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Africans in America: America's Journey Through Slavery - Part 2 | Aharon Presentations | YouTubeToText
YouTube Transcript: Africans in America: America's Journey Through Slavery - Part 2
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country how came
it before the pilg
landed we were
here your
came before the Pilgrims
when you make men slaves you deprived
them of half their
virtue you set them in your own conduct
an example of Fraud and cruelty and
compel them to live with you in a state of
of
War ol
[Music]
the promise of Britain's American
colonies lay bound up in Notions of what
a man could
own in search of that promise Scottish
immigrant William Dunbar traveled to the
1771 in the Mississippi Delta he laid
claim to a large tract of land then set
sail for the Caribbean [Music]
[Music]
Dunbar returned with 25 African slaves
to clear trees plant Indigo and car a
Earth July of 1776 would find the
Scotsman writing not about the newly
declared American independence but of a
Plantation judge my surprise they in
informed me that a conspiracy among the
Negroes had been discovered and that it
had taken place at my
house Dumar was quick to take action
within 24 hours he hanged four men a
suicide but the idea of freedom did not
die in the languages of howza Ja and
woff Africans continued to
conspire and just 8 days before
Americans had declared that all men are
created equal that life liberty and the
pursuit of happiness were in alienable
rights how long then in a Land of such
promise could one American continue to
own another [Music]
he was born in West Africa he is buried
in a small New England
graveyard on one side of the Atlantic
Ocean his name was
broer on the other he was known as Venture
Venture
Smith he was brought to the colonies as a
a
child prideful Headstrong
he was an individual of immense size and
strength a slave who was not easily
controlled shrewd
Relentless he was one of thousands who
had gained their freedom in the violent
years that led to American
independence in his life is a story of America
becoming we were put on a vessel
belonging to Rhode Island and told to
appear to the best Advantage for
sale on board I was bought by one
Robertson Mumford for 4 gallons of rum
and a piece of Calico cloth and called
Venture on account of him having
purchased me with his own private
Venture thus I came by my
Smith Venture Smith was one of 86,000
people who traveled to North America in the
the
1730s nearly 41,000 were Africans
brought to the colonies as slaves they
were to be slaves for life as were their
children and their children's
children during those same years 45,000
Europeans made the journey in search of
opportunity most were poor they pay for
their passage with 5 to seven years of
unpaid labor in the colonies it was a
came the American colonies develop as an
area of opportunity you were not
confined by who your grandfather was who
your father was what their trades were
you could
become whatever it was you chose to be
whatever your talents allowed you to be
but that notion of opportunity is
premised on an uncon find Freedom that
in fact does not exist for the entire
population that exists for only a part
[Music]
population by the late
1730s one out of every six people living
in the colonies was a slave while less
than a quarter of the white population
owned slaves the African trade created
an economy that gave rise to other
flourishing Industries in the north ship
building iron foundaries saw mills rum
distilleries and sail making and among
the welltoo families of the South slave
labor was a way of life that began at
grave I Augustine Washington being sick
and weak but of perfect sense and memory
do make my last will and testament in
the manner
following I give unto my son Lawrence
Washington and his heirs forever all
that Plantation and tract of land at
Huntington Creek all the slaves cattle
and stock of all kinds
whatsoever I give unto my daughter Betty
a negro child named bety daughter of
Judy I give unto my son George
Washington and his hirs the land I now
live on which I purchased and 10 negro
slaves in the name of God
Amen well Washington from the time he
was 11 years old owned human beings has
something that he grew up with certainly
and it all revolved in his family as
most families in the Chesapeake around
Agriculture and the labor required to
grow large quantities of
tobacco which is a very labor intensive
crop so from a very early age Washington
was surrounded by by slaves his parents
owned slaves his grandparents had been
slave owners his older brothers were
slave owners uh slave owning was common
in the Northern neck of Virginia where
Washington grew up it was just an
George Washington grew up among Virginia slaveholding
slaveholding
aristocracy though he was a fourth
generation American he fashioned himself
in the mold of an English gentleman with
dancing lessons and fencing
lessons like most wealthy Virginians
Washington looked to England for social
custom architecture music and
taste the book he studied most was Rules
of Civility and Decent Behavior in
company and conversation a
self-improvement manual compiled for
16th century
nobleman but 3,000 mil of ocean
separated the colonies from Britain and
Americans were moving towards an
identity that was all their
own ambitious men like Washington's
father had married into wealth bought
slaves cleared the land and farmed it
dear sir I will take six or more Negroes
if you can spare such upon the terms
offered in your letter if you agree to
it and will appoint a time I would send
for them relying on your word that the
whole are healthy and none of them
addicted to running away the latter I
abominate and unhealthy Negroes women or
children would not suit my purpose on
any terms George [Music]
[Music]
Washington in colonial America the
acquisition of land and slav served as a
influence only man of property held the
right to
vote they were the Statesmen they were the
the
magistrates wives and daughters were
expected to live under the authority of
household it was a society in which
everyone free or unfree was expected to
place I was pretty much employed in the
house caring wool and other household
business my behavior had been as yet
obedient and submissive
I then began to have hard tasks imposed
on me or be rigorously
punished I was about 9 years
old Venture
Smith as a boy Venture Smith was
learning the place of a slave on a small
Farm in Rhode Island like most children
who were slaves in the north he was
growing up in the house of a white
family laboring under the supervision of
his owners children were more more
likely to be employed in the household
you're helping someone so you can learn
how to do whatever that thing that task
is that Artisan trade you're more likely
to be used in the household because you
know you're not a threat you're a child
um you're seen as more
educable in the ways of the slave
