Assignment 1: WSO L4RS – White Slave Owner Looking for RunAway Slave

Assignment 1: WSO L4RS – White Slave Owner Looking for RunAway Slave

One can see an interesting, and rarely seen view into our American history through the Geography of Slavery website. We know our country has had to painfully deal with slavery. The civil war was fought in part due to slavery, the civil rights movement has part of its history tied to slavery our inability to deal wholly with civil rights. But what was slavery to the people of their time? How did we live with and accept something we today see as completely morally wrong?

On the Geography of Slavery website I found 3 examples of how our ancestors viewed slavery.

1. A RunAway Slave listed in the Maryland Gazette (Green), Annapolis, July 10, 1760.

RAN away from the Subscriber, in Amelia County, in Virginia, in May 1759, a very likely Negro Man, named Dick (but used to call himself Richard Jenkins) about 30 Years old, of a middle Size, well set, very black, his Back much scarified, is a good Sawyer, and plays on the Violin. Whoever conveys the said Negro to me, shall have Ten Pounds Reward. WOOD JONES.

Why would the slave owner allow the slave to ‘play on the violin’? Was this for the slave owner or slaves enjoyment? Did the slave owner see this slave not only as property, and cheap labor, but also as entertainment? The ad mentions the slaves back is “much scarified”. I cringe imaging how his back got that way.

2. A Found Slave listed in the Norfolk Herald (Willett and O’Connor),
Norfolk, August 13, 1803

TAKEN up and committed to the Jail of Elizabeth City County, on the 1st June, a Negro Man named WILLIAM, says he belongs to a Mr. William Graham, of Northumberland county; he is about 5 feet 8 inches high; stout and well made; has a pleasing countenance and very thick lips; has no visible marks of description; had on when apprehended white jacket and pantaloons of Virginia cottons. The owner is desired to prove his property, pay charges and take him away. SAMUEL SELDEN, Sheriff. August 9.

Besides the reward what other reason was there for posting this ad, and apprehending this potential Runaway slave? The ad doesn’t mention any crime he has committed, or property damaged the potential slave owner is potentially liable for. Is the ad’s purpose and the capture of this slave solely to restore the status quo of the era? Did the era have little tolerance for Runaway slaves? This ad would support that at least in this part of the country a Runaway slave was not tolerated.

3. A RunAway slave listed in the Norfolk Herald (Willett and O’Connor),
Norfolk, August 16, 1803

RUNAWAY from the subscriber, on Friday morning last, a Negro Boy named HARRY; about the height of 4 feet; has a sore upon the left part of his nose; had on when he went off, a blue pair of trowsers and an oznabrigs shirt. All masters of vessels and others are forewarned harbouring or carrying off said Boy as the law will be rigidly enforced against them. Whoever will apprehend said Boy, shall receive One Dollar Reward from GEORGE SMITH. August 16.

My son will be 5 in April and is 4 inches short of being 4 feet tall. It makes me wonder how old the boy mentioned in this ad is and that even the youngest of runaway slaves held enough value that taking out an ad in the paper was worth it. You can see by this ad’s mention of the ‘law will be rigidly enforced’ that the local laws of this time clearly supported the concept of slavery. Did these local slave laws see runaway slave harbouring the same as harbouring stolen goods? Or did these laws see it as a different matter?

If we use the geography of slavery website as a way to see into our Country’s past, we can see that slavery was accepted, tolerated, and supported legally. It’s hard to imagine in today’s world of human rights, and civil rights that something as wrong as slavery would be tolerated and accepted, but it was. Thanks to resources like the Geography of Slavery website, facts and truths of our past views on slavery will not be lost.

Perspective

All of the previous history, and social studies classes I’ve had never discussed history with such a wide range of perspectives. Monday Prof Boggs asked how radical was the American Revolution. From our perspective it was one of the most important changes in history. Compared to the Bolshevik Revolution and to our Russian comrades, how radical and how much of change was it really?

The Patriot is one of the movies that reminds me of those old Soviet propaganda films you might see on the history channel. “The United States; where everything is perfect, and where our values, and beliefs are better than everyone elses.”

We left early to go see Big Willy “Former President Bill Clinton” in the Johnson Center. It didn’t help Hillary though, she lost the VA primary to Obama…

Can’t Imagine

I can’t begin to imagine how horrible it must have been to have been a slave.

Its hard for me to imagine being plucked from your home, stored on ship, sailed thousands of miles, auction off, and forced to labor in extreme conditions. The worst job I ever had was in high school rounding up shopping carts in Wal-Marts parking lot during the holidays. Even in the cold and snow it must have been 100 times better than being a slave. I could quit at anytime and go find something potentially better.

This country was bold enough, thanks to George Mason, to give us our Bill of legal rights, but not courageous enough to give us any human or civil rights until the latter half of this century.

The lecture made be begin to wonder if my ancestors owned slaves. They came to this country n the late 1600’s settling in Virginia. Until recently my family lived predominantly in Virginia and Kentucky. I wonder what the owning slave ration before the civil war was for families? How many families owned slaves? How many southern or southern border states families owned slaves?

The geography of slavery website is very interesting. YEARS ago when I graduated high school and joined the Marines, all we had in history class was a; history book, a wall map, a time line, and a very white perspective of history. The geography of slavery website gives me an interesting perspective on early American life that I had never considered.

Bill B’ GMU Blog

Bill B’s GMU Blog. More to come soon….