Tag Archives: African American slavery

The Glorious Evidence of Freedom

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I have just read The Narrative of The Life of Frederick Douglass. It is the story of his slavery–from his young years to the time he escaped to freedom (I think he was about 19 or twenty). He went through the usual treatment, being whipped often and regarded as an animal and as the property of the slaveholder-the master. But at the same time he secretly educated himself–leaned to read and write. I have not read any more of his life than this narrative, but I have read that he came to be a very great leader and brilliant. In fact I read that Lincoln sought his advice on a few matters.

Anyway, I was so struck with what happened shortly after he escaped to freedom in the north, in New Bedford. What he experienced was not what he expected. He all along thought that free states would be full of poor people and without comforts and wealth. I will quotes some of the lines in his book.

I had very strangely supposed, while in slavery, that few of the comforts, and scarcely any of the luxuries of life were enjoyed at the north, compared with what were enjoyed by the slaveholders of the south. I probably came to this conclusion from the fact that northern people owned no slaves… I had somehow imbibed the opinion that, in the absence of slaves, there could be no wealth, and very little refinement.

Anyway, Douglass went on and on describing his surprise at what he saw. He wrote,

I found myself surrounded with the strongest proofs of wealth.

When he visited the warehouses and places of work, he wrote,

I heard no deep oaths of horrid curses on the laborer. I saw no whipping of men; but all seemed to go smoothly on. Every man went at his work with a sense of his own dignity as a man.

Then when he strolled around the town he wrote,

[He] gazing with wonder and admiration at the splendid churches, beautiful dwellings, and finely cultivated gardens; evincing an amount of wealth, comfort, taste, and refinement, such as I had never seen in any part of slaveholding Maryland.

He went on to say,

Everything looked clean, new, and beautiful. I saw few or no dilatated houses, with poverty-stricken inmates; no half-naked children and barefooted women…the people looked more able, stronger, healthier, and happier…

Well, I can’t help but think of what slavery does to people. And Fredrick was deceived in thinking that the slaveholders were not also slaves–to to their evil wretchedness, how they continually whipped the salves every day without thinking anything of it, and how many of them cursed at the slaves and at the same time thought themselves to be good Christians. The slaveholders I think were in the worst bondage, the worst slavery–the slavery of their sins of prejudice.

As Fredrick Douglass saw, where he came to in New Bedford, that town of freedom without slavery was glorious, and wealthy. The freedom we have in Christ is the most free, the most glorious. As I read how Fredrick described the surroundings as clean, new and beautiful, so I also recall how things looked directly after I prayed to receive Christ. All things looked brighter and new and so wonderful. Even the air was fresher. I invite you to always be vigilant to confess your sins every day. Don’t let sin take a hold of you. The devil and sin is out to make you their slave–to put you in deep bondage. There is no freedom or comfort in sin. Be free of sin and you will be free indeed.

Rooting for the Underdog

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Booker T. Washington

I previously wrote an article on African American slavery, and some of the topics I am planning to blog on. This is a topic that I have been quite interested in lately—I’m not sure why. But I feel that God is calling me into it. The more I read and think about it, the more I feel called. I guess I just like to root for the underdog. And the African American, esp. those who came out of slavery were that. Lately, in my reading, I have seen how they have made great advances as they came out of slavery, even though treated very badly: with lynching, segregation (in the Jim Crow era), being treated so badly by whites, poor working conditions; etc.

And there were a few that were heroes like Ida B. Wells, who dedicated herself to an anti-lynching crusade and made a big difference. I am especially intrigued by Booker T. Washington; a great leader of his time. He rose up out of slavery and became a great educator and encouraged all struggling-colored people to get educated and learn a craft. Many African Americans own their lives to him. Some African Americans have great success stories: how they worked their way to the top, started a business and became rich. It’s so inspiring to read about it. I can’t help but to root for anyone who overcomes such great odds. Recently I found two books by two great African Americans who were slaves but became great leaders: Frederick Douglass and Booker T. Washington. The fact that I found those books so effortlessly is evidence to me that God has given me an open door to continue my study on this subject.  

Update: Been thinking about …

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I have been thinking lately about the subject of African American Slavery. What an evil thing it is to enslave another person and to treat them so badly. It’s hard to understand. For a while now I’ve been thinking about reading and writing on the subject–just mainly to try to understand it, how it was. I found a textbook entitled, The African American Experience: A History. It’s quite informative and I’m learning a lot. I’m planning on blogging through it. So far I have these ten topics:

  1. Slavery in Africa.
  2. European involvement in slavery.
  3. Slavery moves to America. Why?
  4. Slave ships
  5. Why black slave were preferred over others
  6. What was the white man’s attitude toward black slaves? Racism.
  7. The process of slave trading.
  8. How were the slaves generally treated?
  9. Why was there such a great demand for slaves in America, especially in the south?
  10. Slaves fight back.

As I read on, there will be more topics such as freedom and threats to freedom, the civil war, etc. I don’t know what the topics will be. It’s hard to understand why some people treat others so badly. There is also the sad topic of the mistreatment and slavery of the Jews and also Christians. That to me is more understandable because it was and is the nature of evil–to hate what is good, to hate God and Christ. But why the African American, and why the Native American? I guess evil is all about who you can take advantage of, how you can profit. It’s all about ones own gain–loving yourself in disregard of others.