Society some people some slave holders
passive as he came into his teens
Venture grew large for his age a boy in
a man's body at 6'1 and upwards of 230
lbs he began to test those who try to control
control
him my master's son James would come to
me big with authority and order me to do
this business and that business
different from from what my master had
directed these burdens were very
[Music]
ear he broke out into a great rage and
otherwise he might have murdered me in his
his [Music]
[Music]
outrage he immediately called some
people to take a rope and bind me with
it in vain they all [Music]
[Music]
tried as the fight raged on James
Mumford ran from the barn to call for more
more [Music]
help as I recovered my temper I was
bound and was carried before my young
master that he might do what he pleased with
with
me a whip was fashioned from the
branches of a nearby peach tree and
brought to his wouldbe young Master but
James Mumford dared not raise his hand
to venture again the whip was never
used we have innumerable examples of
slaveholders making
protestations about a particular slave not
not
behaving recognizing the personality of
the individuals who are enslaved they do
have their own minds they will exercise
their own Wills although the individual
exercise of their own minds the
individual exercise of their own Wills
does not Rel release them from that
social stratum that slavery has uh
imposed that the society has imposed by
declaring those persons to be [Music]
[Music]
slave in 1750 Venture turned 22 and
married a woman named Meg tradition has
it that on the occasion of their
marriage a rope was thrown over their Master's
Master's
house Venture pulled at one end while
Meg pulled at the
other after both had tugged for a while
Meg joined Venture and together they
pulled the Rope over with
ease if we pull in life against each
other we shall fail he said but if we
succeed at a Year's End me gave birth to
a baby girl they named her
Hannah this generation won't know Africa
in the same way that their parents knew
Africa well the child also won't know
freedom in the same way that parent knew
freedom because a child sees daily um
the whippings the brutality of the
system sees their parents coming under
the authority coming under the rule of
the whip of the overseer even so it's
very difficult but at the same time I
think parents teach children what is to
be cherished about the slave community
and that's family that's religion um and that's
togetherness by the year of Hannah's
birth nearly 2third of the slave
population had been born an American
soil Africans were slowly becoming a new
Jus
come me
and come unto me all ye that labor and
are heavy laden and I will give you rest
take my yoke upon you and learn of me
for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye
shall find rest unto your
souls for my yoke is easy and my burden
Matthew during the middle of the 18th
century a movement of white Evangelical
ministers made their way through
Virginia the Carolinas Georgia and parts
of New England their sermons were a
direct challenge to an established
religious order in which God spoke only
through a priest a bishop or a church
official these traveling ministers
sought to remove Christianity from the
elevated hands of the clergy
and place it in the hearts and minds of
farm hands laborers and
servants this was not a distant farway
God in some kind of institutional church
but it was a God said the evangelicals
involved in the daily lives of people
involved in every thought and every deed
of your life themes of tyranny slavery
and spiritual communion struck a chord
in poor whites and slaves alive
thousands flocked to hear the new gospel
and the movement became known as the Great
Great [Music]
[Music]
Awakening there' never been anything
like it there here's a meeting of 3,000
people out in a field blacks and whites
together listening to a preacher who
says here in my message and here in my
story is a new life for you here's a new
chance for you here's a God who has your
interested heart here's a God who may
though most black people in the colonies
held on to traditional African beliefs
that they their parents had carried
across the ocean the Great Awakening
produced a small group of black
Christian ministers these men fused
Protestant Christianity with West
African ritual to take a gospel of
Liberation to their fellow slaves over a
[Music]
I lived a bad life and had no serious
thought about my
soul I saw myself as a mass of
sin I was
sin I could not read and had no
scriptures then I heard brother George
Le a man of my own color
preach his sermon was very suitable on
come unto me all ye that labor and I
indeed his whole discourse seemed for
George slaveholders were very weary of
missionaries going amongst the Africans
and baptizing them because for Africans
that represented a right of passage a
transition something had to
change the renowned Pres Arian Minister
Samuel Davies sought to calm
slaveholders anxieties by stating that
there was never a good Christian yet who
was a bad servant but talk of natural
rights and spiritual Fellowship would
charge people to step forward and question
question
authority one such confrontation
occurred in 1752 in the kitchen of a
small Rhode Island Farmhouse it was an
argument between a white woman and her slave
Le I was then at work in the barn the
quarrel began between my wife and my
mistress this happened when my master was
was
gone when I entered the house I found my
mistress in a violent passion with my
wife Venture Smith many many people
whether they were black or white whether
they were rich or poor were questioning
the limit of authority so venture's wife
is living during this era in which
questioning is more possible than at
some other times what we see here is an
an argument between the mistress and a
slave and one might say well what could
they be arguing about clearly uh the
mistress says do so and the slave meekly
humbly does so well that was not the
case I earnestly requested my wife to be
begged pardon of her mistress for the
sake of Peace but whilst I was thus
saying my mistress turned the blows
which she was repeating on my wife to
me I immediately committed the whip to
the devouring
fire when venture's owner returned home
he sought to punish his slave by
sneaking up on him from behind and
striking him with a club Venture through
his master to the floor and beat him soundly
the town Constable was summoned and
Venture was taken to a blacksmith's shop
shackles I continued to wear the chain
peacefully for two or 3 days not anyone
said much to me until one Hempstead
Miner of Stonington asked me if I would
live with him and that in return he
would give me a good chance to gain my
selling a slave off is a major form of
control one person might say I know I
can't control this person so I'm going
to sell that to you know Joe Smith next
door because he's bigger he's stronger
he's more willing to be brutal he's
