- Dec 2017
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docsouth.unc.edu docsouth.unc.edu
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Then it dawned upon me with a certain suddenness that I was different from the others; or like, mayhap, in heart and life and longing, but shut out from their world by a vast veil.
It appears that he has a strong desire to be like the others and fit in with them but there are certain limitations preventing him from that.
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To be a poor man is hard, but to be a poor race in a land of dollars is the very bottom of hardships.
This text shows us just how hard it is for poor black people to even try to get ahead in this country.
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To be a poor man is hard, but to be a poor race in a land of dollars is the very bottom of hardships.
This text shows us just how hard it is for poor black people to even try to get ahead in this country.
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With other black boys the strife was not so fiercely sunny: their youth shrunk into tasteless sycophancy, or into silent hatred of the pale world about them and mocking distrust of everything white; or wasted itself in a bitter cry,
He notes the difference between him and the other black boys. He wants to fit in with the white people whereas they despise them.
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- Nov 2017
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www.gutenberg.org www.gutenberg.org
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No insurrection ever materialized; no Negro rioter was ever apprehended and proven guilty, and no dynamite ever recorded the black man's protest against oppression and wrong
The white man's excuse of killing colored people because they were rioters eventually was refuted because there was no evidence, so, another excuse was readily found in order to continue the slaying of innocent people just because of their skin color.
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While slaves were scourged mercilessly, and in countless cases inhumanly treated in other respects, still the white owner rarely permitted his anger to go so far as to take a life, which would entail upon him a loss of several hundred dollars
The author seems to be stating that while the white people looked down on the coloreds and mistreated them, they actually NEEDED the slaves.
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www.poets.org www.poets.org
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Heart of what slave poured out such melody As “Steal away to Jesus”? On its strains His spirit must have nightly floated free,
The melody mentioned in this text seemed to give the slaves joy and faith that they may one day go on home to meet their savior.
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www.poetryfoundation.org www.poetryfoundation.org
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I sit and sew—my heart aches with desire— That pageant terrible, that fiercely pouring fire
Only sitting and sewing seems to be causing her pain due to her having deep desires to do other things.
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It stifles me—God, must I sit and sew?
It appears as if the author desires to do so much more in life but is confined to sitting and sewing.
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I sit and sew—a useless task it seems, My hands grown tired, my head weighed down with dreams—
This text in a way symbolizes the tasks that women have to do that appear simple but require much more than her strength to endure.
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docsouth.unc.edu docsouth.unc.edu
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I did not know much of my father, for he was the slave of another man
It was very common for slaves to be separated from at least one of their parents or sometimes both.
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The blows were not administered with a light hand, I assure you, and doubtless the severity of the lashing has made me remember the incident so well
The beating had to be really harsh for him to distinctly remember it.
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I gaze upon the panorama of the past, I realize how crowded with incidents my life has been
This foreshadows that the author's life as a slave was full of pain and struggles.
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docsouth.unc.edu docsouth.unc.edu
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Even the "spirituals" are going out of use on the plantations, superseded by the new style of religious music, "closely imitated from the white people, which is solemn, dull and nasal, consisting in repeating two lines of a hymn and then singing it,
I wouldn't have thought that the white people would copy the group of people who they mistreated and had so much hatred towards.
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These hymns will be found peculiarly interesting in illustrating the feelings, opinions and habits of the slaves.
Hymns were a very common way for slaves to express their feelings.
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The musical capacity of the negro race has been recognized for so many years that it is hard to explain why no systematic effort has hitherto been made to collect and preserve their melodies.
Music was a very important form of entertainment for African Americans, especially during slavery. It helped them express their joy and sorrows and gave them a sort of connection to God.
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docsouth.unc.edu docsouth.unc.edu
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While I was with her, she taught me to read and spell; and for this privilege, which so rarely falls to the lot of a slave, I bless her memory.
It is remarkable that the mistress taught her how to read and spell because it was basically forbidden for the slaves to know how to do either. Most of the slaves back then who had an education had either taught themselves not taught by their masters.
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She was the daughter of a planter in South Carolina, who, at his death, left her mother and his three children free, with money to go to St. Augustine, where they had relatives. It was during the Revolutionary War; and they were captured on their passage, carried back, and sold to different purchasers
It does not seem fair that they were forced into slavery at the hands of the Revolutionary war when they were supposed to be free.
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On condition of paying his mistress two hundred dollars a year, and supporting himself, he was allowed to work at his trade, and manage his own affairs. His strongest wish was to purchase his children;
It is strange that his mistress granted him access to work at his trade but not his kids, even when he could afford it.
