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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1016]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
IN RECOGNITION OF PENNYTOWN'S 148TH ANNIVERSARY
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HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER
of missouri
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, July 30, 2019
Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, it brings me great joy to rise today to
commemorate the 148th anniversary of Pennytown, Missouri. Founded by
former slaves, this historic town stands as a declaration of what
people can accomplish in the face of adversity. Today, their
descendants gather to honor the memory of a remarkable chapter of
Missouri's history.
Joseph Penny, the founder and visionary of Pennytown, was a former
slave from Kentucky. Mr. Penny, like many, joined the Great Migration
north, hoping for a better and more prosperous life. Penny started as a
tenant farmer in the late 1860s, but his life changed in March of 1871
when he paid $160 for eight acres of land in Saline County, Missouri.
The purchase of this land marked the birth of Pennytown. During a time
when black Americans were not allowed to own land in many parts of the
country, Pennytown became a haven. By 1879, eleven land acquisitions
had been made. This town became a testament to the residents'
commitment to maintaining autonomy while helping former slaves in
reconstruction. At its peak, approximately 1,000 freed slaves and their
descendants lived in Pennytown, forming the largest concentration of
black-owned land in Saline County.
At first sight, Pennytown did not appear to be much. The town only
consisted of two churches, a school and a store. However, this small
collection of farms and buildings made up a mighty microeconomy.
Pennytown was a vibrant community, strongly intertwined and loyal. The
men would venture from house to house during the holidays to chop wood
for every family, and the women gathered weekly to create goods that
could be sold, using the proceeds to create a communal emergency fund.
The descendants of Pennytown help the legacy of the community live on
for younger generations through stories of the origins and efforts it
took to create such a town.
Today, the Pennytown Freewill Baptist Church provides a tangible
reminder of rural life for African Americans in the late nineteenth and
early twentieth centuries, while preserving the integrity of location,
design, and feeling. Much like today, churches in the past served as
much more than just places of worship, and the Pennytown church was no
different. With its Baptist gatherings, social events, and communal
celebrations, the church was a testament to the perseverance of a
community who had, just six years earlier, witnessed the abolition of
slavery. This community lasted a few decades, but the unpredictability
of time has removed most visible reminders of its existence. The
Pennytown Freewill Baptist Church is the last reminder of what this
town once was. The Pennytown descendants who own the church gather
together the first Sunday of every August to celebrate and honor their
rich history and to remind all of us that the past is truly present in
our world today.
Madam Speaker, please join me and the entirety of Missouri's Fifth
Congressional District in honoring the history of Freewill Baptist
Church and Pennytown as they celebrate an anniversary of one hundred
and forty-eight years since the founding. I welcome my colleagues and
fellow citizens across the country to join me and the constituents of
Missouri's Fifth Congressional District in reflecting upon the
impactful history held within this one small church.
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