Remembering The Black Community of Chadds Ford and Concordville, Pennsylvania- Lest We Forget:
My Question Gets Answered
My Question Gets Answered
Preface
In the fall of 2016 I went to the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) in Washington DC to do a comprehensive photo essay. There was and still is so much I don’t know about the experience of Black people in America. I didn’t learn about this in history class so I’ve been limited to what we hear in the media. I hoped to become better educated and hoped that I could pass my learnings on to people who will not be able to visit the museum. The photo essay:"NMAAHC: A Vision of Freedom Made Real" was published on November 10, 2916: http://www.tgoldmanphotography.com/nmaahc.html
NMAAHC has five galleries. The logical order is to first visit the three History Galleries which chronicle African American history from the horrors of the earliest days of enslavement, followed by the contemporary Culture and Community Galleries which show the tremendous contributions made to society by African Americans.
On the first day of my two day visit, there was a two hour wait for the History Galleries, clearly the most popular part of the museum. So I visited the Culture and Community Galleries and then the History Galleries on the morning of the second day. This reversed order proved very significant for my experience. After seeing the extraordinary contributions made to society by African Americans, the searing tragedy exposed in the History Galleries made me question: “How could a people so oppressed have survived, thrived and contributed so much to society?”
A quote from David Walker (1796-1830), an African American abolitionist, caught my attention: “Despite daily denials of their humanity, enslaved African Americans sustained a vision of freedom by making prayer, family, dance, food, dress and even work their own. They built their own identities.” Yet I left the museum with my question unanswered and it has remained so until now in 2021. This photo essay will share what I learned from the descendants of the former Black community of Chadds Ford and Concordville... “My question gets answered!”
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Note: In writing this story I was uncertain about the use of "Black" vs "African American." Both terms are used today almost interchangeably, but they are certainly very different. Readers of this photo essay will have their own preference. I chose to use the term Black for several reasons and my apologies to anyone who might disagree or who this might offend. While this story has many purposes, my deep purpose is to address America’s cancer of racism. Skin color, as much as any characteristic, is at the core of how we judge each other. We see color before we ever get to know people for who they are. We say “Black Lives Matter” not “African American Lives Matter.” We say “White Supremacy” not "European American Supremacy.” In showcasing the beautiful people of Chadds Ford and Concordville, I hope that Black readers will feel pride and that White readers will see Black people for the immeasurable strength and value they bring to America.
Introduction
In mid-February 2021, PBS aired Henry Louis Gates’ documentary: “The Black Church: This Is Our Story. The Is Our Song.” Professor Gates answered my question very directly: the Black church is at the core of African American resilience. While the history of the Black church in America is very complex and still evolving, the common theme is that faith is the sustaining force. Professor Gates presented compelling research.
Just before the documentary aired, I was contacted by Betty Byrd Smith who I met in 2016 at the African American Museum in Philadelphia on the opening day of the NMAAHC. As a coincidence with the Gates documentary (or maybe something more than a mere coincidence) Betty told me that Spring Valley AME Church in Concordville, Pennsylvania (built in 1880) is being renovated and asked if I would like to do a story. After living in my home for 17 years I was surprised and even shocked to learn that just a few miles away there had been a Black community and along with it, a number of Black churches. I must have driven by Spring Valley AME hundreds of times without noticing it. I also learned that world famous artist Andrew Wyeth, whose studio is very close to where I live, had been very involved with the Black community in Chadds Ford. He did many portraits which are compiled in a magnificent book: “Andrew Wyeth Close Friends.” (Mississippi Museum of Art, 2001). How could I have lived so close to this history for almost two decades and have no idea? We must remember, lest we forget.
As the research for this photo essay evolved, so too did its focus. This story isn’t about a building and it’s surely not a comprehensive history of the Black community in Chadds Ford and Concordville. This story is about the humanity of the people I met- some who are living and some who have passed. I learned about the lives, faith and contributions of the Black community, and about how the people embodied the African American expression: “Making a way out of no way!”
While the Gates documentary provided the answer to my question at a high level, it was the people I met whose generous sharing brought it to ground level so that I could feel the answer- that’s what I will share in this photo essay… As you read this story, you will get to know these wonderful people as I have.
I’m grateful to everyone who generously contributed their ideas and wisdom, and provided many photographs that are critical to telling this story:
- Betty Byrd Smith… Grew up in Concordville… Major inspiration and contributor to this project!
- James T. Byrd (Jay Bird)… Chadds Ford/Concordville (1905-1985)… Spirit of the story!!
- Mary Louise Tillman… Grew up in Chadds Ford
- Kitty Loper Anderson… Grew up in Chadds Ford
- Thomas Byrd… Grew up in Concordville
- Ginny DeNenno: Former President, Concord Township Historical Society
- Kathy Kida: President, Concord Township Historical Society
- Pennie Scott: Former Chair, Concord Township Historical Commission, and former Board Member, Concord Township Historical Society
- Barbara Moore: Barbara Moore Fine Art of Chadds Ford
- Dawn Jackson… Grew up in Chadds Ford
- Chuck Ulmann… Curator, Christian C. Sanderson Museum of Chadds Ford
- Mary Landa… The Andrew & Betsy Wyeth Collection Manager
Spring Valley AME Church
The African Methodist Episcopal Church, usually called the A.M.E. Church or AME, is a predominantly African-American Methodist denomination. It was founded by former slave Rt. Rev. Richard Allen in Philadelphia in 1816. It was among the first denominations in the United States to be founded on race rather than theology with a focus on the civil and human rights of African Americans. Today the AME church in America has more than two million members.
The history of Spring Valley AME Church according to the Concord Township Historical Society (https://concordhist.org/a-ame-church/): “The African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church was built on an acre of land (on Spring Valley Road) purchased from John Myers, a local farmer, in 1880.” (It was rededicated with a corner-stone in 1948.)
“For years the church was a focal point for the Black community who worked on the area farms. As the congregation moved away for better jobs before and after the war, the congregation declined and the church was closed in the 1980’s. The building was then vacant for many years, and subjected to vandalism and unwanted visitors. In late 1997, the church was sold to a local developer who intended to restore it for a non-denominational church. Two weeks later, the social hall (behind the church) was on fire, which was determined to be arson. The rear of the church was damaged and repaired, and then the building sat unattended until the developer passed away in 2009. Offers to purchase and adaptively reuse the building were proposed until the (Concord) township purchased the property in 2014 as part of its open space program. Work is underway in 2020 to renovate and restore the church’s exterior.”
The renovation of Spring Valley AME has many components- how it started, what the final result will be and how it will be available to the public. There was a time when Concord Township considered moving the building. That was too expensive and there are graves at the current location. Concord Township undertook the current restoration, as well as conducted a grave location analysis. It is unclear as to the ultimate outcome of the restoration and the options for public access.
While the church has been closed for 40 years, there are still former Spring Valley AME members who remain very dedicated to the church and very interested in its restoration. At the end of her life, Helen Davis Anderson Johnson, a 99 year old third generation Chadds Ford resident, wanted to visit her beloved Spring Valley AME Church one more time. In 1999, shortly before her death, with the help of her cousin Jo Lomax, a reunion was held.
Courtesy of Betty Byrd Smith.
