As soon as the slaves are put in these pens, swarms of planters may be seen in and about them. They knew when Walker was expected, as he always had the time advertised Page 43beforehand when he would be in Rodney, Natchez, and New Orleans. These were the principal places where he offered his slaves for sale.
It's interesting how the event of auctioning slaves was more like an attraction like a fair or carnival coming to town.
During the time that Mr. Cook was overseer, I was a house servant -- a situation preferable to that of a field hand, as I was better fed, better clothed, and not obliged to rise at the ringing of the bell, but about half an hour after. I have often laid and heard the crack of the whip, and the screams of the slave.
The difference between a house slave and field slave could cause strife between the two because of the privileges one lacked and one acquired. I've also came to learn that lighter slaves were almost always given the position of a house servant, which ties into the light skinned/dark-skinned debate of today
The handle was about three feet long, with the butt-end filled with lead, and the lash, six or seven feet in length, made of cow-hide, with platted wire Page 15on the end of it.
The whip used to beat the slaves reminds me of the whip they used for the crucifixion of christ, especially with the platted wire on the end. Maybe this is another biblical reference slaves owners used as a scare tactic for the slaves?
Every thing he possessed in the shape of learning or religion, he made conform to his disposition to deceive. He seemed to think himself equal to deceiving the Almighty.
With this manipulation of religion happening I have yet to understand how African American's trust the word so whole heartedly being that men like this would use religion to deceive them?
Added to the natural good qualities of Mr. Covey, he was a professor of religion--a pious soul--a member and a class-leader in the Methodist church. All of this added weight to his reputation as a "nigger-breaker."
It is very sad that Mr. Covey was a "professor of religion" and al "class-leader" in the church yet was worse than the slave owner's themselves. This man was a leader in the community and acquired a high title because of the "breaking" of these slaves which probably consisted of much worse things slave owners would do to these "restless" slaves.
he would quote this passage of Scripture--"He that knoweth his master's will, and doeth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes."
It's sad to see how slave owner's manipulate the world of God to their advantage, to justify and even scare slaves into thinking they're punishment was justified in the eyes of God.
both colored, and quite dark.
Learning about slaves I've heard that pigment colored makes a huge difference within the black community and even causes strife with blacks being darker and lighter than each other. The difference in pigment created a difference of responsibility and sense of hate/like by black and whites.
HENRY HIGHLAND GARNET7 them renewed diligence in the cultivation of the soil, if they will render to you an equivalent for your services
I feel like this is kind of a fake it till you make it situation "renewing" black peoples diligence (or enslavement) just to get rights? That's basically the same thing. The men of this time were so conservative that if this was even made into law they would have their loopholes to bring black back into slavery with no voice.
Think of the undying glory that hangs around the ancient name of Africa:
Garnet uses words such as "glory" to remind his fellow brothers and sister that they were once in the shoes of their oppressor, native's of a land having all the rights that they have now been stripped of.
The humblest peasant is as free in the sight of God as the proudest monarch that ever swayed a sceptre.
I like how he uses this connection of a poor man and a monarch being equal in the sight of God. I feel as Garnet is using this to show how different these two classes are just as race is different. If God could look at them the same why can't these christians?
I appeal to Heaven for my motive in writing--who knows that my object is, if possible, to awaken in Page 5 the breasts of my afflicted, degraded and slumbering brethren, a spirit of inquiry and investigation respecting our miseries and wretchedness in this Republican Land of Liberty! ! ! ! ! !
He wants the people of his time to wake up an start questioning thing and making a stand for the injustices being done to the African American people. I see examples of this now in our black communities with the "Stay Woke" slogan/movement
put in prison or to death, for giving a superficial exposition of our miseries
This statement shows how hypocritical our country really can be at times. We isolate people in this case African American for voicing opinions when that was one o the factors our country was built on. I see the same things happening today with the issues of racism and the lgbt communities's problems/concerns
HAVING travelled over a considerable portion of these United States,
Not a lot of colored people have this privilege such as traveling the country, considering the fact that some states are not as welcoming as other's, I'm surprised no one stopped his journey.
African.
They don't refer to the girl as a person or by her name, but by her race.
If he con-tinues to live, it can only be for vengeance; for soon· he shall rise ... and, from the day he shake~ off his servility, the master would do better to have a starving tiger raging beside him than to meet that man face to face."