whatever it is I can sort of basically
cash out I can get my money out of the
situation and leave the problematic
issue of of controlling this person to
[Music]
despite his promise venture's new owner
had no intention of ever granting him
freedom because Venture had fought
violently with whites on more than one
occasion his new owner quickly sold him
Connecticut I left my wife and children
this was third time of my being
sold to this place I brought with me
three old Spanish dollars 2,000 of
coppers and 5 lbs of my wife's money
which I buried in the
earth I was then 31 years
old Venture Smith [Music]
a plantation with 70 slaves on it is
esteemed as good property when a man
marries off his daughter he never talks
of the fortune and money but 20 or 30 or 40
40
slaves Royal Governor William [Music]
[Music]
trian on her wedding day a woman in the
colonies could expect to relinquish
control of any property that she owned
to her
husband at the time of her second
marriage Martha dandri custus was
rumored to be the wealthiest Widow in
Virginia her intended was a military
hero with a promising career in politics
the two had spent fewer than three weeks
together in all of their lives on a
bitterly cold day in January of
1759 Martha dandri custus and George
Washington was an upand cominging member
of the Virginia aristocracy he was uh
not a terribly wealthy planter
Aristocrat but an individual who
certainly had the potential for being uh
a wealthy uh planter so he' made a name
for himself but he never had that kind
of money that this marriage brought um
the average planter owned two or three
slaves and farmed 200 Acres of tobacco
with his marriage to Martha custus
Washington increased his slave Holdings
nine times over adding 286 slaves to the
30 he already
owned in addition he gained control of
177,000 Acres of Farmland placing him
among the 10 wealthiest Planters in
Virginia it was a fortune he guarded closely
to clothe each adult slave Washington
spent less than a dollar a year children
often went
naked in the fall of
1759 Washington slaves harvested his
first tobacco crop with Great Hopes he
shipped the goods to England but
Washington soon received bad news his
tobacco could not command a decent price
on the British Market within 2 years he
was deeply in
debt he was not alone there was a
growing pattern of debt throughout the
British Empire and within 10 years its
effects would help turn American
King in March of
1765 parliament passed the Stamp Act it
was the first Direct Tax levied at
against the colonies British politicians
reasoned that Americans had grown
prosperous under the king's protection
now it was time to pay the crown
back colonists protested violently and
refused to buy the government
stamps in New York a howling mob
attacked the British Fort and forced the
officer in charge to burn the stamped
paper in Boston the stamp distributor
was hanged in effigy the houses of tax
destroyed in Charleston a city that was
60% black white Tradesmen took to the
Liberty black men and women gathered
publicly and began to shout Liberty
Liberty themselves frightened City
officials called for armed patrols
throughout the
province if you're a black resident in
Charleston seeing the Sons of Liberty
March uh down Broad Street with the
flags that say Liberty Liberty across
them you can identify with that you can
relate to that you can see that as an
opening through which you can push your
the year of the Stamp Act Venture bought
himself out of slavery he paid his
master £71 and2 Shillings the cost of
roughly 4,000 acres of land it was a
anywhere in all of these narratives
Venture Smiths and other narratives that
we have from this era and from later the
the emotional the psychological the
spiritual the relig religious import of
overstated being 36 years
old I left Colonel Smith once more for
all I had already been sold three
different times had been cheated out of
a large sum of money lost much by
misfortunes and paid an enormous sum for my
my [Music]
freedom the coming of Freedom was a
moment so profound that the newly free
often attributed their Good Fortune to
divine intervention and committed their
lives to Christ from that moment on
like many former slaves Venture soon
sought to free his family he began his
new life by cutting wood and Hauling
Goods along the Connecticut River
they're hearing around them all the time
ideas about freedom and liberty and
equality because this is the
revolutionary era in American life so
they are they are their own individual
Freedom begins to parallel this larger
National rhetoric of Freedom that leads
to the establishment of the United
States so for people particularly in New
England particularly in this era they
see their freedom as linked to the
freedom of the
nation 28 years after being brought to
American Shores Venture was
free but by law free Negroes could not
walk the streets or travel the waters
after 9:00 p.m. with without a
pass Connecticut's Black Codes
prohibited free Negroes from inviting a
slave or an Indian into their
homes in Boston a free black person
could not even carry a stick or a cane
unless they could prove that it was
needed for actual support of the body
and there was always the threat of being
kidnapped and sold into
slavery Venture had paid 71 for his
freedom but but it would cost him much
it in the Years following the Stamp Act
colonists resisted nearly every tax that
the crown imposed in
1768 a British Fleet dropped anchor in
Boston Harbor 4,000 troops came ashore
to enforce English law
in March of 1770 occupying British
troops shot and killed five men during a
confrontation in the streets of Boston
the first to fall was a runaway slave
named chrispus
adex a former dock worker who was known
for not being afraid of a fight addex
was shot twice through the chest and
spot Samuel Adams a Savvy pamphleteer
seized upon the killings to turn his
fellow colonist a against the crown
throughout the colonies March 5th 1770
came to be known as the Boston
massacare these men became instant
Martyrs in the Revolutionary movement
these people were eulogized year after
year on the
anniversary and the terms in which they
were utiliz became more and more um
sympathetic to them uh these were um
noble men it came out they were Fathers
and Sons not one of them was married
they were all Bachelors they had no
children but all of the orphans that
salb I speak it with
grief I speak it with
anguish Britain are our
oppressors I speak it with shame I speak
it with
indignation we are
Massachusetts quite naturally the real
slaves are going to pick up on this and
as a reaction to that African-Americans
began to protest themselves and begin
to assess as they have always done a
situation that might be an opportunity
for Liberty there will be petition after
petition to the Massachusetts Colonial
assembly and then later to the
Continental Congress petitions sent by
African slaves themselves saying that we
are demanding that you give us the same
