And Galileo Saw A Pendulum,
While Sitting In A Church
A Freedom Play Piece
by Sara Kumar
When I began writing the play,
"And Galileo Saw A Pendulum, While Sitting In A Church,"
one question I had about history was,
was Andrew Johnson a good choice,
for the Vice Presidential running mate,
with then President Abraham Lincoln?
and I really prayed about that question,
at times, during my editing time, for Scene 4,
and we'll add one more scene here, in Part 2,
after more editing time.
I cannot say, I think Andrew Johnson was a good choice,
for Vice Presidential candidate,
and I hope that people can come to the play,
with discerning hopes, and also feel free,
to read the writings and speeches of
Andrew Johnson and Thaddeus Stevens
and Frederick Douglass and Charles Sumner,
and to look also,
at the vital political and business lives of Black Americans,
in Tennessee, during the 1860s
and later nineteenth century.
Thank you, friends, so much,
for the support we have received with this
dramatic and artistic project,
one in which we are so blessed,
to be able to read historical documents,
and to imagine also,
about what life might have been like,
during a difficult time in our nation's history.
I hope also, you can see,
how a musical play comes into being,
with artists and with music collaborators,
and over time, the play can come to a stage,
and people can read the compiled script, in print,
with music notes on the page also.
I think, you might also see love, friendship,
romance, and humor too,
amid difficult circumstances,
presented in the dramatic text,
that will come in an online form here,
for Part 2, over several months.
With thoughts of love and freedom and abiding peace,
Sara Kumar
I learned this, while researching.
Andrew Johnson did not support the expansion of the railroad, during his time serving in the State Legislature of Tennessee, from 1835 to 1843.
He voted against the expansion of the railroad, because he was concerned that nearby inns would close and that people who worked pulling wagons would lose their jobs.
Photograph of a woman mourning in Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, in the year 1865. Digital image of photograph purchased on Ebay.
And the man,
who said his name was Ketch,
had sat down on a tree stump,
outside, near the door,
at Eliza's home in Greeneville,
and he sang to Dolly,
and he felt he needed to sing.
I know yer name, is Dolly, Ms. Dolly,
and I can't fight no more,
no I can't fight no more,
not in Tennessee neither.
Can't no build no railroad, this boy,
he needs to rest,
can ya make some rubharb pie?
I knows about da pie, Ms. Dolly.
I got some rubba dreams, Ms. Dolly,
and now I said it true.
And Dolly sang,
I'll bring ya rubba pie,
I'll bring ya rubba pie
I'll sleep here, Ms. Dolly,
data be jus guud.
And Elijah went inside da house,
while his friend, Ketch, rested,
on da tree stump,
and Dolly dried her eyes with a soft cloth,
and she looked after Elijah.
This photograph shows the harvesting of rubber, through a process called rubber tapping, wherein natural latex sap is collected, without cutting down the tree. Digital image licensed with Shutterstock.
Charles Goodyear was an American self-taught chemist and manufacturing engineer,
who developed vulcanized rubber.
He received a patent from the United States Patent Office,
for the process of vulcanizing rubber, on June 15, 1844.
Vulcanized rubber is still very good for helping with protection and comfort
with the outsoles of shoes, because it is pliable, waterproof, and moldable.
​
During the Civil War, infantry shoes remained constructed out of leather,
but vulcanized rubber was being used in footwear for elastic side goring
in civilian and officer "Congress" boots, and also in early experimental
rubber-reinforced soles.
And the man,
who wore brogan leather boots,
dreamed about a new boat shoe,
how an idea get traction?
Ketch said, while dreaming,
and Dolly packed some extra pie,
in a haversack bag,
and angels of traveling love,
came an prayed around da house.
And Elijah came out from da house,
and he whispered to Ketch,
I had a dream about ma dad,
and his name is,
Reverend Daniel Wadkins,
and he said, I's a speaker,
but I eat pie, see, want some?
And Ketch said,
I need dis pie, son,
thank you.
My name is Henry Harding,
but don't tell no one dat,
I ain't a slave,
and I ain't no fighter either,
I done bought ma freedom, long ago,
and naw, I'm free again, dis good pie.
And Elijah said,
I know about da stars, see,
an I was lying, my dad needs me
be wid Aunt Dolly, cause she,
can bake and knows about politics.
See, see, I knows about dat too,
said Henry Harding, and Dolly,
come outside,
with a haversack bag.
I heard yer name, and I need yer help,
said Dolly, naw, you know, Elijah,
you said you can't be named Daniel,
he said that, see.