“It was a spiritually inspiring experience- once in a lifetime because it was also the 400 year celebration of the arrival of the first Africans in Virginia… Beyond my wildest expectations.” (Betty Byrd Smith)… (Photo: Helen Davis Anderson Johnson, center with flowers, Josephine Lomax to her right, Betty Byrd Smith to her left, Helen’s daughter Mary Louise Tillman kneeling in green... The exterior of the church shows its condition prior to the renovation.)
In early 2021, Spring Valley AME presents as the renovation of a tiny building that is easily mistaken for something other than a church, like a one room school house. The exterior shows the beautiful renovation in progress. Interior work is yet to be done. What’s hidden is the prominent role Spring Valley AME once played in so many lives for so many years. Within this little building, worshipers were replenished on Sundays so they could face another week as farm workers and domestics for local land and business owners, or as school students, some in segregated classrooms.
Imagery of Spring Valley AME
Interior of the vacant church prior to the fire, circa 1980’s. Note the piano on the right- music is central to the Black church experience.
Courtesy of Concord Township Historical Society.
In 2012 the rundown property was up for sale.
Courtesy of Joyce Wilson
Interior mid-2021 shows signs of renovation in progress (image taken through the right front window)… Wall studs on the left appear to show charing from the fire. The rear door on the right was not part of the original structure.
Piled on the left side at the front of the building are remnants of pews and other hand cut pieces that show as much as 140 years of wear (images taken through the left front window). Referring to the 1980’s image, this is clearly a “pew end.”
Referring to the 1980’s image, this may be the different pew end design on the right.
Being just four miles from my home, I returned many times to Spring Valley AME to ponder how people’s lives were enriched in this place. I looked beyond the renovation to find inspiration in its elegance.
Side wall in the late afternoon.
Front upper window.
Inside of front upper window viewed through side window reflecting trees.
Shutterdog.
Even the venerable outhouse, which has stood the test of time, deserves respect.
The elegant front door: "Thanks to Pennie Scott, the descendants of Spring Valley AME were able to choose the color of the front door... churches paint their doors red to represent a place of sanctuary." (Betty Byrd Smith)
Inside through a vestibule window.
Hopefully one day this handle will turn to reveal an interior brought back to life.
Remembering Spring Valley AME
With help from participants in this story who experienced the church while growing up, we can imagine Spring Valley AME as it was in its vibrant heyday.
Despite the cold of this long ago wintery Sunday morning, people will arrive early at Spring Valley AME by whatever means necessary, including walking, for a day of services, music, food, and friendship that will last into the evening- this is the highlight of their week.
“As children we thought it was such a big church!”
(Mary Louise Tillman)
Mary Louise Tillman grew up in Chadds Ford: “When I was coming up as a kid, I was a Catholic; my grandfather Andrew Davis who was Methodist belonged to Spring Valley AME; we would go to Catholic church in the morning and then my grandmother Genevieve Davis would take us to Spring Valley AME and we would stay there all day; they had a morning service, an afternoon service and an evening service… As children we thought it was such a big church (she laughed); but it was always packed- sometimes people would have to stay outside.” At seven years old, Mary Louise was present when the corner-stone was laid in 1948: “I saw it when they put in that stone.”
Spring Valley AME will be packed this Sunday, just as it is every Sunday. Those lucky enough to get inside will be greeted with Jesus’ words: “Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled”… “Even today, many African Americans can relate to Jesus’ crown of thorns- an invisible crown worn from cradle to grave.” (Betty Byrd Smith)
Courtesy of Betty Byrd Smith.
We can’t get in but we can walk around looking at its sights and listening for its sounds… That outhouse will be a very long walk through the snow.
The walls of this tiny “big” church are like paintings with hidden meanings if we look deep enough.
Do the windows reveal a symbol of faith?
Could “three” windows on each side wall be another symbol? “When Jesus died on the cross he said: ‘I’m going to leave you the Holy Spirit; God is the Father, Son and Holy Spirit- the Holy Spirit lives within us.’” (Mary Louise Tillman)
Mary Louise described the essence of the preacher’s message during those Sunday sermons: “It starts with God first- he would be number one, and then the next would be L-O-V-E -> LOVE!… You need love and it doesn’t matter what color you are- and it has to come from the heart.” She agrees with Professor Gates that faith made the difference for Black people: “That is true- faith covers everything but it has to come from God and if it doesn’t it won’t make any difference!”
“Music was always the center of the church!”
(Kitty Loper Anderson)
And then there was the music which surely passed through those thin walls- the clapboard siding looking like lines in a hymnal.
Kitty Loper Anderson grew up in Chadds Ford: “We sang ‘Give Me That Old Time Religion’- we sure did sing that; (laughing as though she were reliving the memory) people were singing and shouting- some of the choirs were so big we definitely heard them outside… Music was always the center of the church which was the one thing people looked forward to after a week of heavy work.”
In the face of all the hardship endured by Black people, “Give Me That Old Time Religion; Makes Me Love Ev’rybody; It’s Good Enough For Me!!” may just be the answer to my question.
“At church- the day began early and ended late!”
(Betty Byrd Smith)
The sun goes down at Spring Valley AME on this long ago Sunday. Betty Byrd Smith grew up in Concordville: “The workday was ‘can’t see to can’t see’ for the Black community and Sunday was the same at church- the day began early and ended late.” As Professor Gates said, the Black church was the center of the spiritual, social and even the economic life in the Black community.
People of Chadds Ford and Concordville:
The Interviews
Mary Louise Tillman
A twin house once stood on this forgotten lot on busy Route 1 in Chadds Ford. Home to five generations, it had so many stories to tell about the Black community, but now it’s gone. Mary Louise Tillman is one of the few members left of a family that moved there in the early 1900’s. The house and several of its owners are beautifully remembered in words and paintings by Andrew Wyeth (“Andrew Wyeth Close Friends”).
Mary Louise Tillman: “I was born 1941… My great grandmother Susie Winfield (d. 1955) came here from Virginia with her mother when she was very young- I don’t know the year, but she was part Indian- the Blackfoot Tribe.”
The house was given to Susie Winfield by her employer. Her son Othaniel and daughter Genevieve inherited the house. Genevieve (1903-1979) married Andrew Davis (1899-1984). Their daughter Helen (d. 1999, mentioned above at the Spring Valley AME reunion), Mary’s mother, inherited the house.
Being so taken by Andrew Wyeth's deep connection to the Black community, I asked Mary Louise about her memories of the famous artist: “Andrew Wyeth was very close to my grandfather Andrew Davis- he used to come up to the house all the time!”
Mary Louise described her life growing up:
When was the growth of the Black population in this area and how big was it: “To be honest with you I don’t know when we came here, but when I was a kid there were always people of color- oh my goodness, the population of people of color was very large.”
What was life like when you were growing up: “As far as the children were concerned it wasn’t bad; our parents worked on farms and did domestic work; we had plenty of food- we had our garden, we had pigs and a cow- we survived… For me coming up it was a good life and I’m very thankful… Chadds Ford was better than down South- I never lived in the South but it was bad!”
What was your education and career: “I went to a catholic nursing school because that was the only place that would take ‘people of color’ - in those days we said people of color, not Black or Negro... I did both private practice and worked in hospitals such as Atlantic City Medical Center.”