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- Oct 2017
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ualearn.blackboard.com ualearn.blackboard.com
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. It had never entered the mind of poor Andy,that in going to Canada in search of freedom, he was then in a country whereprivileges were denied him which are common to the slave in every Southernstate
The text seems to be foreshadowing the disappointment and regret Andy will feel towards coming to Canada, the land he thought was free.
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Charles handing the Indianan a five dollar piece, who on seeingthe outstretched wings of the eagle, desired no further evidence of their rightto pass, conveying them into the state, contrary to the statutes of theCommonwealth.
Earlier in the story Henry told the slaves that having money would help them get closer to getting their freedom. It seems as if he was right, because this is the second instance where a bribe of money worked in place of them having papers to show their freedom.
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“Here are thirty dollars for your horses,” said Henry, putting into his handthe money in gold pieces, when, unhitching them from their station, leadingthem out to the side of the boat, he shot them, pushing them over into theriver
It believe Henry did this to the horses in order to make it seem like it was the blood of him and the slaves because he knew the slave catchers were still on their trail.
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Placed in positions the most favorable towitness the pleasures enjoyed by others, the tendency is only to augment theirown wretchedness
During Mardi Gras many of the African Americans were allowed freedom for the event. The steamers on the other hand were just forced to watch the excitement and enjoyment of everyone while they were still doing slave work.
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“I am glad to see that you have money,” said Henry, “you are thereby wellqualified for your mission.
On many accounts Henry tell the slaves that having money will make their escape easier. It seems as if he believes money is an important factor in their journey to getting freedom.
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Sampson and his wife were both pious people, believing much in theProvidence of God, he, as he said, having recently had it “shown to” him—meaning a presentiment—that a messenger would come to him and reveal theplan of deliverance
Henry seemed to have been the messenger sent from God that Sampson and his wife had envisioned. It almost seems as if Henry will be their savior.
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This to Mrs.Ballard was as unusual as it was an objectionable sight, especially as sheimagined there was an air of hauteur in her demeanor. It was then shedetermined to subdue her spirit.
It seems as if Mrs. Ballard is jealous of Maggie and Mrs. Frank's relationship or mad at the fact that Maggie is not mistreated and degraded as slaves usually are.
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The children reciprocated this affection, calling her “Mammy.
It is remarkable that Maggie's master let her actually have a close relationship with his kids. It is even more remarkable that they refer to her as "mammy" as if she is another mother figure to them instead of a slave.
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“Give yourself no concern about that, Colonel,” replied Mrs. Ballard, “youwill find the 1orth true to the country.”
It seems as if Mrs. Ballard is secretly giving Mr. Franks assurance that the North will be in accordance with the South. If the South supports slavery, they will as well.
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docsouth.unc.edu docsouth.unc.edu
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I know of no act committed by me while in slavery which I have regretted more than that; and I heartily desire that it may be at some time or other in my power to make him amends for his vicarious sufferings in my behalf.
William seemed to be put into a very awkward position being a slave that was sort of over other slaves. Up until the deception of the free man, he seemed like a just man that would not harm his people intentionally. I agree that being in slavery would place you in many hard situations. I feel like he should have just tried to escape instead of getting the man whipped in place of him.
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Here the slaves were placed in a negro-pen, where those who wished to purchase could call and examine them. The negro-pen is a small yard, surrounded by buildings, from fifteen to twenty feet wide, with the exception of a large gate with iron bars. The slaves are kept in the buildings during the night, and turned out into the yard during the day. After the best of the stock was sold at private sale at the pen, the balance were taken to the Exchange Coffee-House Auction Rooms, kept by Isaac L. McCoy, and sold at public auction. After the sale of this lot of slaves, we left New Orleans for St. Louis.
The slaves were treated like animals in a cage. I wonder how William felt after seeing so many of his own people being sold off as if they were merely invaluable items in a market?
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but a short time previous, tied up a woman of his, by the name of Delphia, and whipped her nearly to death; yet he was a deacon in the Baptist church, in good and regular standing. Poor Delphia! I was well acquainted with her, and called to see her while upon her sick bed; and I shall never forget her appearance. She was a member of the same church with her master.
This text clearly reveals how many white Christians claimed to follow the lord but felt that it was o.k. to mistreat his people. More than likely, none of the members of the church felt any remorse about what happened to Delphia, who was one of their own members.
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docsouth.unc.edu docsouth.unc.edu
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The experience of FREDERICK DOUGLASS, as a slave, was not a peculiar one; his lot was not especially a hard one; his case may be regarded as a very fair specimen of the treatment of slaves in Maryland, in which State it is conceded that they are better fed and less cruelly treated than in Georgia, Alabama, or Louisiana. Many have suffered incomparably more, while very few on the plantations have suffered less, than himself. Yet how deplorable was his situation! what terrible chastisements were Page ix inflicted upon his person!
