McLeod Plantation

McLeod Plantation, James Island, SC  

I joined my friends English and Maria (thanks Maria!) at McLeod Plantation this fine cool morning for a program called "Christmas Through the Eyes of the Enslaved" brought to life by a guide named Olivia who did a wonderful job telling stories that brought the period to life. 

What did Christmas mean in an enslaved time? Commonly slaves would be allowed time off during the Christmas season, but the amount of time varied from plantation to plantation. Although time off was expected, the plantation owners made it clear that the expectations of an enslaved person didn't stop. Christmas is commonly thought of as a joyous time, but heartbreak and sadness still took place for the enslaved people, therefore the meaning of Christmas differed between plantation owners and the enslaved and how this meaning transitioned after the Civil War. 

Thanks to my friend Dale who grabbed a shot of us!