Did you experience racism when you were growing up: “When I was coming up there was prejudice, but less than there is now… When I came home from elementary school, I said: ‘Oh grand-mom they call you names and everything’… She said: ‘I want to you to remember one thing, God created everyone- he created you and he created that person- that person has a problem, so you always continue to give love; but if they put there hands on you, you got to defend yourself!’… Nobody ever put their hands on me.” Genevieve Davis’ faith based admonition to give love in the face of hate- that is the key to answering my question!
While the White and Black communities got along well in Chadds Ford, there was segregation in her elementary school: “Our teacher, Mrs. Closson, taught from 1st to 6th grade- 40 students in one class room, so when I went to school it was all people of color.”
Mary Louise shared a story about the only direct racism she faced. She used her faith to overcome deep-seated hate. There is no better teacher of the power of faith than Mary Louise Tillman of Chadds Ford: “Let me tell you a story- there was an amusement park that started around the turn of the 20th century… I took care of a man who was the owner; he was a very prejudiced man- he called people by the N-Word, this was the only prejudice I faced…”
“Colored people could only get in during the last
week of August and the swimming pool was
closed so we couldn’t go there!"
“Colored people could only get in during the last
week of August and the swimming pool was
closed so we couldn’t go there!"
"I was a nurse but had an extra job there in the summer- I worked in the restroom… The owner’s wife, a lovely woman who knew I was a nurse, asked me to help her husband who had become ill and this was when I found out that he was prejudiced- he would use the N-Word and he didn’t want me to touch his food or anything like that… But he started to come around because when he was hateful to me, I gave back love… It was the grace of God and what my great grandmother taught me- you have to give back love, because they don’t know- I’m telling you…”
“It took about six months for him to get to know me and then you couldn’t find a nicer person- he was the sweetest man… He told me that when he was coming up as a kid, his parents taught him that ’N-Words’ are lazy and they steal… He apologized: ‘Mary I’m just so sorry for the way I treated your people!’… People can change but you have to give love because you can’t revenge back evil… God is the one- he created us all- he loves us- you just have to be patient because when people are in the dark, they don’t know.” (Note: In 1959, a judge ordered the pool to admit Black people!)
What should everyone know about the Black community: “That we contribute a whole lot in America and we don’t get the credit for it!”
What should everyone know about the role of the Black church: “They had plenty of love, L-O-V-E… Without love we’re nothing and we must learn to forgive… When the dear lord went to the cross, he died for our sins- for All of us not some of us!”
Talking to Mary Louise helped me understand how faith lifts people even when they’re pushed down by racism and how giving love in return for hate is a way to change people’s hearts and minds- this is another step towards answering my question: “How could a people so oppressed have survived, thrived and contributed so much to society?”
Kitty Loper Anderson
Kitty Loper Anderson lived in a number of homes growing up. One was the former Benjamin Ring Grist Mill on Route 1 in Chadds Ford. The building’s most famous owner was the illustrator Howard Pyle whose most famous student was N. C. Wyeth, the patriarch of the Wyeth family and father of Andrew Wyeth. Between the early 1900’s and 1950’s it was a residence until the interior was lost to a fire. Happily the building was preserved. Today it’s the administrative office of the Chadds Ford Township.
Kitty Loper Anderson: “I was born 1939… My grandfather was John Wesley Loper- he came from Chadds Ford where his father had property; my grandmother was Reva Young Johnson… My father Willard Loper was born in Chadds Ford and my mother Sarah Hazzard was born in Delaware… I don’t know about the history of slavery in my family.”
Kitty described her life growing up:
When was the growth of the Black population in this area and how big was it: “I really don’t know, but they left in the 1950’s for better jobs.” Note: this speaks to how easy it is for heritage to be lost.
What was life like when you were growing up: “We endured- we always had a lot of family around and we seemed not to do so bad because of that… Yes, I grew up without running water or indoor plumbing, but we did have electricity- including a refrigerator... My father worked at Styer’s nursery and my mother was a homemaker- later working for the Wyeth's. I can’t say that we were ever hungry- my dad was a good provider despite the struggles and heartaches he went through, and even after my mother and father divorced, they made sure we were ok; and there were the aunts, grandparents, and everybody taking care of each other.”
What was your education and career: “Because we moved several times, I went to Douglas Junior High, Chester High and then Unionville High… Then I went to Cheney University to became a teacher- my career was as an elementary school teacher in Philadelphia for 35 years… My development in school and in my career was not inhibited in any way because I’m a Black person- it was not a problem.”
Did you experience racism when you were growing up: “When I was in Douglas Junior High I was with Black kids and then at Chester High and Unionville High I was with mostly White kids- I had no problems and some of those caucasian kids are still my friends today… And Cheney being a Black university, I was happy in that environment… As for jobs, Philadelphia wanted teachers from Cheney because it graduated excellent teachers!”
Kitty said that racism is worse today because not that much has changed: “We fought and struggled all those years and it’s still the same fight and struggle today; in my generation we saw the people who died trying to get the right to vote and here we go again through the same struggle!"
Kitty told a wonderful story about empowerment in the Black community: “I went to Chadds Ford Elementary School and the Black kids were in one room called the 'Union Room'- you automatically knew you were going to be in a room with one teacher to the 6th grade- it was the way it happened- we didn’t know anything different… But we rode on the school bus with the White kids and then after 6th grade we were intermingled with the White kids- no longer segregated… I don’t know why they did that, but I do know what happened when I was in 5th grade: Mary Tillman’s grandfather Andrew Davis (a leader in the community and the Spring Valley AME church), our teacher Mrs. Ethel Closson, and a group of parents got together and they dismissed the Union Room and after that we were allowed to mingle with everybody else; I don’t now how the decision was made but I know it happened- when I was in the 6th grade I had a white teacher and was with the White kids- they always treated us well.”
Note: We must remember the empowerment of Mrs. Closson who was a civil rights hero. Her leadership was covered by the "Daily Local News" after her death: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/46715209/ethel-closson: "Because of Mrs. Closson's strong desire and determination to ensure that African American youth were effectively educated, she kept doing what she knew was right, educating the children while at the same time adamantly and vehemently protesting against segregation... In her fight to end the Union Room, Mrs. Closson was helped by a number of people: the late Charles Melton, the late Dr. W.T.M. Johnson, her husband, the late Joseph Fugett, Hi and Margaret Doty, parents and Quakers from Birmingham Meeting, the late Andrew Lewis." (We believe that Andrew Lewis was likely meant to be Andrew Davis.)
I assumed growing up here in the 40’s and 50’s would have been tough but it doesn’t sound like it: “When you’re born and raised in that environment, it’s what you see and what you know; we knew we couldn’t go to certain restaurants- we knew we had to sit in the upper balconies in the movie theaters in West Chester- we knew where we could be and where we couldn’t be… We knew White folks that were not all that bad and some of them became friends.”
“But I just remembered that when I was in
Girl Scouts I had my first real disappointment!"
"We did everything together like going camping… We had planned a skating trip in Wilmington and my sisters and I were really looking forward to going, but then the scout leader told us we couldn’t go because we were Black- that was the first time anything like that happened- I must have been in the 5th or 6th grade, maybe 10-12 years old… It felt horrible- this was the first time it hit me that you can’t do things because of the color of your skin- it just hits you like a ton of bricks that this is reality- before that I didn’t really feel it or sense it, but that did it… Nothing like that has ever happened to me again.”
“People from the South were surprised because their situation was more obvious- ours was like a hidden thing with certain things you could do and others that you couldn’t do.” But it was the Girl Scout rejection that took Kitty by surprise and the sting has stayed with her for all these years.
