile around the plantation many times a day to carry water to the slaves working in the fields. In addition to carrying water, Tina also watched for the overseer and warned the slaves so that he wouldn’t catch them praying. She continued this work until the age of 20 when the war was over.
When the Emancipation Proclamation was in effect, many of the freed slaves stayed on the plantation under contract with the owners who agreed to give them part of the crops raised. Tina stayed for some time. During her stay, a Negro Clergyman named “Smith” went to Marion to organize a church. He distributed Bibles. Tina kept hers close to her heart and read it faithfully. She was one of the lucky slave children who was taught to read and write by her owners. One of the plantation owners gave them an acre of land to build a church. The site of the church was called African Methodist Hill.
As time went on a lay preacher, named John Platt was in charge of the African Methodist Zion church in Marion, S.C. Tina later married the son of John Platt Sr in 1868, and together they were able to save enough to buy a small plot of land for a house and garden. They raised vegetables, chickens and a few pigs. Tina spun cotton cloth to clothe her children. She also made her own bread and soap. In 1905 John Jr and Tina moved to Waterbury CT where they helped organize the Pearl St. Church. Tina and John had 11 children (Elliot, George, John, Arthur, Mary, Fannie, Daisy, Florence, Ruth, and 2 died at birth). Tina and John worked hard to give their children an education.
Three of the girls attended Livingston College and one of them became a Domestic Science teacher. Arthur graduated from Boston university Law School and practiced in Spartanburg S.C. George became one of the best trap drummers in the theater and worked with bands in Hollywood. John also graduated from Livingston College and was an ordained minister in 1915. He became a supply Minister for the New England District of the AME Zion Church.
Tina later moved to Medfield MA where she lived with her daughters Fannie and Ruth. Together they had a large garden 150 chickens and 4 pigs. In addition to her 11 children, Tina had 26 grandchildren and over 22 great grandchildren. John died in 1930 at the age of 83 but Tina lived until 1943 dying at the age of 101.
RACIAL AWARENESS
