Slaves were considered the property of slave owners, property that could be bought, sold, punished, or even killed.

Individuals were born into slavery, and it was rare to escape slavery.

There was no home country where their languages and customs still existed because they were still in it. Their culture was just simply being erased.

For Native Americans, this was cultural erasure, for the elder tribal members were continually being eradicated through warfare and the children were being forced to forget their native language.

O’Sullivan was clear that this “destiny” was dictated by God