Harper's Weekly July
4, 1863 article
Have you seen this slave's picture?
Do you know his name?
His name is Gordon
Historically
speaking after Black American's fought in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, Black American's have died, fought, were bitten
by dogs, clubbed by police, lynched, hosed with fire hoses, walked and sang, to receive the right's that they and other ethnic
groups currently enjoy in America today.
A
large majority of early Black Americans were enslaved then forced into giving America almost three hundred years of free labor
towards the building of America. Black American's are the only ethnic group who gave America this many years of free
labor. Slave holding states kept up bondage fables throughout slavery and many years after slavery. A major falsehood was
slaves were happy being held captived. Two of the most hideous things about being enslaved were always left out of the
happy slave stores, how slavery broke down the bond of the early African American families, which left many black women head
of the slave's household. The fact slaves were usually treated like livestock was never part of the happy slave stories told
by numerous individuals. Most slaves were not happy they were despondent! This is demonstrated by scares some slave's carried
with them for life. Gordon's scares are a visual testimony, that freedom was worth the scars on cnes back. Gordon's picture
is well-known, his story is not. Gordon's story puts a human face on the sheer brutality of slavery. The stories written and
spoken by slaves who ran for freedom then enjoyed the fruits of freedom tell how many slaves felt. Stories told by slaves
who were returned to bondage after an unsuccessful undertaking is further testimony slaves wanted to be free! History
tells us black people fought for the freedom of America from the British colonialism. During the same time a lot of blacks
were being held captive, which serves as futher testimony, black people believed in freedom for all.
One of the important right's which came with freedom, which is still powerful, the right
to learn to read. Books were kept slaves. Slave owners knew reading means knowledge and knowledge means power! Harsh punishment's
were placed on slaves if they were caught trying to learn to read. To teach a slave to read was against the law in most states.
There were slaves who lost their site and their lives trying to educate themselves.
America has not completely healed from slavery and the Jim Crow era. Two ways America can futher
the process is for those writing America's history, for learning purposes, begin writing the complete story in history books.
Historian's speaking about America's history must make certain they are truthful and complete when speaking to their audiences.
These actions may start up a dialog which America urgently needs to finish the healing process.
After slavery some freed slaves were expected to continue doing manual labor on the
plantations. There were slave holders who promised land (indenture servitude) with their former slaves, most times the former
slave holder's promise was not kept. A lot of slaves did not want to stay on the land instead the free men and women had other
dreams, one of them was attending school or at least leaning how to read.
Collecting Black Americana is one way a person can learn a more inclusive history about Black American's
achievements and struggles in America. There are Black Americana museum's throughout America where people can visit and view
accumulations of some of these artifacts. A visit to these museums allows visitors to learn seldom known Black American's
contributions to America. African American museums can help visitors understand America would not be what it is today without
these contributions by Black American's. The derogatory and humiliating artifacts illustrate the falsehoods and concepts of
Black American's example: "Black people are lazy." Black American museums have the artifacts which may plant a "pride
seed". The pride seed has the possibility of cultivating into the love of oneself as an African American. Knowledge of
ones ancestor's may sow a seed of appreciation for their forefathers and foremothers. After one learns to appreciate the strength
required to survive these difficult times in America, the negative images may give visitors what they need to appreciated
American's complete history.