Very consistent with what I’m learning about the impact of faith in the Black community, Kitty doesn’t feel anger about the incidents of racism she faced growing up: there’s a message in that, L-O-V-E!
Kitty spoke about her experience at Spring Valley AME: “My sister and I would catch the Greyhound bus on Sunday mornings to Spring Valley Road, walk down the hill and have Sunday School; we stayed all day; we played outside, went to morning church and had our lunch in the building next door, which has since burned down; then there would be a recess and then afternoon church; other churches would come and sing and it would be that way till late at night- that was our Sunday ritual.”
Beyond the religious aspects, Spring Valley AME was the center of cultural life: “The church would be full- one group would leave and another would come in; they used to have socials in the middle of the week and we would always look forward to our bus trips like to Coney Island.”
What should everyone know about the Black community: “They should know that there were Black people there, that’s #1; we gathered together, we had family unity; the church was an active part of our lives which offered both faith and socials that kept us grounded and entertained at the time… Everybody worked through the week- we got our needed items on Saturday- you knew where to go and not to go and that was the way we lived; Sunday was our main social time to be with each other at church.”
What should everyone know about the role of the Black church: “Everyone should know that the Black church is very spiritual; people have faith and trust in the Lord and that’s what kept us going; we have strength and love for one another, and we don’t hold a lot of grudges against people because our faith teaches us not to… It’s a happy time getting together and praising God.”
“People from the South were surprised because their situation was more obvious- ours was like a hidden thing with certain things you could do and others that you couldn’t do.” But it was the Girl Scout rejection that took Kitty by surprise and the sting has stayed with her for all these years.
Very consistent with what I’m learning about the impact of faith in the Black community, Kitty doesn’t feel anger about the incidents of racism she faced growing up: there’s a message in that, L-O-V-E!
Kitty spoke about her experience at Spring Valley AME: “My sister and I would catch the Greyhound bus on Sunday mornings to Spring Valley Road, walk down the hill and have Sunday School; we stayed all day; we played outside, went to morning church and had our lunch in the building next door, which has since burned down; then there would be a recess and then afternoon church; other churches would come and sing and it would be that way till late at night- that was our Sunday ritual.”
Beyond the religious aspects, Spring Valley AME was the center of cultural life: “The church would be full- one group would leave and another would come in; they used to have socials in the middle of the week and we would always look forward to our bus trips like to Coney Island.”
What should everyone know about the Black community: “They should know that there were Black people there, that’s #1; we gathered together, we had family unity; the church was an active part of our lives which offered both faith and socials that kept us grounded and entertained at the time… Everybody worked through the week- we got our needed items on Saturday- you knew where to go and not to go and that was the way we lived; Sunday was our main social time to be with each other at church.”
What should everyone know about the role of the Black church: “Everyone should know that the Black church is very spiritual; people have faith and trust in the Lord and that’s what kept us going; we have strength and love for one another, and we don’t hold a lot of grudges against people because our faith teaches us not to… It’s a happy time getting together and praising God.”
Betty Byrd Smith
This wood frame tenant house once stood on the former Frank Willits farm in Concordville. An employer provides a house rent free and in return the tenant works for the owner receiving reduced pay. Betty Byrd Smith grew up in this house along with seven siblings. Her father farmed there for more than forty years. The tenant house was a few hundred yards from the Pierce-Willits house which is now the Concord Township Historical Society. The structure in the background left is believed to be the former barn.
Courtesy of Betty Byrd Smith... 1974, one year before the house was lost to fire.
The tenant house is long gone and largely forgotten. But as you will see later in the story, the head of the Byrd family was an endearing fixture in Chadds Ford and Concordville who is fondly remembered to this day, 36 years after his death… Everyone knew “Jay Bird!”
Betty Byrd Smith: “I was born 1945… My father James T. Byrd (1905-1985) was born in Chadds Ford and came to the Willits farm in 1925; my mother Olga Victoria Clark Byrd (1919-2011) was born in Atlantic City- she worked as a domestic for several families including the Wyeths.”
“After years of hard work, both parents were homeless at times once they were no longer able to work- there was no social security or pensions for tenant farmers and domestics… Mom and Dad ultimately separated- Dad stayed with the house because it was only home he knew.” James was forced to leave when the house burned in 1975.
Betty described her life growing up:
What were conditions like in the South where your family came from: “I spoke to my aunt Edith Byrd Malone, who raised my father, when she was in her 90’s; they have trauma about what happened in Virginia- it traumatizes them if they go back and talk about it.”
This trauma can be passed on even if not discussed… Betty cannot help but seeing tenant farming as an evolution from slavery. Emancipation was hardly like turning a switch with everything suddenly changed. Plantation life became “Slavery 2.0” during Reconstruction with the advent of sharecropping. Tenant farming was the next step and while not being a bound relationship, the similarities are clear.
“My father worked for the Willits- in plantation times their home (the Pierce-Willits house) would be called ‘the big house’ where the owner of the property lived… Down the hill was our house- it was another type of slavery except that you were not forced to live there of course; my dad would call them Mr. Paul and Miss Anna, just like on a plantation, and he wasn’t allowed anywhere in the house- he would have to go to the back door.”
Despite those nagging memories,
Betty paints a very positive picture of her childhood.
What was life like when you were growing up: “The interesting thing is that when you have nothing to compare it to, I had a very very happy childhood- I read a lot and that was my great escape to other worlds and other lives… My dad got me into music so I also spent a lot of time playing instruments… I was never put to work on the farm or cleaning people’s houses with mama like so many children; I played and rode my bike all day- I was a free spirit with no social isolation… Life was basically good because that’s all we knew… We had a non-violent existence- my parents were not beaters or abusers- it was a good home.”
“I have a picture of my mom and dad at Christmas 1962 and they were so happy; they had nothing- it’s something you cannot buy with a credit card… And my dad, who grew up without his mother, was just happy to have a Christmas tree; he would call my mother ‘Mommy’- that was her name."
Courtesy of Betty Byrd Smith... Olga and James with son Larry; son Herbert’s silhouette on the wall.
Reinforcing that the good life in the Byrd home was not about the material things, Betty corrected her initial description of their house as a shack without running water where the wind would just go through it: “I shouldn’t call it a shack because it belittles the fact that it was a home- we were never cold or hungry.”…“She (Olga) cooked delicious meals on the wooden stove and made holidays special for her family. And thanks to James’ gardening skills, meals were plentiful.” (From Concord Township Historical Society: https://concordhist.org/womens-right-to-vote-olga/)
James and Olga were exemplary role models for their children, all of whom made successful lives. Two of the three girls became nurses, Betty became a disability advocate, and the five boys served honorably in the military, including service in Korea and Vietnam. Betty laid her Brother Herbert to rest at Arlington National Cemetary, an achievement that speaks to her persistence.
The spirit of the Byrd home is lovingly portrayed in a “memory sketch” done by Betty’s friend, the late Bob Jefferson. The “Provider” portrays her dad “… driving Slim & Dynamite with lil’ bro Larry riding shotgun.” They’re going for food during a severe snowstorm in the 1950’s: “That’s me waving and our dogs Pal & Brownie… I had the sketch done to tell the story to my grandchildren to keep our survival gene alive and well- before food stamps and government intervention we had to ‘make a way out of no way’ or die trying!”