According to the author, it appears that Douglass did not have it as bad as the other slaves but he still went through many troubles as a slave.
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It may, perhaps, be fairly questioned, whether any other portion of the population of the earth could have endured the privations, sufferings and horrors of slavery, without having become more degraded in the scale of humanity than the slaves of African descent
It seems as if the author is praising the slaves for their endurance during slavery, believing that no other nation could endure those horrible acts inflicted upon them.
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As soon as he had taken his seat, filled with hope and admiration, I rose, and declared that PATRICK HENRY, of revolutionary fame, never made a speech more eloquent in the cause of liberty, than the one we had just listened to from the lips of that hunted fugitive
His comparison of Patrick Henry to Douglass signifies his deep admiration of the abolitionist. He seems to respect him because how sophisticated and educated Douglass was after going through slavery.
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- Sep 2017
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ualearn.blackboard.com ualearn.blackboard.com
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Whether to plunge in battle's s~r.ife, And buy his freedom with his life, And with stout heart and weapon strong, Pay back the t yranl wrong for wrong, Or wail the pr~mised time of God,
It seems as if Whitfield is referring to a contemplative question that crossed many of the slaves minds 'go against their masters for freedom risking death or dealing with the oppression with the hopes of God soon ending it'.
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Stripped of those _r,•r h-~ human race. Bequeathed to a l t. d <l t.:ranl ._ no . Boun to a petty _Y • 1--h . ·1 o.-1 ler c1ce. Beca.use e wears • r • I' ... . . h 1· eedon1. 11 e~ \\"as it for this. l at r . .·., -, \,\'ere 1-.inJlcd b) your patriot _s
This reminds me of how other African Americans such as Henry Garnet and David Walker use God as a steady reference as to why everyone has the right to be treated equal. They all seem to get the same point across that God granted everyone the same rights of freedom and liberty but the white man has stripped that away from the African Americans. Here, Whitfield refers to the white men as tyrants, signifying the oppression they afflict upon the blacks.
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But ~'hitlidd dcsenes an intnidut·tion mor~·. tn hne ,rith Lan>lston I lu~lws\ poetk sdf-drnral'leri,.ation in "i\le and tlw lVlule, \\ h,ch Hu!!hl'S condmles b, affirming,. unapolo~l·Lirnll). 1h,1l lile his mule he's "Black-.1nd don't giq• a tlanrn! / \'nu ~ol to talt• nw I Lil-e I am."
This text sort of foreshadows Whitfield's character as someone who proudly accepted being black and not having a care about who disliked him for who he was.
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ualearn.blackboard.com ualearn.blackboard.com
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Q2. Sojourner's simple speech style had an advantage of getting her powerful messages clear and direct to her audience. They had no choice but to understand the ex-slave's rage of the inequality towards slaves and women. Being that her messages were so influential I would not say that there were any disadvantages to her straightforward speeches.
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At such times, Sojourner fearlessly maintained her ground, and by her dignified manner and opportune remarks would disperse the rabble and restore order.
It is remarkable that a woman who can not read nor write had so much knowledge that was powerful. Her firm persona showed that she was someone who would stick to what she believed in no matter what and had no problem speaking out about it.
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Sojourner Truth, was to signify the new per-son she had become in the spirit, a traveler dedicated to speaking the truth as God revealed it.
Q1. Sojourner Truth seemed to have changed her name to something that sounded more powerful! A powerful name would lead people to looking at you as important and listening to what you have to say. She was set on speaking the words as God spoke them to her. She used this effective strategy to speak out against slavery and the unfair treatment of women.
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digitalcommons.unl.edu digitalcommons.unl.edu
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Slavery had stretched its dark wings of death over the land, the Church stood silently by—the priests prophesied falsely, and the people loved to have it so. Its throne is established, and now it reigns triumphant.
Henry is stating that slavery had basically taken over America. The 'Christians' and priests who were supposed to worship God and follow his rightful ways all played a part in this corrupt treatment of African Americans.
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Neither did they come flying upon the wings of Liberty, to a land of free-dom. But they came with broken hearts, from their beloved native land, and were doomed to unrequited toil and deep degradation
I believe that Henry looks at liberty as the privilege to be treated equally in society having the same freedoms as the white people. In this text he is stating that the African Americans received exactly the opposite of that. He states that they were forced from their land where they were free and forced into a land that felt that it was a natural right to oppress the blacks.
