We recently watched the movie Twelve Years a Slave.
This is the story of Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York
who was abducted and sold into slavery in 1841. The cruelty was not overplayed. Unfortunately is was historical reality. This book, made into a movie, exposes the wickedness of the American slave practice prior to the Civil War. Unfortunately Solomon Northrup was not the only free man to be kidnapped and sold into slavery. The book is as good as the movie and provides many more details. If anyone doubts the brutality of the times, I've included a short excerpt below:
" There may be humane masters, as there certainly are inhuman ones—there may be slaves well-clothed, well-fed, and happy, as there surely are those half-clad, half-starved and miserable; nevertheless, the institution that tolerates such wrong and inhumanity as I have witnessed, is a cruel, unjust, and barbarous one. Men may write fictions portraying lowly life as it is, or as it is not—may expatiate with owlish gravity upon the bliss of ignorance—discourse flippantly from arm chairs of the pleasures of slave life; but let them toil with him in the field—sleep with him in the cabin—feed with him on husks; let them behold him scourged, hunted, trampled on, and they will come back with another story in their mouths. Let them know the heart of the poor slave—learn his secret thoughts—thoughts he dare not utter in the hearing of the white man; let them sit by him in the silent watches of the night—converse with him in trustful confidence, of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” and they will find that ninety-nine out of every hundred are intelligent enough to understand their situation, and to cherish in their bosoms the love of freedom, as passionately as themselves.
This last year I read a number of books dealing with the subject of slavery and abolitionists history. I came to appreciate the convictions and strength of Men like Federick Douglas, and women such as Harriet B. Tubman, and Soujourner Truth. The Quakers were people of conviction who took risks to run the underground railroad and provide care for those who were brutally abused.
Perhaps the most memorable book for me was Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stow. It was a book that pricked the consciences of Americans and certainly led to the bloodiest conflict in this country.
Some of our country founders saw the evil of slavery and wanted to abolish it as the nation was being formed. Most didn't know how to deal with the issue.
Thomas Jefferson, a slave owner, made proposals to abolish slavery, but could not win legislative support, He saw no solution to the problem other than repatriation. He also saw no inconsistency with making proposals to abolish slavery while himself owning slaves. While both the Colonialists and the British offered freedom to blacks who fought on "their" side, some former slaves were moved to Nova Scotia, and then later to West Africa. Those who survived the voyage often were stricken by Malaria or other diseases after arriving in Africa.
It is hard to imagine how Africans could sell their own people into slavery, it was a common practice. The cruelty was evident on the African continent as well as in the Western Hemisphere. There were some former American slaves, who moved to West Africa. It was intended that these former slaves would demonstrate freedom and democracy. Some of these former slaves, who could not make a living there by honest work, got involved with local chiefs and started to sell slaves themselves! It's hard to imaging the extent of this evil for financial gain. Those who experienced the abuse of slavery, rather than fight for abolition, got in the business for personal gain.
Chuck
.
.
|
