As 21st century citizens of the Americas do we
honestly see slavery as more than just a story? Do we realize that it was
something that happened to real people? When reflecting on the past it becomes
easy to take a tragedy lightly. There are so many of tragedies in our world’s
history and many we can no longer relate to. Times change and owning or being a
slave is something many can’t imagine in the 21st century. The only
way to truly understand the severity of 250+ years of slavery is to take a step
in our ancestors’ shoes.
Imagine if your mother came and told you that she was a slave as a child. She told you her father was sold away as she was young and she never saw him again. She was raped repeatedly and you are the child of the rapist, her slave master. To the common man or woman this would both enrage you and break your heart. So why then does it not break our hearts to hear the same truths of our ancestors or others’ ancestors? Do we take it seriously?
Imagine if your mother came and told you that she was a slave as a child. She told you her father was sold away as she was young and she never saw him again. She was raped repeatedly and you are the child of the rapist, her slave master. To the common man or woman this would both enrage you and break your heart. So why then does it not break our hearts to hear the same truths of our ancestors or others’ ancestors? Do we take it seriously?
Imagine foreigners coming into your neighborhood with
weapons you have never seen before. They proceed to kill your mother and they
kidnap your brother FOREVER!! In a quick second your family is split and taken
to different worlds and you never get to hear joy in their voices, feel their
love, or see them smile again.
Imagine being thought of as less than a human being. You're
nothing but a Nigger now. You have the same status as a pet dog. Being imprisoned,
beaten, chained, starved, tortured, are constant activities and this goes on
for the rest of your life. There is no escape. Your innocence is irrelevant.
To hear your sister raped by your master every day or to watch
your father be killed for trying to do something about it, it’s unimaginable.
Working 10-15 hours a day, Hard Labor, Every day, for the rest of your life and
not being paid a penny. While trying to survive on the insalubrious scraps of
meat from the filthiest animals. You routinely watch your friends try and
escape to a better life and they are chased by hounds then amputated for their
disobedience to Master. All of these things and more were real life situations
of the time.
To read about slavery in our history books and never dive into the callousness of it would be a mistake. Slavery had to be a real Hell on Earth and real people were forced to suffer through it in the Americas for over 300 years.
To read about slavery in our history books and never dive into the callousness of it would be a mistake. Slavery had to be a real Hell on Earth and real people were forced to suffer through it in the Americas for over 300 years.
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