I ain't afraid 'o no lion, no, I ain't,
said Henry Harding.
No, I ain't afraid, Dad, said Elijah,
and she named me Elijah,
'cause I said data be a guud name,
said Elijah, and he smiled.
And Dolly sang,
I'll bring ya rhubarb pie,
I'll bring ya rhubarb pie
I gawta friend named Samuel Lowery,
and he done told me about Galileo,
who was a wise man,
but some people didn't think so,
and naw, we knows where we be, see,
said Henry Harding.
Wait right ha, and I'll bring some pie,
and I'll let ya know, naw's time to go,
said Dolly.
And da Angel of Greeneville came,
from inside da house, and prayed,
and they all heard a bird calling,
and Elijah said,
We be jus guud, naw, Dad.
and Dolly sang, after she brought pie,
from inside da house,
I have a son named William,
and he's free, and we lied, Mr. Harding.
I'm sorry, Ms. Dolly, jus rest naw,
and I'll introduce you to my wife,
I'm free, but I still ain't free,
cause I'm with the 63rd Regiment,
on an errand, in Jonesborough,
said Henry Harding,
who had called himself Ketch.
Is yer son, William, in Nashville?
asked Henry Harding.
I'm cryin, he in Nashville,
and Eliza ha in Greeneville,
and I'm so tired, Mr. Harding,
said Dolly.
I don't need no suit, sister,
but I'll help you, I'll go to Nashville, too,
and I'll see what to do, den,
with da governor, if you can help me,
said Henry Harding.
And a bird came and sat on a nearby
tree stump, and Dolly wiped her eye,
with soft cloth.
I's grateful, and I already packed,
all our clothes and food, Elijah,
said Dolly, and Elijah smiled again.
This document,
pictured to the right,
from the Freedmen's
Bureau Archive,
was found in,
ProQuest African American
Heritage.
Henry Harding
served in the 63rd Regiment
of the Union Army.
He was enlisted
on November 13, 1863,
in Vicksburg, Mississippi.
We think it's possible
that this is the same man,
Henry Harding,
who was born in Davidson County,
Tennessee, and who secured his
freedom, as a farmer
on the Belle Meade Plantation,
and who later became a successful
business entrepreneur,
in Nashville, Tennessee.
This document,
helps us to learn,
that Henry Harding
served in Company F,
of the 63rd Regiment,
of the United States Colored Infantry.
It lists a plaque number C-73,
with the name Henry Harding
on the African American Civil War Memorial,
and members of our theatre troupe
would like to go visit this memorial,
in Washington, D.C.
Before the Ratification
of the 15th Amendment,
to the United States Constitution,
in February of 1870,
Henry Harding's saloon
in Nashville, Tennessee
was a place Black Americans
came to for the issue of
voting certificates of registration,
that this newspaper article
claimed were part of election fraud,
in "The Tennessean,"
on Tuesday,
August 6, 1867, on Page 3.
In the play text,
we have come to April of 1864,
but what happened
in the Fall of 1862?
I mean to say,
what happened earlier,
in the Fall of 1862,
that caused Abraham Lincoln
to want to ask
for Andrew Johnson's help,
during the United States Election Campaign of 1864?
This is Novel Interlude I
by Sara Kumar,
for college, graduate school,
and adult leisure reading.
May 17, 1827 Andrew Johnson and Eliza McCardle wed.
Dolly Johnson was born in or between 1824 and 1828
1828 to 1830 Andrew Johnson served as Greeneville Alderman.
Sam Johnson was likely born in 1830
1834 to 1835 Andrew Johnson served as Greeneville Mayor.
1835 to 1837 Andrew Johnson served in Tennessee State House of Representatives.
1839 to 1841 Andrew Johnson served in Tennessee State House of Representatives.
1843 to 1853 Andrew Johnson served as United States House Representative,
from Tennessee's First Congressional District.
Elizabeth "Liz" Johnson, daughter of Dolly, was born in 1846
Dolly and Sam Johnson likely began living in the Johnson household in or between 1842 and 1843
1841 to 1843 Andrew Johnson served in Tennessee State Senate.
Florence Johnson, daughter of Dolly, was likely born in 1848 or 1849
1853 to 1857 Andrew Johnson served as Tennessee State Governor.
Henry Johnson, a Black American boy, aged 13, began living in the Johnson household in 1857.
Help our children know and feel they are free, free to be themselves free to dream free to love free to worship free to live free to see and hear and speak free to dream
