czwartek, 28 grudnia 2017

The Personal Story Behind A Slavery Biography

By Roger Wagner


While not as volatile as during other times in history, the current economical, racial and social climate is currently in great chaos. With the onset of new racial inequality, the recent rise of White Supremacists and power structures which have done little to help ease the situation, it is important to look back on history. In one case, a good place to learn about the atrocities of the past with regards to race is through a slavery biography.

The biography was published in 1875 and is often used by professors and scholars when studying or teaching on the topic. In the book, the Reverend explains the time and experiences as a young boy in detail. In fact, the book has often been referred to as being as close to the text of a witness that one could get in what is only a few documented experiences provided directly by anyone from the period.

Born in Atala County, Mississippi, Charles lived and worked on a plantation until the time the mother died at the age of 37. At which time, the uncle, fearing separation from a wife hid from slave owners and blood hounds. After learning that an owner would allow the couple to work on a farm together, the uncle surrendered.

After the mother of the boy died at age 37, an uncle hid from slave owners in order to remain with a wife. In fact, Ben, the uncle, evaded the blood hounds and slave owners. While this is the case, Ben ultimately surrendered when the man was informed that the couple could remain together and work on a different plantation. At which time, Charles describes becoming an adult, then being hired out to other owners while attempting to teach Christianity to other slaves.

In order to gain insight to the life and times of the uncle and the author, there are a few movies and a mini-series which reflect the incidents in great detail. The first, and most likely the most infamous is that of Roots, a mini-series which aired in the 1970s. More recently, Twelve Years A Slave and Django Unchained have portrayed the atrocities and incidents of the time on a personal basis.

In most cases, during the slave trade, slaves were considered personal property who could be owned, sold and traded by plantation owners and slave masters. While entire families may have been sold into the system, many were later sold separately and families destroyed. Whereas, those whom refused to do assigned chores, attempted to escape or rebelled, were often punished severely.

Most slaves had to perform chores, duties and other tasks as requested or face severe punishment. During the slave trade, this work was performed free of charge. While room and board were often included on the plantation, most quarters were in poor condition with the slaves being offered very little in the way of food, drink or nourishment.

One of the saddest aspects of slavery is that of rape. For, there were numerous owners who would take female and male slaves at will for sexual gratification. In fact, there are a number of descendants of slaves now living whom are children, grandchildren and great grandchildren which have no idea of how the line started.




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