To understand the depth of slavery's depravity, it is necessary to learn about its roots.
I've recently finished reading a non-fiction book titled Master Slave Husband Wife which was written by Ilyon Woo.
It's the true story of a pair of married slaves from Georgia during their flight to freedom during the 1840's.
I was gripped by the many details of what slavery was like during that time, and how they risked everything to be free.
After many close calls, they did succeed.
I strongly urge anyone who's interested in the roots of the discrimination that still lives in our country today to read this book.
The remarkable true story of Ellen and William Craft, who escaped slavery through daring, determination, and disguise, with Ellen passing as a wealthy, disabled White man and William posing as “his” slave.
In 1848, a year of international democratic revolt, a young, enslaved couple, Ellen and William Craft, achieved one of the boldest feats of self-emancipation in American history. Posing as master and slave, while sustained by their love as husband and wife, they made their escape together across more than 1,000 miles, riding out in the open on steamboats, carriages, and trains that took them from bondage in Georgia to the free states of the North.
Along the way, they dodged slave traders, military officers, and even friends of their enslavers, who might have revealed their true identities. The tale of their adventure soon made them celebrities, and generated headlines around the country. Americans could not get enough of this charismatic young couple, who traveled another 1,000 miles criss-crossing New England, drawing thunderous applause as they spoke alongside some of the greatest abolitionist luminaries of the day—among them Frederick Douglass and William Wells Brown.
But even then, they were not out of danger. With the passage of an infamous new Fugitive Slave Act in 1850, all Americans became accountable for returning refugees like the Crafts to slavery. Then yet another adventure began, as slave hunters came up from Georgia, forcing the Crafts to flee once again—this time from the United States, their lives and thousands more on the line and the stakes never higher.
With three epic journeys compressed into one monumental bid for freedom, Master Slave Husband Wife is an American love story—one that would challenge the nation’s core precepts of life, liberty, and justice for all—one that challenges us even now.
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I just recently spent a few days in Charleston, SC. It's interesting that so many people I talked to said "You have to visit Charleston, there's so much history there".
Well, as far as I could tell the vast majority of that 'history' is pure evil. There's a monument dedicated to the Confederate Defenders of Charleston
. I visited the Slave Market where human beings were bought and sold (slave traders would feed slaves very well for a few days prior to their action to ensure fetching a higher price). And half of all enslaved people brought into America came through the Charleston area.
My visit lit a fire under my ass to learn more about the history of slavery in America, and I think Master Slave Husband Wife will help with that.
Did you know that approximately 30% of the population of Rome around the time of Julius Caesar were slaves?
Let's be clear...
Human beings have been enslaving each other for as long as man has skulked around the planet.
The Atlantic Slave Trade that was responsible for African slaves in Europe, South America and the Americas starting in the 1500's would be about a one inch mark on a meter long timeline of the history of Global Slavery History.
European exploitation of native Africans began in the 1500's and accelerated greatly in the 18th Century.
European slavery was common pre-1500's... enslaving other Europeans or pretty much anyone captured in a war...
Around this time, the Ottoman Empire supported the keeping of slaves, approximately 20% of the population of Constantinople were slaves, mostly from Europe.
How about today?
Can't wait to read it and learn more.