It is sad that black men would only want live out there life for vengeance but then again with all the hardships that they have gone through the ultimate goal would only be to earn their freedom through this vengeance. Being peaceful just didn't seem to work.
How many times has experience taught him that his good deeds count for nothing, and that he should love neither his wife nor his son; for one day the former will be seduced by the master, and his own flesh and blood will be sold and transported away despite his despair.
This is a powerful line also. So many black men have no desire to trust because his women and children can be turned against him by their "master" in this time but by white men in this time.
For how many times has he seen the dreams of his youth destroyed?
This is a very deep question that relates to black men today!
After "Le Mulatre" Sejour published little directly concerned with color or .caste and evidently nothing concerned with slavery in the United States
I'm glad Sejour begins this change in African American Literature turning writing into something that everyone could enjoy instead of writing about the norm for blacks which was racial issues.
Sejour wrote in Fr:ench, undoubtedly the language he grew up speaking in New Orleans .
Even though Sejour is mixed and has more privileges than the fully black people of this time, Mixed people were still looked at as black as well. With that being said I think Sejour is extremely lucky and educated being that he wrote in French and can speak English.
story. In the first place, it serves as a folk-selected anthology, indicating the hymns that were popular among black Christians at the beginning of the nineteenth century, for Allen selected hymns freely from the hymn books of Baptists and other denominations for his hy
This is and example as to why hymn books are important to the African American culture. Not only because it was the first black-church hymnal, but because it served as a anthology.
Charles Wesley-it seems obvious that in some instances the Bethelites must have com- posed their own melodies or adapted popular street tunes to their purposes
I find it interesting that these sacred hymns used the melodies from "street tunes" music but the conservative church people look down on R&B and raps songs, when they same melodies and beats are coming from this "secular" music.
At least as important, however, was the idea that this individual congregation needed its own supplement, its own book.
I find it interesting that Allen wanted everyone in his congregation to have their own book, because it gets them more involved and makes things more inclusive for everyone, from the ones that can read to the ones that can't, everyone would feel included.
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.”
Phillips goes on to categorize these hymns as "revival" or "gospel" hymns. These would be 2 of they first categories African American hymns or music would be put into.
The hymn as text, on the other hand, moves farther and more quickly through oral, manuscript, periodical, broadside, and codex media, bearing the signs of revision and adaptation that come with such promiscuous travels.
Here Phillips introduces the writing with factors of why the hymn books are important, going on to say that they show the "revisions" and "adaptations" that come with these hymns throughout time.
But it was now no time to indulge in grief -Safety was the object of the wretched villagers
Paulina could barely morn her brothers death because of having to see to the safety of the villagers. This is an example how becoming strong had to be second nature to African/AfricanAmericans, such tragedies couldn't stop them from the end goals that they had for themselves
disappointed and harrassed by the Islanders; they thought it a principle of policy, to resort to acts of cruelty; and to intimidate them, resolved, that none of them should be spared; but that the sword should annihilate, or compel them to submit to their wonted degradations;
I feel as though the Islanders had the right to harass the people evading their homes, anyone would put up a fight if their homes were being invaded, I certainly wouldn't go out without a fight!
no security to the oppressed natives of Saint Nicholas
I find it sad that there was no protection for the people of Saint Nicholas, were there no men to protect this village?
Remember, Christians, Negroes, black as Cain,
Is she referring to the white people as "christians" when she says this?
Some view our sable race with scornful eye
She's aware that people look at her race in a different and judgemental way.
That there's a God, that there's a Saviour too:
I'm curious to know if she has been taught about the "Holy Trinity" and that God and the Savior are all one person?
'TWAS mercy brought me from my Pagan land,
Refers to Africa as a Pagan land, but it has been proven that Africans worshiped a being or beings
Ye pupils, and each hour redeem, that bears Or good or bad report of you to heav'n.
She refers to the readers as students "pupils"
How Jesus' blood for your redemption flows. See him with hands out-stretcht upon the cross; Immense compassion in his bosom glows;
She gives reference to God and redemption by describing Jesus during the crucifixion. Again, many slave narratives follow this pattern of mentioning God in their work.