kind of Freedom that you are demanding
from England The Humble Petition of many
slaves living in in the town of Boston
is this we expect great things from men
who have made such a noble stand against
the designs of their fellow men to
enslave them we have no property we have
no City no country the Divine Spirit of
Freedom seems to fire every Humane
continent in
1772 a British judge ruled that that
slavery was illegal on England's home
soil it was a decision that granted
immediate freedom to more than 14,000
people though the ruling did not apply
to the British colonies it was a spark
of hope for black Americans word of that
Court decision filters very quickly to
North America and we have runaway ads in
the Virginia Gazette saying my slave
disappeared last week heading for the
coast hoping to get on a ship to England
where he can establish his
spread the following year a London
publisher released a book by a
20-year-old American poet named Phyllis
weatley she had been born in Africa and
abducted into slavery during her
childhood she was purchased as a house
servant by a Boston family who taught
her to read and write while introducing
her to the
Bible Phyllis learned English quickly
and soon Advanced to Latin and Greek her
owners took great pride in her they
spoke of their Phyllis as if she were
one of the family and they invited the
leading intellectuals of Boston to come
slave it can be very confusing talking
about human beings the humor the acts of
kindness that um we know slaves had for
particular owners and we know that
particular owners had for groups of
slaves what's most important however is
the big picture did ever any of those
Acts or instances of
kindness change the thinking of a slave
to make him or her accept the their
Collective bondage and
enslavement should you my lord while you
pursue my song Wonder from when my love
of Freedom
sprung whence flow these wishes for the
understood I young in life by seeming
cruel fate was snatched from afric's
fancy happy
seat what pain excruciating must molest
what Sorrows labor in my parents breast
stealed was that soul and by no misery
moved that from a father seized his babe beloved
beloved
such such was my case and can I then but
pray others may never feel tyrannic
sway the publication of her book made
wheatle a literary sensation but it did
not make her free on the eve of the
American Revolution she was one of
colonies the die is Now cast the
colonies must either submit or Triumph I
do not wish to come to severe measures
but we must not Retreat King George III
1774 on April 19th
1775 a decade of tension between crown
and colonies erupted into fullscale
Warfare 20 M from
Boston that day nine black new
englanders fought alongside their white
neighbors to stop an advancing column of British
troops in the town of Lexington a small
band of militia men faced a hail of
British bullets leaving eight colonists
dead the news traveled quickly at the
town of conquered Americans stopped the British
advance and on the road back to Boston
nearly 2,000 Americans ambushed the
British soldiers hundreds were killed
and wounded and the American Revolution had
begun the colonists still looked upon
themselves as colonists as Englishmen
who lived in America so there was a
great deal of of attachment to one's
particular Province and no real
attachment at this point to a notion of
a United States or even United
Colonies in June of
1775 colonial leaders named George
Washington to command the army that was
rapidly forming on the outskirts of
Boston as a Virginian it was hoped that
he would Inspire Southerners to fight in
a New England War as a rich man it was
thought that his willingness to risk
life in limb might serve as an example to
to
others Washington guessed that the
conflict would be short 6 months at the
most colonial leaders wanted to secure
their rights as Englishmen but they had
Empire we must assert our rights or
submit to every imposition that shall
make us tame and abject slaves as the
blacks which we rule over with such arbitrary
arbitrary
Washington as Washington inspected his
troops he was surprised to find that
slaves and free black men had mustered
in among the white American soldiers
outside of Boston within weeks after
taking command Washington ruled against
recruiting slaves under any
conditions on the subject of free black
soldiers he was
undecided why Washington was also a
politician as well as a general and he
he felt that the site of former slaves
or of African-Americans bearing arms
might have an adverse effect in deep
southern states George Washington and
his uh Council of war did not want
blacks in the War uh perhaps
because uh
it would it was felt that if they served
in the war that they would be entitled
to their freedom uh and that this would
be a war uh for the freedom of
[Music]
in every human breast God has implanted
Freedom it is impatient of Oppression
and pants for
deliverance I will assert that the same
[Music]
God grant
Deliverance Phyllis weatley
in October of
1775 George Washington ordered his
recruiting officers to Bar black
Americans slave or free from further
enlistment in the Continental Army the
Americans would have to find Manpower elsewhere
quietly the British governor of Virginia
put a plan in motion to strike fear in
the hearts of American
sympathizers his strategy was to incite
an enemy from within their midst this
enemy worked in their shops lived in
their homes and put their children to
bed the British Governor Lord Dunmore
hints to his Barber that he might free
the slaves if it comes to that he's
leaking a rumor to send a message to
White Planters but also to send a
message to black slaves to test the
water lo and behold 24 hours later there
are half a dozen African-Americans at
the back door of the I don't know if
it's the back door or the front door
they show up at the mansion in
Williamsburg uh to say we're ready you
know if we can fight for our our freedom
we'll we'll do it if we can join within
six months in the fall of 1775 Dunmore
actually issues a formal proclamation to that
effect and I hereby declare all indented
servants and Negroes free that are able
and willing to bear arms joining his
Majesty's troops as soon as may be for
speedily reducing the colony to a proper
sense of their duty to his Majesty's
Crown Lord dunore royal governor of [Music]
Virginia as a Liberation fever traveled
throughout Virginia and Beyond PL
mothers name their newborn babies done
more as far away as Philadelphia a
newspaper reported the story of a black
man who refused to step off the sidewalk
for a white woman shouting wait till
Lord Dunmore and his black regimen come
slaves in the colonies it seemed would
soon have their
day hell itself could not have vomited
anything more black than his design of
emancipating our
slaves we know not how far the contagion
May spread the flame runs like wildfire
through the
slaves I know not where these troubles
may lead