The spirit of the Byrd home is lovingly portrayed in a “memory sketch” done by Betty’s friend, the late Bob Jefferson. The “Provider” portrays her dad “… driving Slim & Dynamite with lil’ bro Larry riding shotgun.” They’re going for food during a severe snowstorm in the 1950’s: “That’s me waving and our dogs Pal & Brownie… I had the sketch done to tell the story to my grandchildren to keep our survival gene alive and well- before food stamps and government intervention we had to ‘make a way out of no way’ or die trying!”
Courtesy of Betty Byrd Smith.
What was your education:
“I had such a good educational system in Concordville; I was in an integrated school and Andrew Davis had something to do with that (as Kitty Loper Anderson had said); everyone was expected to go to college… After my kids were grown I went to Delaware County Community College followed by Widener University where I got a Bachelors in psychology and I also got a para-legal degree… I raised my kids with the idea that education is the only way out and that they need to make good choices about who they will spend their life with and who they will have their children with.” Betty passed on to her children what she learned from her mother Olga: “Her vision was to raise her children to be good citizens who would be educated, have good paying jobs, and eventually become homeowners.” (From Concord Township Historical Society: https://concordhist.org/womens-right-to-vote-olga/)
Did you experience racism when you were growing up: Betty didn’t experience a lot of racism growing up and to some extent that was due to her positive outlook: “I’m a very engaging person and I like to have fun- I had a good time in school; I didn’t make racism an issue and my parents didn’t make it an issue either; I was about enjoying life as a kid; I was on my bike all over the place and my friends would invite me to their birthday parties… I don’t think kids see color unless it’s learned from the knee- my dad wasn’t a person who talked about White people and how terrible they treated him.”
As Kitty Loper Anderson explained about knowing and accepting what you could do and what you couldn’t do in those times, Betty sees the societal positioning of the Black community vs. the White community: “We were non-threatening- by that I mean we were the help and we didn’t buy property- it flips when you try to buy property… Somebody had to do the dirty work and it was us!”
“I was treated badly by a teacher who was
horribly racist and it stays with you!"
Like Mary Louise Tillman and Kitty Loper Anderson, Betty did have an experience with racism that has stayed with her since childhood: “I had put pennies together and bought this little white tee-shirt they were selling that said ‘Concord’ on it- this was 3rd grade; everybody got their shirts but me; when I raised my hand and said that I didn’t get my shirt, the teacher went ballistic: ‘You people always want something!’… I didn’t have parents who screamed and yelled like that- I didn’t know that grown people acted that way; but there was a another teacher who was very kind- she came over and said: ‘Your shirt came to the 4th grade,’ and she handed me my shirt- I always had people come into my life as a kid who made things better.”
And she was the object of bullying: “I was a sports person and played soft ball… If we played a school without Black kids which was most schools, they would get behind me as catcher and taunt me like Jackie Robinson… No adults would come forward and say: ’Stop it!!’ … All kids have bully incidents but my bullying was related to the fact that I had different color skin.”
What should everyone know about the Black community: “They were going away from a state where there was no future for them- terrorism, brutality, the inability to educate their children… They came here and found another sort of prejudice- but as long as they were laborers and not attempting to buy property or compete with jobs, or even educational abilities, then they were accepted… For the most part there was no brutality like there was in the South, and people were thankful for not having night-riders, keeping their family safe and the ability to go to school… We had strong leaders like Andrew Davis but we also had people who didn’t have the education or ability to fight back- they were just trying to feed their families.”
What should everyone know about the role of the Black church: “People should know that the Black church was the glue because we weren’t allowed to gather in other places like restaurants; the church was not only a spiritual setting, it was a place to nourish the body- they had food… People worked from “can’t see to can’t see”- even on Saturday and sometimes on Sunday, so the church was the ‘great escape.’ … It was a place where you could be yourself- you didn’t have to speak proper English and you didn’t have to assimilate- you could be who you are.”
“I want school children who visit Spring Valley AME to know that Black people lived here, that we were not bad people and that we helped to make Concordville and Chadds Ford wealthy… We need to write our own story and open that dialog.”
What should everyone know about the role of the Black church: “People should know that the Black church was the glue because we weren’t allowed to gather in other places like restaurants; the church was not only a spiritual setting, it was a place to nourish the body- they had food… People worked from “can’t see to can’t see”- even on Saturday and sometimes on Sunday, so the church was the ‘great escape.’ … It was a place where you could be yourself- you didn’t have to speak proper English and you didn’t have to assimilate- you could be who you are.”
“I want school children who visit Spring Valley AME to know that Black people lived here, that we were not bad people and that we helped to make Concordville and Chadds Ford wealthy… We need to write our own story and open that dialog.”
“The church is not a building but a spirit!”
Faith is central to Betty’s life but she worships in her own way: “I believe that spirituality is internal, not in a building- my church is in me.”
While not a churchgoer per se, Betty has great reverence for the importance of the church and its message. She stands strongly behind the renovation of Spring Valley AME Church and the preservation of its graves. She captured her thoughts about the church in a beautiful essay written for her grandson so that he will remember: “His life is so different, but he is standing on the shoulders of people who struggled and died before their time.”
“Spring Valley AME Church: Rock of Ages” (excerpts):
“Spring Valley was a cleft*, a steady rock to shelter its worshippers. A sanctuary… Many of the worshippers had arrived in Pennsylvania during the Great Migration. Some like the Byrd family to escape the oppression of Reconstruction era Virginia… All gathered for the solace, support, nourishment of body and soul and most importantly hope for better education and future for their families… The church is not a building but a spirit. An essence passed from one generation to another… Solid as a rock and omnipresent. A spirit of love. Love conquers hate.”
(*Refers to “Rock of Ages, Cleft For Me”, an African American hymn by the Reverend Augustus Toplady)
Thomas Byrd
Betty’s older brother Thomas, a resident of Texas, served in the military for 46 years and is a veteran of the Vietnam War. He adds additional perspectives about life in Concordville and the Byrd family, including its history.
Thomas Byrd: “I was born 1939… I believe my earliest ancestors in this area on my father’s side were my grandfather James Thomas Byrd who we called Popsy (1864-1931) and my grandmother Martha Richardson Byrd who died very young- they were born in Virginia and lived in a place they called King and Queen County Virginia, a suburb of Richmond; in this area they lived in Birmingham, now Chadds Ford.”
Courtesy of Thomas Byrd... Martha Richardson Byrd.
“I do genealogy and went back to the 1700’s in our family- I have 64,000 names; I believe our family came across on the Amistad.”… (“La Amistad, Spanish for Friendship, was a 19th-century two-masted schooner. It became renowned in July 1839 for a slave revolt by Mende captives, who had been captured by Portuguese slave hunters in Sierra Leone.” Wikipedia)
“My grandfather was a 'Freedman'- he wasn’t a slave, but his father was a slave on the Byrd Plantation in Virginia- our family name came from the slave owner!”
The history of the Byrd surname is interesting. “The Westover Plantation is the seat of the William Byrd family in Virginia. William Byrd 1 (1652-1704) was a native of London, England. His father, John Bird (1620–1677) was a London goldsmith.” From this Wikipedia entry, it appears that “Bird” became “Byrd” with William Byrd 1… The Byrd family of Concordville has seen its name often spelled “Bird.”
