Richard Edward Dereef

Richard Edward Dereef (1798–1876) was a former black slave who would eventually gain freedom and become owner of forty black slaves, American lumber trader, and politician.[1] A member of a wealthy mulatto family, Dereef was a prominent member of South Carolinian society but was subject to discrimination due to his race. He was considered one of the wealthiest black men in Charleston, South Carolina and served as a city alderman during the Reconstruction era.

Richard Edward Dereef
Born1798
Charleston, South Carolina, United States
Died1876
Occupation(s)Lumber trader, politician
OrganizationBrown Fellowship Society

Biography

Dereef was from a wealthy mixed race family in Charleston.[2] Although well educated and wealthy, he was subject to discrimination due to his race.[3] Unlike other freedmen, Dereef did not have to pay the Free Black Man's Tax, as he claimed Native American descent from his grandmother.[2][4] In 1823 he and his cousin, John Cain, went to court and persuaded a Charleston magistrate that the Dereef and Cain families were legitimately descended from Native Americans, exempting them and their children from the tax.[4]

He and his brother, Joseph Dereef (1802–1876) worked as wood factors. The family business operated from Dereef's Wharf.[5] He also owned rental properties on the East Side of Charleston, and some of his tenants were white people.[6] He was considered one of the richest black men in Charleston.[2][7]

Dereef built a house in Wraggborough.[8] He was a slave owner,[9] and owned as many as 40 slaves and the slaves were darker in skin color as he belonged to a lighter skin group that would not associate with darker blacks and looked down upon them in all aspects of life.[10]

Dereef served as a city alderman, having been appointed by military authorities in 1868 during the Reconstruction era.[11] He generally allied himself with Democrats.[6]

In 1872, he was elected to the standing committee of the Brown Fellowship Society.[12] He left a will and testament upon his death.[13]

Legacy

Dereef Court and Dereef Park in Charleston are named after him.[14] In 2012, Dereef Park was slated to be developed with housing units despite protests.[15] In 2017, a compromise was reached to incorporate a park and the historic praise house along with residential development.[16]

References
  1. Tiffany (2010-03-25). "richard dereef". mulatto diaries. Retrieved 2022-08-10.
  2. "Black Slave Owners". gullahtours.com.
  3. Johnson, Michael P.; Roark, James L. (June 14, 1984). Black Masters: A Free Family of Color in the Old South. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 9780393303148 – via Google Books.
  4. Biddle, Daniel R.; Dubin, Murray (August 13, 2010). Tasting Freedom: Octavius Catto and the Battle for Equality in Civil War America. Temple University Press. ISBN 9781592134670 – via Google Books.
  5. Hagy, James William (June 17, 1998). Directories for the City of Charleston, South Carolina: For the Years 1849, 1852, and 1855. Genealogical Publishing Com. ISBN 9780806348223 – via Google Books.
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2020-07-15. Retrieved 2020-07-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. "Richard Edward DeReef: One of the Richest Black Men in Charleston". February 6, 2019.
  8. "richard dereef". March 25, 2010.
  9. Koger, Larry (November 18, 2011). Black Slaveowners: Free Black Slave Masters in South Carolina, 1790-1860. McFarland. ISBN 9780786469314 – via Google Books.
  10. Koger, Larry (2011-11-18). Black Slaveowners: Free Black Slave Masters in South Carolina, 1790-1860. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-6931-4.
  12. "Brown Fellowship Society". The Charleston Daily News. November 13, 1872. p. 4 – via newspapers.com.
  13. Schweninger, Loren (June 14, 1990). Black Property Owners in the South, 1790-1915. University of Illinois Press. ISBN 9780252066344 – via Google Books.
  14. "Dereef's Court – Special Collections". Archived from the original on 2020-08-15. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  15. Bowers, Paul (2 April 2018). "A New Life for Dereef Park". Charleston City Paper.
  16. Behre, Robert. "City, feds and neighborhood agree to settle longstanding DeReef Park dispute". Post and Courier.
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