Mingo, and Other Sketches in Black and White

A weary traveler returns to a small Georgia town after the war, stepping into the familiar yet altered Crooked Creek Church. The ancient oaks stand unchanged, but the pulpit, the preacher, and the faces in the pews have been reshaped by time and hardship. The narrator observes a congregation marked by anxiety and loss, their once‑bright optimism now dimmed by the weight of recent tragedies.

At the heart of this quiet scene sits Mingo, the former carriage‑driver who once brightened youthful gatherings with jokes and impromptu verses. Now an older man in the colored section of the church, Mingo’s posture remains proud, his eyes fixed on the preacher, and a faint smile acknowledges the narrator’s presence. The contrast between his past lively spirit and his present solemn contemplation offers a poignant glimpse into the resilience and hidden burdens carried by those who survived slavery and the upheavals that followed.