1776 in New York angry Farmers on Long
Island burned Dunmore in effigy and
worried about slaves being too fond of
British troops in the face of dunmore's
proclamation Southerners who had been
loyal to the crown became American Patriots
Patriots
overnight the Virginia cassette urged
slaves to cling to their kind Masters
citing the fact that Dunmore himself was a
a
slaveholder obviously dunmore's
Proclamation raises the Ane for
everybody it it creates the possibility
of a serious slave uh Uprising for freedom
freedom [Music]
hundreds of slaves left their masters to
join the British ranks those who reached
Dunmore were made Royal soldiers in what
he called his Ethiopian regiment they
were given guns and uniforms that were
inscribed with the motto Liberty to
Slaves if that man is not crushed before
spring he will become the most
formidable enemy America has his
strength will increase as a snowball by
Rolling and F Master if some expedient
cannot be hit upon to convince the
slaves and Servants of the impotency of his
his
Washington across the colonies
restrictions were tightened on meetings
of servant slaves and free
blacks to discourage what one South
Carolina official described as high ions
of Liberty blacks were subjected to
curfews and beatings some were murdered
to serve as public
examples yet accounts circulated of
slaves stealing their Master's horses
and riding to late night meetings still
other stole weapons and food destroyed
Indians African-Americans don't sit idly
by while the whites are murdering
and doing all kinds of things to cail their
their
freedom they know that the colonies are
in turmoil and that the situation of
enslavement is somewhat
insecure with the onset of war thousands
of black Americans sought to loosen the
when the American war was coming on the
ministers were not allowed to come
amongst us lest they should furnish us
with too much
knowledge I used to go to the little
white children to teach me
ABC the reading ran in my mind that I
think I learned in my sleep as readily
as when I was
awake I can now read the Bible so what I
have in my heart I can see again in the
scriptures I went to the swamp and
poured my heart out before the
Lord I then came back to brother Le and
told him my case it gave me great relief
and I went home with a desire for
nothing else but to talk to the brothers
and sisters about the
by
1775 David George was preaching at
Silver Bluff South Carolina despite laws
against assembly Christian conversion
was beginning to take hold in the lives
before the Lord Jesus the same night in
which he was betrayed took bread and
when he had given thanks he broke it and
said take eat this is my body which is
me in little over 10 years time black
Christians in Savannah Georgia would
establish the First African Baptist
Church a place of their own to meet and
worship it was the first black Baptist
Church in
America many among them were the
daughters and sons of those who had come
from Africa most of their parents had
rejected Christianity but they would
they can relate to Daniel and Lion's Den
they can relate to Moses and this
crossing the river into a Promised Land
because in their own experience of Life
they are in a Wilderness and in this
bondage and and and life liberty um Joy
are are within reach it's not impossible
and that's why they have hope because
this life is just beyond the river it's
right there we can get there [Music]
[Music]
this cup is the New Testament in my
blood do this ye as often as you drink
it in remembrance of Me 1 Corinthians
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
on April 6th 1776 the Continental
Congress called for a wartime halt to
the slave trade their motives were
largely economic but the political
implications were clear If This Were to
be a war for the Rights of Man the slave
part I wish most sincerely there was not
a slave in the
province it has always seemed to me a
most iniquitous schem
to fight ourselves for what we are daily
robbing and plundering from those who
have as good a right to Freedom as
Adams the events of a decade had caused
a number of white Americans to speak out
against oppression of any
kind as colonists dug in to fight their
War for Liberty moral indignation
Lush ye trifling Patriots ye pretended
voies for freedom for while you are
fasting and praying non- importing
non-exporting resolving and pleading for
your rights you are continuing this
Lawless cruel inhuman and abominable
practice of enslaving your fellow
preacher in the world words of one
colonist the conflict with England had
set people a thinking in 6 months more
before when in the course of human
events it becomes necessary for one
[Music]
dissolve on July 4th of
1776 the colonies published a formal
Declaration of their independence from
Britain in it they railed against George
theii and the English Monarchy they
stated a belief that government should
represent the people and not a king
their reasoning was forceful and
eloquent and at the heart of their
argument lay the assertion that all men
are created
equal and in just a few words it
captures the essence in alienable rights
rights not given to you by the state but
given to you by God we hold these truths
to be self-evident in other words don't
try to you don't have to prove them it's
self-evident why is it self-evident came
from God they're
inalienable government secures them
remarkable document didn't apply to black
black [Music]
[Music]
folks the principal author was a
33-year-old Virginia named Thomas
Jefferson he was a wealthy Aristocrat
who possessed a tireless
intellect as a student of politics
Jefferson sought to define a distinctly
American view of Freedom he borrowed
from ancient Greek democracy Roman
republicanism and English doctrines of
individual rights to shape what would
yet at the time he wrote the Declaration
Thomas Jefferson held title to 202 human
beings as his own personal property
while he wrote The Very words all men
are created equal a slave named Bob
hemings waited nearby to attend to
Jefferson's every [Music]
[Music]
need Thomas Jefferson kept
slaves but Thomas Jefferson nevertheless
wrote those marvelous words and he
understood the the the inconsistency of
this all because he also wrote sometime
later to a friend if there is a just
God we're going to pay for
this with his pen Jefferson helped
create the intellectual Foundation of
American Liberty through his slave
dealings he would violate those
principles almost every day of his life
many people would write Jefferson during
his lifetime asking him what he meant by
all men are created equal and I don't
think he ever gave a very
satisfactory uh explanation to it but
what really mattered I think was what
thought from what Authority do our
masters assume the power to dispose of
Our Lives freedom is the inherent right
of the human species we feel the Dignity
of human nature we feel the passions and
desires of other men give us an
opportunity of evincing to the world our
