Today in Yellow Springs, Ohio, people are still receiving Christmas presents from ex-slave Wheeling Gaunt, who was born in 1812 and who died in 1894. Just before he died, he deeded nine acres of land at the south edge of the village to the town of Yellow Springs, the proceeds of which were to buy perpetual Christmas gifts for poor widows, which the village continues to do to this day. Ten pounds of flour and 10 pounds of sugar arrive at the home of every widow in town just in time for
...