On 13 January 1864, Stephen Foster died. Called the Father of American Music, Foster wrote “Camptown Races”, “Swanee River” and many others. His songs were written for the minstrel show and the lyrics showed it. 13 January is Stephen Foster Memorial Day, a US Federal Observance Day.
In the same year President Lincoln appointed as chief justice Salmon P Chase. Chase had been born on 13 January 1808. His work as Secretary of the Treasury under Lincoln has resulted in his face being on the US$10,000 bill.
Chase worked to end slavery. He was instrumental in the admission to the bar of the Supreme Court the first attorney of African-American heritage, John S Rock.
Among Rock’s many achievements in and well outside the law, he is sometimes credited with first use of the phrase “black is beautiful”. Almost but not quite. In an 1858 Boston speech to local black communities and some high profile white abolitionists, he observed:
I will not deny that I admire the talents and noble characters of many white men. But I cannot say that I am particularly pleased with their physical appearance. If old mother nature had held out as well as she commenced, we should, probably, have had fewer varieties in the races. When I contrast the fine tough muscular system, the beautiful, rich color, the full broad features, and the gracefully frizzled hair of the negro, with the delicate physical organization, wan color, sharp features and lank hair of the Caucasian, I am inclined to believe that when the white man was created, nature was pretty well exhausted – but determined to keep up appearances, she pinched up his features, and did the best she could under the circumstances.
Despite the report of “Great laughter” the nation divided into war three years later.