love of Freedom by exerting ourselves in
the cause of the country in which we
ourselves have been so injuriously
oppressed for the sake of injured
Liberty for the sake of justice and the
rights of mankind May the name of slave
be heard no more in a land gloriously
contending for the sweets of
Freedom signed natives of Africa now
it's almost as if the first principles
of the Declaration of Independence were
not only natural rights but they were
like natural resources they were like
Precious ore they were like they were
like clean air you could breathe and now
they were written up in a formal
document that said these belong to all
men that they're inalienable they belong to
everybody George Washington learned of
the Declaration on July 9th
1776 he assembled LED his troops on an
open parade ground to hear the document read
read
aloud his Hope was that the notion of
Independence would Inspire his men to
fight on within a year and a half
hundreds of those men would desert
him the pay was low inous disease was
rampant and a large number of poor
whites still did not see this conflict
Revolution at the end of 177 77 George
Washington went to his winter camp at
Valley Forge with 23,000
Men by March only 18,000
remained in early 1778 a reluctant but
desperate Washington endorsed a plan to
raise a regiment of free blacks and
slaves in Rhode
Island Congress approved for slaves
prize across the former Colony slaves
would come ready to bear arms in
exchange for their freedom many changed
their names to reflect their aspirations
pomp Liberty dick Freedom Jupiter free
Jeffrey Liberty in all some 5,000 black
soldiers would serve alongside whites in
[Music]
Navy for a slave to suddenly be promised
freedom freedom
you would be given a uniform you would
be given rations you would be reasonably
well fed and well cared for and you
would be part of something greater than
a plantation existence you were part of
a national
effort and so it was it was uplifting in
so many ways it took you out of this
horrible situation you were in it put
you at a diff different level of
abstraction it gave you a purpose in
life you're serving something that
something was a nation might not be
serving you in the proper way but
nevertheless you can make a contribution
to the
Future my wife and children were yet in
bondage to Mr Thomas
Stanton I pursued various methods to
redeem my family in four years I cut
several thousand cords of wood I raised
watermelons and performed many other singular
singular
labors Venture Smith
in the years after his emancipation
Venture and Meg Smith pulled any money
they could earn towards the freedom of their
children I shunned all kinds of luxuries
I bought nothing that I absolutely did not
want at 40 years of age I purchased
Solomon and cuff two sons of mine for $200
$200
each the rest of my money I laid out in land
at a time when a free black person could expect little protection under the law
expect little protection under the law Venture sought to undur his freedom with
Venture sought to undur his freedom with land and
land and laborers here in Connecticut he built
laborers here in Connecticut he built the foundation for his family's
the foundation for his family's home but before he freed his wife before
home but before he freed his wife before he freed his daughter Venture entered
he freed his daughter Venture entered into a bargain with the first of several
into a bargain with the first of several slaves
I bought a negro man for no other reason than to oblige him and gave 60 for him
than to oblige him and gave 60 for him but a short time after he ran away from
but a short time after he ran away from me and I lost all that I gave for him
me and I lost all that I gave for him except for the 20s he paid me previous
except for the 20s he paid me previous to his
to his absconding ventur
absconding ventur Smith in seeking to acquire uh more
Smith in seeking to acquire uh more labor he purchases
labor he purchases slaves uh he attests to treating them
slaves uh he attests to treating them very well and then also attest to
very well and then also attest to surprise uh when they get up and and
surprise uh when they get up and and leave him seeking their own
Freedom feeling cheated and betrayed Venture turned to his
Venture turned to his sons
sons Solomon my eldest son and All My Hope
Solomon my eldest son and All My Hope and dependence for
and dependence for help I hired him out to one Charles
help I hired him out to one Charles Church of Rhode Island for one year
Church of Rhode Island for one year Church induced my son to go on a wailing
Church induced my son to go on a wailing Voyage as soon as I heard of his going
Voyage as soon as I heard of his going to Sea I immediately set out to prevent
to Sea I immediately set out to prevent it but on my
it but on my arrival to my great
arrival to my great grief The Vessel was out of
grief The Vessel was out of sight my son died of scurvy in this
sight my son died of scurvy in this Voyage besides the loss of his life I
Voyage besides the loss of his life I lost equal to 75b as church has never
lost equal to 75b as church has never yet paid me his wages
yet paid me his wages Venture
Smith with the death of Solomon Venture work to free his
work to free his wife I purchased my wife and thereby
wife I purchased my wife and thereby prevented having another child to buy as
prevented having another child to buy as she was then pregnant I gave 40 for
she was then pregnant I gave 40 for her soon after her mancipation mag Smith
her soon after her mancipation mag Smith gave birth to their fourth child a boy
gave birth to their fourth child a boy this baby marked A New Beginning for
this baby marked A New Beginning for Venture and Meg this baby was free in a
Venture and Meg this baby was free in a gesture of remembrance they named him
gesture of remembrance they named him Solomon after the sun they had lost at
sea in 1778 France signed a formal Treaty of alliance with the Americans by
Treaty of alliance with the Americans by the end of that year the British High
the end of that year the British High command knew that if they were to win
command knew that if they were to win the War they would have to invade the
South they began in Georgia and moved up the coast to Charleston South Carolina
the coast to Charleston South Carolina thousands of slaves joined
them the situation was essentially upheaval the whites were fleeing their
upheaval the whites were fleeing their plantations as the British began to move
plantations as the British began to move into the
into the South sometimes trying to take their
South sometimes trying to take their Bond people with them other times just
Bond people with them other times just leaving them when they left them many of
leaving them when they left them many of the African-Americans took over the
the African-Americans took over the plantation homes looted them took all