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While you have been oppressed, we have also been partak-ers with you; nor can we be free while you are enslaved. We, there-fore, write to you as being bound with you.
Henry is merely stating that as long as his brethren (African Americans in the South) do not have freedom, the free slaves are not free. They are sympathizing as if they are one and can not live in peace knowing of their brethren's struggles.
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docsouth.unc.edu docsouth.unc.edu
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But I am persuaded, that many of my brethren, particularly those who are ignorantly in league with slave-holders or tyrants, who acquire their daily bread by the blood and sweat of their more ignorant brethren--and not a few of those too, who are too ignorant to see an inch beyond their noses, will rise up and call me cursed
It is crazy to me that there were actually some colored people who were ok with the unfair treatment they were getting from the white man. It is as if they began to actually believed that colored people were meant to be inferior to the white man. Walker addresses the fact that they would call him cursed for standing up for fair treatment showing the 'ignorance' of some of his brethren. I do not see how anyone could be comfortable with that sort of lifestyle.
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those heathen nations of antiquity, had but little more among them than the name and form of slavery; while wretchedness and endless miseries were reserved, apparently in a phial, to be poured out upon our fathers, ourselves and our children, by Christian Americans!
I feel that it is really deep for Walker to assume/claim that the other nations who had experienced slavery did not catch it nearly as harsh as 'colored' people. I have heard and read about numerous accounts of the terrible afflictions placed among slaves but it seems as if Walker had witnessed things past the imaginable by the way he states that the other nations merely dealt with a form of slavery that really is not considered slavery.
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we Coloured People of these United States, are, the most wretched, degraded and abject set of beings that over lived since the world began, down to the present day, and, that, the white Christians of America, who hold us in slavery, (or, more properly speaking, pretenders to Christianity,) treat us more cruel and barbarous than any Heathen nation did any people
Walker is merely stating that every since the beginning of time African Americans have always received unjust treatment and their treatment is so harsh that it really can not be compared to any other mistreated groups of people. I feel like Walker is also trying to say that out of all the bad people in the world, it is the white christians who degrade the African Americans the most. He is also trying to say that they can not be people of God treating his people less than animals.
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ualearn.blackboard.com ualearn.blackboard.com
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Even the most cosmopolitan of African American writers, such as Douglass and Brown, seem to have known nothing about Sejour's early foray into antislavery fiction.
This is strange t o me that these famous writers did not know about Sejour's works. It seems as if they would have stumbled across at least some of his work on their journey to becoming writers due to the common issues they were addressing.
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Nevertheless, "Le Mulatre" provided a remarkable precedent for the tradition of African American antislavery protest fiction that, a decade and a half later, made an auspicious start in English with Frederick Doug-lass's The Heroic Slave (1853) and William Wells Brown's Clotel (1853)
I find it remarkable that although Sejour was born a free man he still spoke out against slavery and started a trend of the fictional antislavery protest. It is as if he wanted to be a voice for his people whose voice was not always heard.
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After "Le Mulatre" Sejour published little directly concerned with color or .caste and evidently nothing concerned with slavery in the United States.
What made him all of a sudden limit his concerns with the racial issues in America when one of his purposes of moving to France was to freely address those issues?
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ualearn.blackboard.com ualearn.blackboard.com
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the hymn text now most associ-ated with African-American religious life, Newton’s “Amazing grace! how sweet the sound,” only appeared in the 1829 second edition of the African Union Hymn Book and in no other books I have mentioned here.
Richard's hymn book seemed to contain many famous hymns that are still around today. This particular song being in his book shows how many of the hymns we know today have been around for years. It is interesting that this song was used as a symbol of unity back then and today it still serves the same purpose.
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But the material fact of the book went beyond congregational utility to make the statement that its very existence assumed a market, a church, an imagined community united by texts shared and honored with a binding
This text gives a sense of unity that the book brought to African Americans. It seems as if Richard's book gave this race something they could value and share as their own. It seemed to be the beginning of something that would soon become bigger in the African American culture due to this race being a very religious group.
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Several scholars have identified this book as among the first to include a type of folk hymn known as “re-vival songs” or “gospel hymns.”
This text is significant because it is implying that Richard Allen contributed to gospel hymns and revival songs which were a very important aspect to the African-american culture. African american slaves and non-slaves were well known for their strong religious views and religious traditions.
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jtoaa.americanantiquarian.org jtoaa.americanantiquarian.org
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The intelligence of the defeat of the army recently stationed at Cape Marie, reached the ears of the unhappy Paulina, and with horror she heard that her beloved brother in his attempt to regain St. Nicholas, breathed out his valuable life in the cause of freedom, and for his country. But it was now no time to indulge in grief -Safety was the object of the wretched villagers.