'Twas not long since I left my native shore The land of errors, and Egyptain gloom: 5: Father of mercy, 'twas thy gracious hand Brought me in safety from those dark abodes.
She refers to Africa in a negative way, it makes me think that she was happy to be taken from her homeland and put into captivity. Honestly I thought things would've been good in Africa, but as she describes it, things weren't.
WHILE
Why is "WHILE" in all caps?
I humbly think it does not require the Penetration of a Philosopher to determine.--
Wheatley remarks how she thinks that the rights of Negroes doesn't have to be overlooked by people with such "high" titles or people thought of to be "the smartest" everyone having equal rights are common sense, something God intended to happen
greatly satisfied with your Reasons respecting the Negroes, and think highly reasonable what you offer in Vindication of their natural Rights
She recognizes that Revered Occum is for equal rights pertaining to negroes and she is happy about that
Eunice Allen see the Indians coming, And hopes to save herself by running,
In my opinion I feel as though Allen should not have had apart in this poem because she wasn't noble like the rest of the people mention in the poem. She only looked out for herself where as everyone else in the poem was look out as "a hero" or someone who was "fighting" for everyone.
John Sadler fled across the water, And thus escaped the dreadful slaughter.
Did this refer to Sadler fleeing across the water as being a freed slave or did he escape by becoming a slave in the new world instead of being killed like the rest of the noble people of this poem?
Some very valiant men
Terry thinks of these men highly to use such a word as "valiant" and meant to give them great recognition in this poem.
I am not so foolishly vain as to expect from it either immortality or literary reputation
By saying this Equiano is telling his readers that he does not want fame nor for a reputation for writing for people to remember him. He wrote it for the satisfaction of his friends.
I BELIEVE it is difficult for those who publish their own memoirs to escape the imputation of vanity
Equiano seems as though he is addressing maybe black people in general who are privileged enough to write there own memories or narratives "big headed" or think of themselves as "better than others" with the use of the word "vanity".
I am, MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,Your most obedient, And devoted humble Servant, OLAUDAH EQUIANO, OR GUSTAVUS VASSA. Union-Street, Mary-le-bone, March 24, I789.
I like how he begins the narrative in a letter format, very different from the other slave narratives I've red and show his intelligence as well.
I descended from a very large, tall and stout race of beings, much larger than the generality of people in other parts of the globe, being commonly considerable above six feet in height, and every way well proportioned
This is the make-up of the "ideal" black person people think of, for example: basketball players. The height and stoutness is something that is sometimes associated with black men.
The eldest of them was myself, named by my father, Broteer
Venture Smith was not his original name according to the text it was "Broteer", someone (maybe his owners in America) gave him a new name.
I WAS born at Dukandarra, in Guinea
It is very surprising that Smith remembers exactly where he came from before being sent to the U.S. being that most are so brainwashed or "trained to forget" that they forget where they come from.
Ithoughtitwasbetterformetodiethantoliveamongsuchpeople
It sad that Marrant felt so persecuted because of how devout of a christian he is. Especially when he feels his own family is persecuting him as well.
TheLordspoketomeinmyearlydays,bytheseremoves,ifIcouldhaveunderstoodhim
Religion is very important within the African American race/community. Being that he had been called to God at an early age is something that is very important. One would think of him highly
HereIwassenttoschool,andtaughttoreadandipell
Marrant is privileged enough to be taught in a school setting and to be taught in itself without being in danger, then again he is up North so slavery is not as intense as it is in the South.
I immediately jump'd overboard, chusing rather to be drowned, than to be kill'd by those barbarous and inhuman Savages
I find it sad that Hammon revers to the Indians as "barbarous" and "inhuman Savages" being that he was a minority himself. I feel as though slave masters had a very big influence over there slaves giving them mindset to refer to people of another race (that they don't yet understand) as something unhuman or animal like like they the slaves had once been referred to as.
They kept me with them about five Weeks, during which Time they us'd me pretty well, and gave me boil'd Corn, which was what they often eat themselves
I feel as though the Indians identified with Hammon, being that they fed him as one of their own "gave me boil'd Corn, which was what they often eat themselves" and treated him as one of their own as well, even though he was taken captive.
we was detain'd at Jamaica
A lot of this "broken language" is present throughout the text, leading me to believe that Hammon was a slave but then again Hammon was still very educated being that he wrote the Narrative.