plantation homes looted them took all kinds of
kinds of clothing so there was a tremendous
clothing so there was a tremendous amount of elation there was also the
amount of elation there was also the question of where were they
going those who into the woods risked everything captured by the Americans
everything captured by the Americans meant certain punishment even death and
meant certain punishment even death and the way to the British was not clear but
the way to the British was not clear but they gathered their children their
they gathered their children their parents and their courage it was a
parents and their courage it was a chance at a new life I determined to go
chance at a new life I determined to go to charl toown and throw myself into the
to charl toown and throw myself into the hands of the English they received me
hands of the English they received me readily and I began to feel the
readily and I began to feel the happiness of Liberty of which I knew
happiness of Liberty of which I knew nothing before although I was most
nothing before although I was most grieved to be obliged to leave my
grieved to be obliged to leave my friends and remain among
friends and remain among strangers Boston King Charlestown South
strangers Boston King Charlestown South Carolina a modern conception of War does
Carolina a modern conception of War does not begin to understand what was
not begin to understand what was happening in this war with this large
happening in this war with this large train of Africans of all different
train of Africans of all different descriptions in all kinds of
descriptions in all kinds of Transportation following the British the
Transportation following the British the idea that the British are a safe Haven
idea that the British are a safe Haven is in and of itself problematic the
is in and of itself problematic the British are deeply implicated in the
British are deeply implicated in the slave trade uh the slavery at the time
slave trade uh the slavery at the time of the Revolution slavery is still legal
of the Revolution slavery is still legal in the British colonies so the idea that
in the British colonies so the idea that you one would be safer being with the
you one would be safer being with the British than being with the Americans is
British than being with the Americans is not necessarily
not necessarily clear while serving with the British
clear while serving with the British thousands of fugitive slaves contracted
thousands of fugitive slaves contracted small poox British policy was that the
small poox British policy was that the sick be taken away from Camp where
sick be taken away from Camp where Untold numbers
Untold numbers perished nevertheless in South Carolina
perished nevertheless in South Carolina more than 20,000 people risk life and
more than 20,000 people risk life and limb to reach the British
lines in the spring of 1781 a small British Fleet made its way up the pic
British Fleet made its way up the pic River and dropped anchor in the waters
River and dropped anchor in the waters off George Washington's estate the
off George Washington's estate the soldiers Departed Ed with Food Supplies
soldiers Departed Ed with Food Supplies 18 Mount Vernon slaves and the knowledge
18 Mount Vernon slaves and the knowledge that the commander of the Continental
that the commander of the Continental Army could not protect his own house the
Army could not protect his own house the British army had wreaked havoc in the
British army had wreaked havoc in the South but their string of Victories was
South but their string of Victories was coming to an
coming to an [Music]
end for most of the war George Washington and his generals had waited
Washington and his generals had waited for the moment when a major offensive
for the moment when a major offensive might [ __ ] the British Army and
might [ __ ] the British Army and change American fortunes for good that
change American fortunes for good that moment came in the fall of
moment came in the fall of 1781 at a small Virginia tobacco Port
1781 at a small Virginia tobacco Port York
toown October 16 1781 today there was stupendous Canon
1781 today there was stupendous Canon ating on both sides during these 24
ating on both sides during these 24 hours 3600 shots were counted from the
hours 3600 shots were counted from the enemy which they fired at the town town
enemy which they fired at the town town our line and the ships in the
our line and the ships in the harbor the bombs hit many inhabitants
harbor the bombs hit many inhabitants and Negroes of the city one saw men
and Negroes of the city one saw men lying nearly everywhere whose heads arms
lying nearly everywhere whose heads arms and legs had been shot
and legs had been shot off Johan Conrad Duda soldier with the
off Johan Conrad Duda soldier with the British forces Yorktown
British forces Yorktown Virginia at Yorktown the Americans were
Virginia at Yorktown the Americans were joined by a French naval fleet from the
joined by a French naval fleet from the West Indies and several detachments from
West Indies and several detachments from the French army
the French army for days warships bombarded the British
for days warships bombarded the British army with constant cannon fire as food
army with constant cannon fire as food and medical supplies began to run low in
and medical supplies began to run low in the British ranks hundreds of black
the British ranks hundreds of black refugees were driven from their Camp
refugees were driven from their Camp Half starved men and women hid in the
Half starved men and women hid in the woods caught between the winning and
woods caught between the winning and losing
losing armies we had used them to good
armies we had used them to good advantage and set them free and now with
advantage and set them free and now with fear and trembling they had to face the
fear and trembling they had to face the reward of their cruel master
reward of their cruel master Johan Ewald soldier with the British
Johan Ewald soldier with the British forces Yorktown
Virginia on October 17th 1781 22 days after The Siege at Yorktown
1781 22 days after The Siege at Yorktown had begun Corin Wallace the British
had begun Corin Wallace the British commander surrendered the same day the
commander surrendered the same day the Americans placed guards all along the
Americans placed guards all along the beach to prevent fugitive slaves from
beach to prevent fugitive slaves from escaping with the
British many Negroes and molat have concealed themselves on board the ships
concealed themselves on board the ships in the harbor others have attempted to
in the harbor others have attempted to impose themselves as freemen to make
impose themselves as freemen to make their
their Escapes in order to prevent their
Escapes in order to prevent their succeeding such Negroes are to be
succeeding such Negroes are to be delivered to the guards which will be
