The Hidden Sentinels of Liberty
By Burton Giles Tiemyer
June 18, 2026 - At the June meeting of the Timpson Area Genealogical Heritage Society (TAGHS), members and visitors gathered for a presentation that promised to peel back the layers of a history often left in the shadows of the American narrative. The guest of honor, Delbert Jackson, a researcher and historian with deep roots in Shelby County, returned to the society to deliver a lecture that challenged the some of the myths of the nation’s founding and highlighted the vital, yet frequently omitted, contributions of Black soldiers and sailors during the Revolutionary War.
The Myth of the "Schoolhouse" Narrative
Jackson began his presentation not with a dry recitation of dates, but with a piece of cultural nostalgia: a 1975 video from "Schoolhouse Rock" titled "No More Kings." For Jackson, who first saw the video at age 14, it served as a foundational introduction to colonial history. However, returning to it decades later, he noted a glaring omission that reflects a broader trend in American education.
"In that video, there was only one representation of Indians or indigenous people, and that was the two that peeped out from behind the rock," Jackson observed. "And there was no representation of black people in the colonies". He argued that such educational materials, while popular and entertaining, provide a "misconstrued" view of history when shown without the context of the diverse populations that actually inhabited and fought for the emerging nation.
A Global Perfect Storm: The Origins of the "Peculiar Institution"
To understand Black participation in the Revolutionary War, Jackson contended that one must first understand the "perfect storm" of European and global events that led to the system of slavery in the West. He traced the roots of the conflict back to religious and political infighting in Europe, involving Protestants, Catholics, Jews, and Muslims.
The discovery of the Americas was driven by the Ottoman Turk Empire’s control of traditional land routes to India, which harassed European travelers and forced them to look westward. Once the Spanish Crown expelled Muslim forces from the Iberian Peninsula and authorized Columbus’s journey, a "sordid history" began in the Caribbean, where indigenous populations were displaced and eventually replaced by enslaved Africans.
Jackson highlighted a pivotal moment in colonial Virginia that forever altered the social fabric of America: Nathaniel Bacon’s Rebellion. In the mid-17th century, the frontiers of the colonies were populated by "new people"—indentured Europeans, Africans, and indigenous people—who were often harassed by local tribes while the wealthy landowners remained protected in the interior.
When Bacon led this multiracial coalition in a rebellion against the colonial government, the ruling elite recognized the threat posed by a united working class. "The colony of Virginia, seeing the power that could be formed by working people and African people and indigenous people, produced codes to where the European descended people would have more rights than the Africans and the Indians," Jackson explained. This shift birthed chattel slavery, which Jackson described as a "peculiar institution" because it made the condition of bondage hereditary—a departure from many other historical forms of slavery where children did not necessarily inherit the status of their parents.
The First to Fall: Crispus Attucks and the Call to Arms
As the colonies moved toward open conflict with Britain, Jackson pointed to Crispus Attucks as a symbol of the complex loyalties and sacrifices of Black Americans. Attucks, a sailor of African and indigenous descent who had escaped slavery to work on privateer vessels, became the first person killed in the Revolutionary War during the Boston Massacre.
While the British argued that their increased taxes were a fair way to pay off the massive debt incurred protecting the colonies during the French and Indian War, the colonists saw it as an infringement on their wealth—wealth that Jackson noted was largely "generated through free labor, through slavery."
Initially, the Continental Army did not include Black soldiers. However, as the war dragged on and the need for manpower grew desperate, George Washington’s forces began recruiting free Black men and enslaved individuals who were permitted by their owners to serve in their stead.
A Tale of Two Armies: 5,000 vs. 20,000
The statistics Jackson shared with the society were striking. While approximately 5,000 African Americans joined the Continental Army, a significantly larger number—between 15,000 and 20,000—chose to side with the British.
For many enslaved people, the choice was not about colonial independence, but about personal liberty. The British offered the promise of freedom to those who deserted their rebel masters to join the Crown. Jackson also noted that the Spanish had long utilized Black "conquistadors" and soldiers in Florida and the Caribbean, creating a constant pull for enslaved people in Georgia and the Carolinas to escape southward in search of freedom.
Among the notable figures Jackson highlighted was Prince Hall, an abolitionist and founder of the first African American Masonic lodge, who became a leading advocate for Black participation in the war as a means to secure rights and citizenship. In the naval theater, figures like James Forten served on privateer ships, intercepting British cargo and proving the mettle of Black sailors on the high seas.
The Yearning for Freedom: The Voices of Brown and Douglass
To illustrate the visceral horror of the slave system and the desperate "yearning to be free," Jackson read from the narratives of those who lived through it. He shared the story of Henry Box Brown, who famously escaped slavery in 1815 by packing himself into a shipping crate and mailing himself to freedom.
"I was a slave because my countrymen had made it lawful... for the strong to lay hold on the weak," Jackson read from Brown’s account. Brown’s story served as a powerful reminder of why an individual would risk their life in a war for an army that might not even fully recognize their humanity.
Jackson also invoked the words of Frederick Douglass, the 19th-century orator and statesman, who famously asked, "What to the American slave is your Fourth of July?". Douglass’s speech, which Jackson read to the audience, described the celebration of liberty as a "hollow mockery" and a "thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages".
Local Legacies: From "Center Color School" to Integration
The presentation concluded with a shift toward local history, as Jackson and members of the audience discussed the legacy of segregation and education in Shelby County. Jackson, a 1980 graduate of Center High School, recalled attending C.H. Daniels and the "Center Colored School" during the era of integration.
The conversation touched on the influential Black families of the region, such as the Browns and the Jennings, who were leaders in the local community as doctors, dentists, and educators. Jackson noted that while some families moved away to places like Seattle, their impact on the administration and culture of the local schools remained a significant part of the county's heritage.
A Record That Cannot Be Erased
In his closing remarks, Jackson addressed modern efforts to "eradicate" or censor history. He remained optimistic about the preservation of truth, noting that the global nature of information makes it impossible to hide the past forever.
"If we burn all the books in America, those books are all around the world," Jackson said. "There's no hiding place for censorship. Every book that's been published... there will be a record of everything that has transpired."
As the meeting adjourned, the Timpson Area Genealogical Heritage Society presented Jackson with a certificate of appreciation, recognizing his work in bringing these "hidden sentinels" of history to light. For the attendees, the presentation was a reminder that the story of America is not a single narrative, but a complex tapestry of voices—some of whom fought for a freedom they were not yet allowed to share.
The Timpson Area Genealogical and Heritage Society (TAGHS) meets at 2PM on the third Wednesday of each month in the meeting room of the Timpson Public Library, located on the corner of Austin and Bremond Streets in Timpson, Texas. The public is always welcome.
