Philip Reid After Slavery: The Ex-Slave Who Put Freedom Atop the Capitol Faces Uncertainty in Carving a New Life

By Eugene Walton

While the progress of the Statue of Freedom was interrupted by the Civil War, the life of Philip Reid was more seriously interrupted by the passage of the District of Columbia Emancipation Act of April 16, 1863. With one stroke of the pen, Philip was thrust from the womb of slavery out into the cold world called freedom. Philip was at once confronted by the uncertainties of avoiding re-enslavement by opportunistic bounty hunters roaming the streets of Washington; creating a foundry career as a free entrepreneur; and dealing with free relationships with two competitive Free Black women.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Aug 15, 2013
• ISBN: 9781483504025

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9781483504025

APRIL 18, 1862

The President signed the Emancipation Act freeing the slaves in the District of Columbia on April 16, 1862, but most slaves in the District did not get the word for two days. Among the last-to-be-informed was Philip Reid, a slave for life at the Clark Mills Foundry, located on Bladensburg Road within the District at the Maryland state line. Philip and other slaves had spent the preceding months on the finishing touches for the biggest and most important task ever contracted to the Clark Mills Foundry: casting the bronze statue named Freedom for permanent display atop the dome of the U.S. Capitol.

Philip led the unsung group, not as a slave driver, but as the first among equals, thereby teasing a performance out of them that could not have been achieved with the threat of a whip. Philip had dreamed of finishing the job completely, then seeing Freedom raised to the peak of the highest building in Washington. But then along came emancipation and freedom for them and all his dreams had to change - starting on that day, as he packed all his possessions in the world: a single change of clothing and two heavy blankets that served as his bed.

Philip rolled up his bedroll along side Jack, his best friend in the service, who was also packing and getting ready to go. They were truly best friends, though they could not have been more differed in certain ways. Philip was a small man at 138 pounds, five feet two inches tall, built on a somewhat frail frame. Philip had a very light skin color, being mulatto (half white). Jack was a big man at 198 pounds, six feet eight inches tall, built on a powerful body. Jack was black skinned - coal black, he described himself, usually adding black and proud (a hundred years before black became beautiful.)

When Philip and Jack walked around the foundry grounds they projected the perfect image of Mutt and Jeff. When they opened their mouths the contrast extended from the physical to the psychological. Philip always spoke softly after thinking it over. Jack was always talking loud, drawing a crowd and shooting from the hip. Philip was not pushy, but collaborative, always talking to his associates in terms of what we can do by working together. Jack was always thinking about Jack and he used his physical size and assertive attitude to get his way or as much as the circumstances allowed.

Philip and Jack sat on the wooden bench near the front door of the foundry waiting for their mule and wagon ride to the city. They were approached by a very nervous former member of Philip’s foundry crew, seeking the advice of his life.

Are you really leaving, Philip? Do you know how you will live if you leave? Are you sure you want to take a chance like that at this time?

Don’t be so scared, Jack told the man. Just pack your stuff and get away from here.

But how can I leave now? the man asked Philip. I haven’t seen Master Mills for two days and Master Mills has not said we can leave. And if he tells us we can leave him will he tell us who will take care of our needs from now on?

Forget Master Mills, Jack advised. You have your freedom now. You are free to go and do as you please.

I know we have freedom-but we still need somewhere to sleep and something to eat. He stopped talking for a minute, still as upset as when he first walked up. Well, anyway he continued, I’m staying put in the quarters, where we still have rations available. until I hear something from Master Mills.

When the mule pulled up to the front of the foundry the wagon was only half full of newly minted Freedmen and their scant belongings, reluctantly facing up to their new freedom.

When Philip and Jack adjusted to the bumps and shakes of the wagon rolling down Bladensburg Road, Jack took advantage of their first really free time to educate Philip on the ways and means of their new world. You have to remember that while you were in the pits of the foundry I was on the outside as Master Mills’ buyer of foods to feed you and your crew, Jack told Philip. Out there I learned my way around Washington.

You must have learned a lot in all the time you spent away from the foundry, Philip responded playfully. We used to talk about why it always took you two days to do one day’s buying. We wondered what you did on those extra days in the city.

Well, I learned this that I pass on to you, Jack said, turning the conversation on a more serious bent. The first thing I learned, he insisted, is that you cannot trust anyone who goes out of their way to befriend you, be they black or white. And you have to remember that you are a target for these white men who call themselves bounty hunters. They will try to capture you and sell you back into slavery.

That is very serious, Philip agreed, becoming alarmed by the information on what could happen to him. I thought the emancipation the President signed made us free, he quizzed. So how can these bounty men sell us?

"They will try to