How do you feel about having the name of a plantation owner: “I’m proud of the Byrd name- it’s nothing to be ashamed of; we just happened to be in a certain plantation and we had no name; there are a lot of Black folks that are Smith and Townsend- they don’t have their real names… I don’t feel bad about it, I feel good about it- we have a lot of Byrd’s all over the country!”
Thomas described his life growing up:
What was life like growing up in the Byrd home: “It was very much a home for the family; on weekends sometimes other family members visited and we would play horse shoes, checkers, and dominos; Pop would bring vegetables from the garden- I even saw him do a hog out there and he shared the meat with the family… I didn’t realize how much I had or didn’t have until I got older… One time I wanted some cowboy guns and my mom said: ‘No, but we’ll get you a book- Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe;’ I read that book and I thought I was Robin Hood- I had a hat like Robin Hood and bows and arrows- I even built a treehouse!”… Thomas reinforces that the Byrd children were raised by James and Olga to value both education and music… When reminded about the 1962 photograph: “We had a beautiful Christmas!!”
What do you remember about the tenant house: “It was a two story house; we had no running water- there was a stream that was our source of water; we had an outhouse, which (laughing) I later learned was not in a very good position from our drinking source… As you walk in the right hand side was a dining area or living space- later on we got a TV; if you turn left you walk into the kitchen which had a wood stove- later they got a kerosene tank and had a kerosene stove (inevitably the source of the fire that destroyed the house), and there was a pump- we finally got a pump so Mom could wash dishes… If you went out of the back porch there is what we called the 'down-down-place'- the water that drained out of the kitchen went to the down-down-place- we called it that because the water was nasty; there were two ponds- the little pond and the big pond and there would be frogs down there; we took a bucket to get water from the little pond for our Saturday night baths- (laughing) I was the oldest so I got the grey water!”… This is the life they knew and they were a happy family.
How were you treated by the Willits, your dad’s employer: “As far as I’m concerned, they treated me well- in fact my best friend was Paul Willits’ grandson Skipper Willits- he’s still alive today and lives in South Carolina and we stay in touch from time to time- he was my best friend; at that time we didn’t have Black buddies- Skip was my buddy!” … Thomas’ heartfelt description of his friendship with Skip Willits reminds me of Andrew Wyeth’s boyhood friendship with David 'DoDo' Lawrence (“Andrew Wyeth Close Friends”)… If all children had diversity in their early relationships, what a difference that could make.
"If it happened in South Carolina or Mississippi
I would have been too scared to say anything!”
I would have been too scared to say anything!”
Did you experience racism when you were growing up: “The only time it happened to me was when I was riding the bus to Media High School and on the way home this guy called me a ’N-Word!’… When I got off the bus I told my brother Charles- he freaked out and got in the car and followed the school bus to where that boy got off; Charles didn’t fight him, but told him not to do that anymore, and I had no more problems.”… It’s amazing to compare that to what it would have been like in the South- your brother could have been lynched, but here it didn’t happen: “No it didn’t- if it happened in South Carolina or Mississippi I would have been too scared to say anything!”… It’s chilling to realize this incident happened in the mid-1950’s at the time Emmett Till was lynched in Mississippi.
Do you have memories of Andrew Wyeth: “I didn’t know Andy Wyeth personally but he set up an easel in front of our house when I was a kid- he was doing a painting of kids running around but I never saw the painting.”
What should everyone know about the Black community: “They were scattered but on Sunday they would come together at a church somewhere; they would go by horse and buggy or they would walk to church- spirituality is important to a lot of Black folks.”
What should everyone know about the role of the Black church: “The Black church was very important for spiritual well being; when you are down you need to go to somewhere to get up; people had a hard week, maybe someone died- you go to church to get that relief and get the spiritual blessing so you can carry on for another week… A lot of people couldn’t go because they had to work on Sunday like my mother.
James T. Byrd- Jay Bird
1905-1985
James T. Byrd was the father of Betty Byrd Smith and Thomas Byrd. I initially learned about him as a good provider and role model for his children. Then slowly but surely he emerged as an extraordinary and almost larger than life personality. More than that, he became an answer to my question that I can truly feel. Through Betty, Thomas and a host of other people, I’ve gotten to know him as if he were here today. To best understand why I see him as I do, I want readers to know his life and humanity, and to see how the power of his faith enabled him to love everyone- his wonderful spirit answers my question in a most profound way. I hope you will see him as a special soul just as I do.
Amazingly, 36 years after he passed, everyone I spoke to and interviewed for this story knew and has fond memories of James T. Byrd who was known outside his family by his nickname: Jay Bird, J-Bird, or Jaybird. Of the various options, I will respectfully refer to him as Jay Bird.
Beyond being a warm loving father, he was a self taught street musician renowned as an accordion and harmonica based one-man band. He was an endearing person, seemingly loved by everyone- perhaps because he loved them. And he was a totally committed patriot which is what makes him so important to this story.
We actually know a lot about him from his early days in school, his children, people who knew him, newspaper articles, portraits by a famous artist, and from many photographs- we get a real glimpse into his personality. The goal of this photo essay is to answer my question through the humanity of the Black community in Chadds Ford and Concordville. No one expresses that humanity more or provides a clearer answer than does Jay Bird.
Jay Bird’s adult life had two parts. The first was his 40 years as a farmer, provider for his family, and role model for his children. After the Willits farm was sold, Jay Bird was allowed to continue living in the tenant house and he worked at a local dairy farm. When he was too old to work and without Social Security benefits, Jay Bird used his musical skills as a street musician to earn a little money. It is in this part of his life that he became a fixture in Chadds Ford and Concordville.
Jay Bird was born on March 10, 1905 in Chadds Ford to James and Martha Byrd. He was one of seven siblings. He is the second child from the right in this image. His older brother Louis is to his left. His older sister Edith, who raised him after his mother died, is on the left in the front row.
Courtesy of Thomas Byrd.
Jay Bird had little formal education: “He did go to school and there was a teacher who taught him to play the accordion, harmonica, and violin.” (Thomas Byrd). This prepared Jay Bird to be the musician he would become. And regardless of his level of education, Jay Bird loved to write- he would write on any piece of paper that came his way, but his words and markings are very difficult to decipher: “It’s like crypto!” (Thomas Byrd)... Most importantly, Jay Bird had wisdom: "He was very astute and always gave his children wise advise." (Betty Byrd Smith)
Jay Bird and his siblings went to Dilworthtown School (Dilworthtown is a small village near Chadds Ford). His teacher, mentioned by Thomas Byrd, was Christian Sanderson. In this image of the 1914 class, Jay Bird (9 years old) is likely the second child from the right in the second row. Louis Byrd is likely the first child on the right in the front row. Other siblings are also in this group. While the class is integrated, the class photo is blatantly segregated which must have sent a clear message to these young children. School records show that the Byrds were known as the "Birds" as far as the school was concerned.
Courtesy of The Christian C. Sanderson Museum.
While records show that Jay Bird’s attendance was not always stellar, his grades in 1919 (14 years old) were quite good, as were the grades of his siblings Louis and Edith.
Courtesy of The Christian C. Sanderson Museum.
