The International Slavery Day--Aug. 23rd
Reflections on the International Slavery Day of Rememberance
On August 23rd a worldwide day of remembrance was held to acknowledge the TransAtaltic Slave Trade. It was called the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition and enjoyed support throughout much of Europe and Africa the rest of the world. It was big news everywhere but in the United States of America. This is strange because August 23rd was a very slow news week--the waning days of summer, in an off election year, with the only "big news" coming from tropical storms threatening off in the Atlantic--but no American media picked up on this international happening. It seems that once again in America issues of slavery are being ignored, swept under the table.
The transAtlantic slave trade which was responsible for bringong many of our ancestors to these shores, was abolished by Great Britain in 1807. The Importation of slaves into the United states of America which was formerly centered in Rhode Island --also ended in 1807, that year being the first opportunity the U.S. Congress had to address the question of abolition, as agreed to in the compromise between Northern and Southern states when writing the Constitution in 1787. At the time of the signing of the U.S. Constitution, the Southern States, fearing for their way of life, had managed to have the idea of abolition tabled for 20 years.
It is no secret that after the "official" end of the trans-Atlantic Slave Trade in 1807, Charleston, South Carolina became one of the the "un-official" centers for the continuing black market of newly imported African slaves. It is also no secret that arguments about the issue of slavery continued to rage in this country throughout the rest of the 19th century, leading to the death and destruction of the American Civil War. Even though all these things are evident, America has always taken a "look the other way" attitude whenever the subject of slavery is broached.
My wife Kelly and I have often been amazed at how quickly our white friends try to change the subject at dinner parties and gatherings if the "S" word is mentioned. At one point one very dear friend flatly stated. "Slavery happend a long time ago, why can't we just let go and forget about it--and move on?"
Her statement implies that slavery is so many generations distant from us that it really doesn't make a difference to any one living today. But moving on is very difficult, when the reverberations of slavery (and it's offspring Jim Crow racism) are still so evident. As I write this, investigators here in Chicago and down in Mississippi are re-examining the body of evidence and the physical remains of Emmett Till--the Chicago teenager who was brutally lynched and murdered fifty years ago--launching the American Civil Rights Movement. The crime that took his life has also remained unpunished--ignored for half a century.
It would be satisfying to get closure in the Emmett Till case, but we should remember that Emmett Till is just one of many in a chain of injustices that stretch back more than 400 years.
In doing the genealogy and building the family tree for Descendants of Mandi, it didn't take long for me to realize just how close we are to our slave ancestors. My Great-Grandfather was Mandi's grandson. The conditions of her life, good and bad, echoed in his life--knowing this and knowing her makes us stronger as a family. Denying her would make us weaker.
I believe that we need to remember this as a nation and learn to talk about slavery and its legacy. We should do this in order to provide healing to all of the children of former slaves and former slave masters as well. America's habit of ignoring such a long legacy of brutality is akin to an abused child who grows up and learns to hide the fact of his/her history of abuse--the "secret" almost always surfaces in future acts of destructive or self destructive behavior, and is passed down to the victim's own children.
Airing the facts--no matter how painful--is the only way to put an end to the cycle. One day Americans will understand this--and free themselves to let the healing begin.
To learn more about the International Day of Remembrance go to this link.
On August 23rd a worldwide day of remembrance was held to acknowledge the TransAtaltic Slave Trade. It was called the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition and enjoyed support throughout much of Europe and Africa the rest of the world. It was big news everywhere but in the United States of America. This is strange because August 23rd was a very slow news week--the waning days of summer, in an off election year, with the only "big news" coming from tropical storms threatening off in the Atlantic--but no American media picked up on this international happening. It seems that once again in America issues of slavery are being ignored, swept under the table.
The transAtlantic slave trade which was responsible for bringong many of our ancestors to these shores, was abolished by Great Britain in 1807. The Importation of slaves into the United states of America which was formerly centered in Rhode Island --also ended in 1807, that year being the first opportunity the U.S. Congress had to address the question of abolition, as agreed to in the compromise between Northern and Southern states when writing the Constitution in 1787. At the time of the signing of the U.S. Constitution, the Southern States, fearing for their way of life, had managed to have the idea of abolition tabled for 20 years.
It is no secret that after the "official" end of the trans-Atlantic Slave Trade in 1807, Charleston, South Carolina became one of the the "un-official" centers for the continuing black market of newly imported African slaves. It is also no secret that arguments about the issue of slavery continued to rage in this country throughout the rest of the 19th century, leading to the death and destruction of the American Civil War. Even though all these things are evident, America has always taken a "look the other way" attitude whenever the subject of slavery is broached.
My wife Kelly and I have often been amazed at how quickly our white friends try to change the subject at dinner parties and gatherings if the "S" word is mentioned. At one point one very dear friend flatly stated. "Slavery happend a long time ago, why can't we just let go and forget about it--and move on?"
Her statement implies that slavery is so many generations distant from us that it really doesn't make a difference to any one living today. But moving on is very difficult, when the reverberations of slavery (and it's offspring Jim Crow racism) are still so evident. As I write this, investigators here in Chicago and down in Mississippi are re-examining the body of evidence and the physical remains of Emmett Till--the Chicago teenager who was brutally lynched and murdered fifty years ago--launching the American Civil Rights Movement. The crime that took his life has also remained unpunished--ignored for half a century.
It would be satisfying to get closure in the Emmett Till case, but we should remember that Emmett Till is just one of many in a chain of injustices that stretch back more than 400 years.
In doing the genealogy and building the family tree for Descendants of Mandi, it didn't take long for me to realize just how close we are to our slave ancestors. My Great-Grandfather was Mandi's grandson. The conditions of her life, good and bad, echoed in his life--knowing this and knowing her makes us stronger as a family. Denying her would make us weaker.
I believe that we need to remember this as a nation and learn to talk about slavery and its legacy. We should do this in order to provide healing to all of the children of former slaves and former slave masters as well. America's habit of ignoring such a long legacy of brutality is akin to an abused child who grows up and learns to hide the fact of his/her history of abuse--the "secret" almost always surfaces in future acts of destructive or self destructive behavior, and is passed down to the victim's own children.
Airing the facts--no matter how painful--is the only way to put an end to the cycle. One day Americans will understand this--and free themselves to let the healing begin.
To learn more about the International Day of Remembrance go to this link.
Labels: abolition of slavery, international slavery day 2005, slavery in brittain
posted by Eric J Williams at 7:12 PM
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