Susie King Taylor, Teacher, Union Army Nurse with 33rd U.S. Colored Troops, Author
Last edited Sat Jun 13, 2020, 07:18 PM - Edit history (1)
'Susie King Taylor,' National Park Service, April 9, 2020.
Susie King Taylor (Aug. 6, 1848- Oct. 6, 1912) teacher, nurse, author and memoirist, achieved many firsts in a lifetime of overcoming adversity and helping elevate others out of slavery. As the author of 'Reminiscences of My Life in Camp with the 33d United States Colored Troops, Late 1st S.C. Volunteers,' (1902) she was the only African American woman to publish a memoir of her Civil War experiences.
- Susie King Taylor, teacher, army nurse and author, 1902.
Susie Baker was born into slavery near Savannah, Georgia. Despite Georgia's harsh laws against the formal education of African Americans, she attended two secret schools taught by black women. Her literacy proved invaluable not only to her but to other African Americans she educated during the war. She became free at the age of 14 when her uncle led her out to a federal gunboat plying the waters near Confederate-held Fort Pulaski. Baker and thousands of other African American refugees found themselves seeking safety behind Union lines on the South Carolina Sea Islands.
She soon attached herself to the First South Carolina Volunteers, the first black regiment in the US Army. First organized by Major General David Hunter, the military governor Rufus Saxton would become the driving force behind the unit’s creation. Taylor originally worked as the regimental laundress and throughout the war would perform the essential duties of cooking and washing. However, her literacy proved most useful and enabled her to serve as the reading instructor for the regiment of former slaves.
The unit’s white abolitionist colonel, Thomas Wentworth Higginson, later wrote of his men, “Their love of the spelling-book is perfectly inexhaustible.”
Off hours she taught the soldiers reading and writing and, according to her memoirs, “...learned to handle a musket very well...and could shoot straight and often hit the target.” Susie served as a nurse at a hospital for African American soldiers in Beaumont, South Carolina, where she met and worked with Clara Barton. For four years and three months, she served the Union military without pay. Susie and Edward remained with the 33rd Regiment until they were mustered out at the end of the war.
Taylor married Sergeant Edward King of the First South Carolina in 1862. Postwar, the Kings moved to Savannah, Georgia. She hoped to continue her teaching career and opened a private school for the children of freedmen. Unfortunately, her husband died the same year, and a public school opening caused her private school to fail. By 1868, Taylor was forced to find work as a domestic servant. She moved to Boston in 1872 where she married Russell Taylor in 1879.
She devoted much of the rest of her life to work with the Woman’s Relief Corps, a national organization for female Civil War veterans. She died in 1912, ten years after publishing her memoir.
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https://www.nps.gov/people/susie-king-taylor.htm
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/susie-taylor, Susie King Taylor Biography
- See: 'Port Royal Experiment,' Rehearsal for Reconstruction, Sea Islands, S.C. Near Ga.
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looked at it briefly online, wow, terrific collection. I've heard of the Philbrook, major institution.
Remington and Russell are outstanding and the availability of those older Spanish explorer records in the Gilcrease is rare, great to have. From parts of the West I've seen the favorite is the southwest- several trips to Santa Fe, saw a bit of of Taos, Albuquerque, Sedona, Scottsdale. Love the various cultures.
I briefly looked at the P. website noting the property, collections & special programs, very nice indeed.
Beautiful Ital. Ren. architecture bldg. & grounds with a large, diverse collection that expands centuries and styles. A fine cultural institution for all levels and backgrounds- kids, students and advanced art admirers.
- Villa Philbrook, main façade.
(In Wiki) Look at that graceful, skilled Benj. West portrait, the pieces by Thomas Moran, Bouguereau; Native American arts and crafts, the 'Santa Fe' room; Italians Crivelli, Piero di Cosimo, Strozzi, Bellini; Rodin, Picasso, de Kooning, O'Keefe, Wyeth, and more.
A wonderful place to visit or be employed. I always enjoyed cultural sites in settings with some character and 'green' around as well. (Not too fond of dense urban institutions near lots of concrete & streets).
~ Thanks for mentioning these. I'm sure visiting them as a child was an important influence on you. How lucky you are, and way to go Tulsa & Oklahoma! 
* Do you follow the 'Artists' group at DU, some interesting posts.
- Pueblo people pottery.
- Madonna and Child with Angels and Saints, Piero di Cosimo, c. 1520
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philbrook_Museum_of_Art
and hopefully staff has arranged things better by now. Behind the scenes, there's much work examining, authenticating, dating and provenance, protection (from elements, pests, etc.), and cataloging artifacts.
Places often have many more items stored than they are able to exhibit (Smithsonian has warehouses of items, many gifted). If there's enough space, funds in the budget and staff, then institutions can rotate items on display, or develop newer exhibits.
In my time I saw quite rare objects to the ordinary- sculptures, paintings, (denim) Union Civil War jackets, ladies 1850-60s day dresses, 19th c. medical equipment (bonesaws even), weaponry, fine chinaware and furnishings, utilitarian items, letters, documents, photos, etc.
I appreciate how essential collections work like cataloging is, but as said my forte was interpretation, through research, exhibits, brochures, tours, lectures and public events.
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No, I'm not aware of the Civil War project but thanks for mentioning. In the next year or two I intend to allot more time for genealogical research, esp. WWII info.
Best, and keep on enjoying art and culture!
- The original key to the Bastille prison in Paris, displayed in a case on the main floor central hall of Mount Vernon. The Bastille was the hated symbol of the ancient regime overthrown during the French Revolution.
Lafayette in France wanted the key sent to old friend George Washington. It went from London to the U.S. via Thomas Paine. GW received it from John Rutledge of S.C. The iron key weighs over 1 lb.; I have a small brass copy.