"He was the only teacher I ever had!” (Jay Bird)
Christian Sanderson is himself a story. He was a lifelong teacher, collector and friend of Andrew Wyeth. The Christian C. Sanderson Museum, located in his former home in Chadds Ford, is a treasure trove of memorabilia including paintings by Andrew Wyeth and his father N.C. Wyeth: “He taught all of his life and was always poor as a church mouse- Andrew Wyeth paid to keep Christian and his wife in the house.” (Chuck Ulmann, Curator of the museum). For young Jay Bird, Mr. Sanderson was very special: “He was the only teacher I ever had!”
In one of the many "Daily Times" articles about Jay Bird, correspondent Eileen Shomo gives us a glimpse into his world. In “Chris Sanderson's student: Concord man loves his music,” she writes: “James J. Byrd has three loves, his music, his undying admiration for the late Christian C. Sanderson, and his country, and not necessarily in that order.” (The article missed Jay Bird’s love for his family.) Jay Bird explains inheriting an accordion from his father, and learning to play by watching his beloved teacher Mr. Sanderson play the piano. At Christmas this “poor as a church mouse” teacher dressed up like Santa Claus and would “bring us all a present,” otherwise kids might not get anything because Black families in Chadds Ford had little money: “He was a great man, a great man!” (Jay Bird).
The photograph in this article is exactly how people knew Jay Bird: playing music with his menagerie of instruments, dressed in his army uniform, and always displaying the American flag (note the flag on his right and the package of small flags on the table- he loved the American flag)… Shomo concludes about this music man: “He doesn’t understand riot and hatred”… “I love this country!” (Jay Bird)
Courtesy of Concord Township Historical Society... Daily Times.
"Bird" Watching!
Sightings of Jay Bird were common wherever people gathered such as at stores and events.
Courtesy of Concord Township Historical Society... Daily Times, Bert Hodge Photo.
Courtesy of Concord Township Historical Society.
Hilarious image of Jay Bird performing at a formal event. Everyone loved him because he "Loved Ev'rybody!"
Courtesy of Betty Byrd Smith... Other gentlemen unknown.
Surprisingly Jay Bird never attracted Andrew Wyeth’s paint brush, but he was captured by noted Chadds Ford artist, Paul Scarborough. This sketch shows Jay Bird’s musical innovation- a license plate cymbal. “Paul asked Jay Bird to play at one of his art shows in Chadds Ford.” (Barbara Moore, Barbara Moore Fine Art, Chadds Ford).
Courtesy of Dawn Jackson, Barbara Moore Fine Art, Chadds Ford.
Paul Scarborough’s photograph shows the props for his sketch: Jay Bird’s “box seat,” accordion, and license plate. In addition there is one of Jay Bird’s many clocks which he collected so that, as he told his son Thomas: “I wouldn’t run out of time!”
Courtesy of Dawn Jackson, Barbara Moore Fine Art, Chadds Ford.
Paul Scarborough’s affection for Jay Bird is further revealed in a painting he did for the Concord Township Historical Society- it beautifully reveals Jay Bird’s patriotism.
Courtesy of Concord Township Historical Society.
As wonderful is the painting, the real treasure is stapled to the reverse side of the frame under a crinkly plastic sheet. This is one of Jay Bird’s many cryptos. The undated essay (the date of his death was added at the bottom) is one of his most legible. He writes about the trouble America is in. It is this statement that so clearly reveals how he embodies the answer to my question… His words are pure poetry!
Courtesy of Concord Township Historical Society.
Thee old J-Bird of Chadds Ford, PA 1904 (he was born in 1905)
In God we trust for a better tomorrow, we must Amen;
So God bless America, again, again, again…
For thee all knows what troubles she is in in,
So we all must not leave leave these troubles;
Get US down (unclear meaning)…
As all must just stick out our chins as we bound to win, win, win;
So God bless America again, again, and again!
From J-T-Bird (in person) Chadds Ford Boy
Concordville,
PA, Del Co (Delaware County)
ZC 19331
Mary Louise Tillman made the church’s teachings very clear: "God is #1 and then love everyone even when they send you hate." For Black people in America, loving those who send hate is a constant test of courage and commitment to their faith. Is this the source of the amazing resilience Black people have had through enslavement, Reconstruction, and Jim Crow, that has allowed them to survive, thrive and contribute so much?
He loved a country that didn’t love him!
If “love conquers hate” is truly the answer to my question, then Jay Bird takes it to the highest level a Black person can in America: He loved a country that didn’t love him! Let that sink in for a moment: He loved a country that didn’t love him!!… While he was treated with kindness and friendship by the people of Chadds Ford and Concordville, the overall behavior of America towards Black people was hardly loving in his lifetime and not even today with rampant unwarranted police killings and voter suppression. But Jay Bird’s faith taught him to love his country in spite of the hate so often directed towards Back people and of the enslavement of his ancestors. He would have gladly gone into World War II risking his life to defend America, but he was required to continue farming as part of the war effort. He sent five sons into the service, and he wore an army uniform and displayed the American flag most every day.
Concordville soldier and patriot Jay Bird sits on the back porch of the tenant house: “I call this ‘The Thinker’… Pop really loved America.” (Thomas Byrd)
Courtesy of Thomas Byrd.
By the 1970’s, Jay Bird was alone in the only home he ever knew. In 1975 at 70 years old, he accidentally started a kerosene fire (note the tank behind him) that destroyed the house he lived in for 50 years- this heartbreaking image reveals his anguish. In what seems like a “Star Bangled Banner” moment in front of a bombed out building, this patriot’s “flag was still there!”
Courtesy of Concord Township Historical Society... Photographer of this extraordinary image is unknown.
Literally after the blaze, Jay Bird went to the home of his employers Harold and Virginia (Ginny) DeNenno (Jay Bird worked at their dairy farm after the Willits farm was sold). Ginny is the former president of the Concord Township Historical Society and collector of photographs and newspaper articles about Jay Bird, many of which are used in this photo essay… Jay Bird was more than an employee to the DeNennos: “He would be in the kitchen everyday for breakfast after milking the cows… My husband and I had a very nice relationships with him.”
Ginny tells the story: “One morning Harold was eating breakfast and Jay Bird suddenly appeared knocking at the window so Harold went out to see what was the matter; Jay Bird said: ‘I started a fire in my house- I got out but there are things I want to get!’ Harold went with Jay Bird into the house to help save what they could.” Jay Bird inspired such committed friendships.
According to the "Daily Times" article “Home destroyed by fire but ‘Byrd’ isn’t gong anywhere,” Jay Bird recovered two items that were very important to him- his antique accordion and a picture of his beloved teacher Chris Sanderson. Ginny is quoted asking Jay Bird what he would like from the donations people were making after the fire- he said: ‘Mrs. DeNenno, could you send for me another accordion?’… Ten years later, Ginny would attend her friend’s funeral.
Courtesy of Concord Township Historical Society... Daily Times.
After the fire, Jay Bird became a vagabond. He camped out at the grounds of his former home, stayed in a room at the DeNenno’s farm, and stayed with his children. He continued with his music and finally moved into a retirement home.
Close to the end of his life, a smiling Jay Bird in his US Army shirt is pictured with the DeNenno's granddaughter Kristin (1982)… His faith says it all: “Give Me That Old Time Religion; Makes Me Love Ev’rybody; It’s Good Enough For Me!!”… I’ve looked at this wonderful image many times seeing a sweet man showing affection for his young friend. But then the chilling reality sets in about all the Black men who were lynched for merely looking at a White female.
