Tales from the Loft - Elias Hill and Common Ground

This past Thursday, the middle school visited Common Ground at Allison Creek for a historical field trip. While the story dates back to Reconstruction in South Carolina - 1871 - it exemplifies the meaning of resistance and gives us a foundation in looking for people throughout history that stood up for humanity during times of oppression. We have a heavy year ahead in our history studies, so we shall search for the voices of hope as we move forward.

The short gist: Elias Hill, an educated, well spoken Baptist preacher, helped found the local chapter of the Union League in York County. As a Black man with multiple physical disabilities, he overcame challenge, rising to leadership positions because of his charismatic voice and messages of hope. The Union League was the first multistate Civil Rights organization in the United States and opened the door for later organizations, such as the NAACP.

Another Black gentleman and leading local Civil Rights activist, Jim Williams, worked alongside Elias Hill in fighting for the rights of the Black community. In a multiple days raid, now known as the Jim Williams' Raids, the Ku Klux Klan murdered Jim Williams and his group of followers. Then they hunted down Elias Hill and left his beaten body in the woods before continuing their trail of violence.

Elias Hill lived.

He then bravely went on to testify in federal court against the KKK, which led to the arrest of over twenty KKK members and indictments for many more. In order to save the Clay Hill community from further danger, two local men arranged for 166 people to emigrate to Liberia. Solomon Hill and June Moore led the expedition.

Common Ground is a space honoring the story of Elias Hill and the many formerly enslaved community members that are buried on the grounds. The students spent time studying the story, visiting the historic site, and walking the meditation trails attached to the Clay Hill Graveyard. I asked them to take photos so that we could enjoy the trip through their eyes. The pictures shared are a variety of student and chaperone shots.