It is very ironic that she soon found out her brother was killed in attempts to fight back when she had thought about contacting him earlier for advice on dealing with the same situation . . invasion!
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crimsoned with the blood of innocence,
This gives very detailed imagery of the aftermath of the inhumane acts brought upon by the enemy.
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Madame Paulina was left a widow, unhappy -unprotected, and exposed to all the horrors of the revolution
This text seems to foreshadow the misery many of the women went through after losing their husbands. It seemed as if they were left vulnerable to many more tragedies without their husband's protection.
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www.poets.org www.poets.org
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A crown, a mansion, and a throne that shine, With gold unfading, WASHINGTON! Be thine.
She is showing her praise for Washington and how much she reveres it !
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And so may you, whoever dares disgrace The land of freedom’s heaven-defended race!
Here Phillis seems to be cherishing our land and feels as if it is a crime for anyone to dishonor it.
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And nations gaze at scenes before unknown!
I think Wheatley is referring to how big the world is and how people are always discovering new land on Earth.
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www.pbs.org www.pbs.org
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The awful creatures had not catched her,
The author's reference to 'awful creatures' symbolizes how inhumane the attack was. It casts a negative light on the Indians.
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Oliver Amsden he was slain, Which caused his friends much grief and pain.
How did Oliver's friends and family survive the ambush that seemed to drastically take many other's lives?
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Samuel Allen like a hero fout, And though he was so brave and bold, His face no more shalt we behold
The author felt that although Samuel was a bold individual there was nothing he could do to save his life during the ambush. This reminds me of how many of the slaves were strong people but died at the hands of their masters.
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- Aug 2017
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docsouth.unc.edu docsouth.unc.edu
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As we live in a country where nature Page 18 is prodigal of her favours, our wants are few and easily supplied; of course we have few manufactures
This seems very different from the world we live in today. Many of the things we use/need are man made in some type of way.We have tons of manufacturers we rely on. I am positive that we have way more wants now than during their time.
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I might say my sufferings were great: but when I compare my lot with that of most of my countrymen, I regard myself as a particular favourite of Heaven, and acknowledge the mercies of Providence in every occurrence of my life
This line seems to give a short insight on how his treatment as a black person is better than many others of his race. This is similar in a way to how Venture appeared to have better treatment than the other prisoners who were captured with him.
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docsouth.unc.edu docsouth.unc.edu
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lived with my master thirteen years, being then about twenty two years old, I married Meg, a slave of his who was about my age. My master owned a certain Irishman, named Heddy, who about that time formed a plan of secretly leaving his master. After he had long had this plan in meditation he suggested it to me. At first I cast a deaf ear to it, and rebuked Heddy for harboring in his mind such a rash undertaking. But after he had persuaded and much enchanted me with the prospect of gaining my freedom by such a method, I at length agreed to accompany him.
I find it strange that someone who has been enslaved for so long and recently harshly punished would even have a second thought about not wanting to at least try to escape.
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When we arrived at Narraganset, my master went ashore in order to return a part of the way by land, and gave me the charge of the keys of his trunks on board the vessel, and charged me not to deliver them up to any body, not even to his father without his orders
Although many slave owners do have some type of level of trust with their slaves, it is strange to me that he would trust Venture with his keys better than he would his own father.
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called VENTURE, on account of his having purchased me with his own private venture. Thus I came by my name. All the slaves that were bought for that vessel's cargo, were two hundred and sixty.
It is sort of strange that out of all the 260 people captured, he was the one given a name by the master that had a meaning behind it as if he was more favored than the other prisoners.
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books.googleusercontent.com books.googleusercontent.comcontent3
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buthadnotg°Peaboveahundredyardswhensomethingtrippedmeup,andIfelldown;IprayedtotheLorduponthegroundthathewouldcommandthewildbeaststodevourme,thatImightbewithhiminglory.
Although his whole family is against him it is strange that he does not want his life anymore. Also I do not understand how he is very spiritual, praying to God daily, appears to have a lot of faith, but is so ready to leave this world.
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hethensaid,"Come,•*wewillhavetheoldthingoveragain,"andsowekneeleddownasecondtime,andafterhehadprayedearnestlywegotup,andhesaidagain
It seems as if during this time their religion was a very biased. One minute they are faulting God for mishaps but when he is in his worse moments the minister is set on prayer being the answer to his recovery.
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livingwithoutGodorhopeintheworld
Why did he began living without God nor having faith, when he had become a successful musician which seemed to be his strongest desire at the time?
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