Courtesy of Thomas Byrd.
James T. Byrd passed away on May 8, 1985 at 80 years old. The faith he gained at Spring Valley AME Church explains how he survived more than 40 years of farm labor, thrived as a provider for his family, and contributed so much to his community: “He was an ambassador, using music to heal trauma wounds for himself and others; my dad had this saying: 'We have God’s power!'” (Betty Byrd Smith)
Jay Bird is the answer to my question- he looked America in the eye every day, waved its flag, and said: “I love you!” He survived, thrived, and contributed so much to his community, and that’s what Black people have done since they were first brought to America against their will.
Jay Bird was laid to rest in a “colored people’s” cemetery, the condition of which is another slight to Black people- at least he has his flags!… I wish I had known him in life.
Betty Byrd Smith, a civil rights activist who carries the spirit, the music, and undoubtedly the pride of her father, pours “libations” at Jay Bird’s grave. (An offering to the soul of a deceased person.)
Final Thoughts
Chadds Ford and Concordville are predominately White communities today. Unless people lived there in the 40’s-50’s, they would have little idea there had been a Black community. This was a time before the building boom of the 80’s-90’s when it was largely farm land. I wonder what today’s community would think upon learning there were Black people there. Would they be surprised? Would they think about them beyond being farm workers and domestics? Would they wonder if there was racism and segregation? Would they consider what Black people could teach those of us who now live where they lived? I didn’t expect they would teach me how a people so oppressed could survive, thrive, and contribute so much to society- but they did!
As much as I have learned working on this project, I’m still astonished at the resilience of Black people in the face of so much oppression. Perhaps resilience is something that all people are equipped with when faced with extreme adversity. Yet as someone who has never had to face such adversity, I find it extraordinary.
This country has asked so much of Black people, returning the favor with abuse which continues to this day. We’re now being reminded, or taught for the first time, about the Tulsa Massacre on its 100th anniversary. If Black people simply gave up, who could criticize? While I surely can’t speak for all people and families that lived in the Black community of Chadds Ford and Concordville, everyone I met or learned about contributed to their community and their country without hesitancy or regret, and they “made a way out of no way!”
Just as revealed by Henry Louis Gates in his documentary, I learned that Spring Valley AME, along with other Black churches in the area, was the core of the community. It was a safe place where people could be who they were, could support each other, and could praise God. It was faith that kept the Black community going: “We really feel the presence of God and how He has kept us; He can help overcome the horrors we face because He takes us above whatever we are going through- He takes you through it- you can feel His presence, His peace… He asks two things of us- He requires that we love Him with our heart, mind and soul, and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves no matter what they do to us.” (Kitty Loper Anderson). The extraordinary message: Look your tormenter in the eye and give love in return! The power of faith has enabled Black people to survive, thrive, and contribute so much to society despite more than 400 years of challenge.
I can’t know how Jay Bird thought about his faith, but he clearly looked America in the eye and gave back love. But he is far from alone in his love of America, in fact it’s common for Black people. As Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney told me for the photo essay: “Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney: Leadership from the Heart:”… “The most patriotic people I see are African American World War II veterans who still dutifully wear their Marine Corp hats and Navy Hats- they fought in a war that potentially sacrificed their lives for this country and then came back to Jim Crow- really?”
This patriotism is very broad. In World War II, Black men had to convince the military in order to become pilots so they could defend a country that didn’t love them. Many “Tuskegee Airman” learned to fly in a Boeing Stearman Kaydet like the one that flies proudly at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Jay Bird would have gladly flown this "bird" in service to his country, and he surely would have carried a harmonica in his pocket for good luck!
The commitment of Black people to defend America was beautifully captured by Charles “Teenie” Harris (1908-1998), who was a photojournalist for the Pittsburgh Courier. During World War II, he… “documented thousands of African American soldiers who fought for a nation that didn’t always fight for them.” (Carnegie Museum of Art). That is: They fought for a nation that didn’t love them!
It would be wrong to conclude that every Black person connects their patriotism to faith and the teachings of the church. But given the importance of faith to the survival of Black people from their earliest days in America, it may well have been passed down through generations without people being aware of it.
Sending love to a country that doesn’t love them is a trademark for the vast majority of Black people in America. Whether it’s leaders like Dr. King and John Lewis, peaceful protestors, or people who just work every day to feed their families, the commitment to their country is strong even with the indignities they face. It seems that every time there is an unwarranted police killing of a Black person, it’s the victim’s families that are the first to call for calm- keeping America safe is surely a measure of love for their country.
I keep talking about loving America, but what does it mean? One of the most important parts of loving, whether a country, child or friend, is holding them accountable for their mistakes to help them improve- not doing so is actually withholding love. The efforts of Black people to right the wrongs of America’s inequity is totally consistent with loving their country- the only country they’ve ever known. Thinking negatively about Black activism is not understanding the meaning of true love.
I hope everyone, regardless of the color of their skin, who reads this photo essay will look at Black people with a special sense of awe for their courage to survive, thrive, and contribute so much to society. Black Lives Matter to America.
And please keep a soft place in your heart for Jay Bird, the Concordville soldier, patriot and model of humanity who teaches us that “Love Conquers All.” He never stopped saying: “God Bless America, Again, Again and Again!” … Rest in peace Jay Bird!!
One More Thing:
“The Story Within The Story”
My interaction with Black people has been very limited through most of my life.
From the mid 1980’s to early 2000’s, I was a frequent visitor to center city Philadelphia. When I would see homeless people, predominantly Black people, I would look away- I didn’t know how to relate.
It was at the end of 2014 when my photo essay work was getting underway, that I decided to use my camera to meet and understand homeless people which meant I was interacting with Black people. It wasn’t long before I began working with One Step Away, Philadelphia’s street newspaper. For the first time I was developing real friendships with Black people.
My experience at the National Museum of African American History and Culture made me realize something I was never taught: The good life I have stands on the shoulders of enslaved Africans and their descendants who created the wealth of America, receiving only torment and torture in return. This realization motivated me to learn about the Black experience in America, to support equitable policies, and to create photo essays so that more White people would know whose shoulders they are standing on. If I can open even one heart and mind about the extreme value Black people bring to America, I will have begun to repay the debt I feel to a people that has given so much… and that’s “The Story Within The Story!”
Thanks for reading!!
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Published “Juneteenth” 2021... We must remember, lest we forget!
Addendum
Because of the pandemic I was unable to meet people for interviews. It was my hope that at some point we could convene a group at Spring Valley AME Church to sing “Give Me That Old Time Religion” just as they did so many years ago in that little “big” church. On July 17, 2021, with everyone fully vaccinated, that’s what we did. Principals (from the left) Mary Louise Tillman, Jo Lomax, Betty Byrd Smith, and Kitty Loper Anderson- her husband Army veteran Jimmy Anderson behind her, along with other descendants of the church, sang it loud and sang it proud! In Betty’s tambourine I could hear her father Jay Bird tapping his license plate cymbal. In Mary Louise’s voice I could hear her grandfather Andrew Davis’ famous “call and response” with the congregation, and her mother Helen’s wish to see the church before she died. Everyone’s spirit was there.
Given what’s happening in the country, I just had to ask Mary Louise if she could feel love for people who are trying to suppress the vote of people of color. Without a moment of hesitation she said: “You just have to give love!”... I'll have to work on that.