Illustration from Scenes in the life of Harriet Tubman, 1869. Source: New York Public Library Digital Collections
Kauchee, a 60-year-old slave, was a man of intense curiosity. He had teeth so crooked, you would think they were twirling ballerinas. His lips had cracks as deep as the ocean. His nose was wide, dominating his face, and his skin glimmered with a light caramel hue. His hair was as thin as a spider's thread — he was practically as bald as a winter tree. He only possessed the height of 5’ 2”, his skin was starting to droop, and his wrinkles created crossword puzzles and tic-tac-toe games etched into his skin.
Despite the cruelty of his circumstances, Kauchee was very well liked by his master, Andrew Johnson. His master would often dress him nicely and call him the “good nigga” out of the rest of his enslaved workers. Kauchee and master Johnson would have long talks in the master’s shed late at night, sometimes.
On one of these nights, their regular talk took a wild turn. This particular night, the wind howled a haunting tune, echoing songs of resistance, like “Follow the Drinking Gourd”, “Steal away”, and “Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen”. The rain felt like ice cubes falling from the sky and the thunder looked as though it was having a wrestling match with the moon and the clouds.
As Kauchee approached the door of his master's shed, he felt a sense of foreboding. Peering inside, he was confronted with a horror that would haunt him forever: his master and a group of prominent figures, including James Madison, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and William Henry Johnson, were engaged in a grotesque act — using the skin, hair, and teeth of Kauchee’s beloved niece to create leather, rugs, and dentures.
Kauchee panicked and screamed. In a desperate bid for freedom, he fled into the night, his heart racing. The men ran after him, but Kauchee rapidly escaped from their sight to his family's hidden barn about thirty miles away from the master's plantation.
When he arrived, he could instantly see from his family members' faces that they already knew what the masters had done to their niece. Uniting in their grief and anger, the family resolved to escape. That morning, they had braided cornrows in each other’s hair. These specific cornrows gave pathways and escape routes to the Underground Railroad. Kauchee and his family traveled for two long days without any breaks — they had little water and food, no blankets, nor any jackets. Just God and faith.
As they traveled, they cited prayers like “Lord, guide my steps. Help me to find my way through the darkness. May your light illuminate my path”, and “Lord, give me strength to bear this burden. Help me to find hope in your love. May my spirit never break.” Once they arrived at the underground railroad, there stood Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, Levi Coffin, John Brown, Lewis Hayden, Elijah Anderson, David Ruggles, Isaac Hopper, Josiah Henson, Ellen Craft, Samuel Burris, and Harriet Beecher Stowe.
Harriet Tubman was a fierce warrior, standing guard with a rifle, warning them that any attempt to flee or betray their mission would result in dire consequences. As they traveled through perilous landscapes toward Connecticut, Tubman endured debilitating spells, collapsing to the ground for hours. Yet, when she awoke, her uncanny ability to guide them through treacherous paths remained unwavering.
When they finally made it to Connecticut, Kauchee saw Black people in gowns and ties. He had to come to terms with the fact that although the confederate states had been freed in 1863 by the Emancipation Proclamation that had been issued by president Lincoln, the 13th amendment had not been ratified until 1865. Kauchee learned that slavery was officially abolished in the United States, and illegal throughout the entire country.
Kauchee and his family would still struggle for their freedom, even though the civil war was over, and they were legally free. On the morning of June 19, 1865, everyone in Texas was informed that they would have to start paying their former slaves as employees. The order also said: “This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves.”
Even though the freed people had to contend with villainous, odious, and repugnant racists, Kauchee still found joy and happiness every time June 19th approached. It was a day that symbolized and acknowledged the 246 years his people were in bondage, and the day they were released from captivity.
Our community continues that cycle of recognition today, 160 years later.
Anyla McDonald aspires to become a poet, short story writer, and essayist speaking about racism against Black people, current world problems, and hot topics. When she writes, she does it with purpose and passion. She feels destined to touch others with her words, and wants to be known as someone who takes a stand and impacts lives with her writing.
Anyla offers consulting services to Black student unions, student governments, school boards, superintendents, parents, and teachers facing social challenges within their institutions. She assists them in developing and implementing policies and activities aimed at preventing discrimination.
