Copy of a letter from Hiram Revels, Charles P. Head, and other committee members to the Freedmen’s Bureau, proposing a school tax, August 29, 1865 (Freedmen’s Bureau Records, Field Offices, Mississippi (M1907), Vicksburg, Roll 44, Unregistered Letters Received, Sep 1865-Feb 1866)
At a meeting of the Colored Citizens of Vicksburg held in Methodist Church Aug 29th 1865 the following report was presented by a Committee which had been previously appointed-
We your Committee appointed to consider a report a plan for the raising of money to support Colored Schools in the City of Vicksburg for the time being beg leave to submit the following for Your consideration
We have considered three schemes for the above purpose The Tuition, Subscription, and Taxing, Schemes and adopted and recommend the latter as the one most promising and likely to succeed
To the above your Committee would respectfully subjoin the following preamble and resolutions
Whereas the Government and those benevolent Societies which have in Various ways so generously and largely contributed to the support of Colored Schools in this City will render us but little if any aid in this behalf in the future and whereas we in consequence must hereafter support and aid in the management and control of our own Schools. Therefore Resolved
1st That we hereby tender our thanks to the Government and to those benevolent Christian Societies in the North for their liberal aid to Colored Schools in this place
2 That we having been aided so long and materially will now endeavor to the extent of our means to support our own schools and thereby evince our manhood and appreciation of Freedom and its blessings
3rd That we recommend to Rev Dr Warren Superintendent of Colored Schools the taxing of every adult colored person in this City whose circumstances will admit of it in behalf of Colored schools in the same
4th That Rev Dr Warren be and is hereby requested to consent to the appointment by the Colored Citizens of a general school committee Colored whose duty it shall be to aid him in the management and control of the Schools
5th That we are in favor of private or select schools on the two following conditions, viz
1 That they who send to them in preference to the public or free schools shall pay the same for the support of the latter that they would be required to pay if they did not patronise the former
2 That any person proposing to teach such a school shall be examined by the Superintendent and recommended by him as qualified for that business before he or she engages in teaching
7th That we are in favor of a military order obliging all colored adults in this City who can bear it to pay a school Tax
8th That we hereby tender our sincere thanks to our Superintendent Rev Dr Warren and Col Saml. E. Thomas assistant commissioner of the Bureau of Freedmen for their efforts in behalf of the education and enlightenment of our Children.
Signed H. R. Revels chairman
Jos S Moore
G W Walton
A Newton
D Foot
C P Head Secy
(Copy)