delivered to the guards which will be established for their reception General
established for their reception General George
George Washington the defeat at Yorktown broke
Washington the defeat at Yorktown broke the back of the British resolve seven
the back of the British resolve seven years of war had grown costly and lost
years of war had grown costly and lost support in London for English generals
support in London for English generals and politicians alike time was running
out for more than a year as the British retreated across the South escaped
retreated across the South escaped slaves followed the ground forces and
slaves followed the ground forces and crowded into seaports there they fought
crowded into seaports there they fought to gain passage on ships Bound for the
to gain passage on ships Bound for the British headquarters in New York City
British headquarters in New York City peace was restored between America and
peace was restored between America and Great Britain which diffused Universal
Great Britain which diffused Universal Joy among all parties except us a report
Joy among all parties except us a report prevailed that all the slaves 2,000 in
prevailed that all the slaves 2,000 in number were to be delivered up to their
number were to be delivered up to their masters this Dreadful rumor filled us
masters this Dreadful rumor filled us with inexpressible anguish and
Terror we saw our old master is coming from Virginia North Carolina and other
from Virginia North Carolina and other parts and seizing upon their former
parts and seizing upon their former slaves in the streets of New
slaves in the streets of New York or even dragging them out of their
York or even dragging them out of their beds for days we lost our appetite for
beds for days we lost our appetite for food and sleep departed from our
food and sleep departed from our eyes Boston King fugitive
eyes Boston King fugitive slave imagine the situation you have in
slave imagine the situation you have in New York City at the end of the American
New York City at the end of the American Revolution thousands of
Revolution thousands of African-Americans who
African-Americans who have made their choice to join the
have made their choice to join the British have watched the British fail to
British have watched the British fail to win the war have realized they've bet on
win the war have realized they've bet on the wrong side and find themselves
the wrong side and find themselves huddled with these defeated British
huddled with these defeated British forces in Manhattan uh the British are
forces in Manhattan uh the British are about to depart they're going to take
about to depart they're going to take many of these people with them who's
many of these people with them who's going to go who's going to
going to go who's going to stay in 8 years time as many as 100,000
stay in 8 years time as many as 100,000 slaves had escaped
slaves had escaped bondage in New York English officials
bondage in New York English officials compiled a book of negroes an inventory
compiled a book of negroes an inventory of every woman man and Child in the City
of every woman man and Child in the City who could prove the length of their time
who could prove the length of their time with the British 3,000 names are
with the British 3,000 names are recorded in
recorded in all 6 ,000 former slaves boarded British
all 6 ,000 former slaves boarded British ships in Charleston another 4,000 gained
ships in Charleston another 4,000 gained passage at the Port of
Savannah thousands went to Spanish Florida others sailed to the West Indies
Florida others sailed to the West Indies the women and men who left from New York
the women and men who left from New York elected to settle in Nova Scotia where
elected to settle in Nova Scotia where they were promised freedom and a Farm by
they were promised freedom and a Farm by British officials it was not to be
British officials it was not to be within 4 years people were starving
many thousands of African-Americans who aided the British lost their freedom
aided the British lost their freedom anyway many of them ended up in slavery
anyway many of them ended up in slavery in the Caribbean others when they
in the Caribbean others when they attempted to leave with the British in
attempted to leave with the British in places like Charleston and Savannah were
places like Charleston and Savannah were prevented and there are incredible
prevented and there are incredible letters written by Southerners of
letters written by Southerners of Africans after the siege of Charleston
Africans after the siege of Charleston swimming out to boats and the British
swimming out to boats and the British hack away at their arms with cutlasses
hack away at their arms with cutlasses to keep them from following them so it
to keep them from following them so it was a very tragic situation and of the
was a very tragic situation and of the many thousands of Africans who left the
many thousands of Africans who left the plantations not many of them actually
plantations not many of them actually got the
freedom I am a poor negro who with myself and my children have had the Good
myself and my children have had the Good Fortune to get my freedom I am told that
Fortune to get my freedom I am told that they are going to pass a law to send us
they are going to pass a law to send us all back to our masters this would be
all back to our masters this would be the cruelest act to make a law to hangas
the cruelest act to make a law to hangas would be merciful Kato a former
would be merciful Kato a former [Music]
slave the years following the war were times of unrest and uncertainty slave
times of unrest and uncertainty slave owners in the Deep South sought to
owners in the Deep South sought to recover wartime losses by importing
recover wartime losses by importing African slaves at an ever increasing
African slaves at an ever increasing rate
angry War veterans protested in public for moratorium on their debts and equal
for moratorium on their debts and equal distribution of the
land individual states took up arms against each other in Border disputes
against each other in Border disputes and there was constant speculation about
and there was constant speculation about splitting the new nation up into 13
splitting the new nation up into 13 separate
countries in 1787 representatives from 12 of the 13
1787 representatives from 12 of the 13 states met in Philadelphia Pennsylvania
states met in Philadelphia Pennsylvania for a constitutional
for a constitutional convention they were there to restore
convention they were there to restore order to a nation in turmoil George
order to a nation in turmoil George Washington was summoned from his
Washington was summoned from his Virginia Plantation to preside over the
convention by the end of the Revolution Washington is the revolution to a lot of
Washington is the revolution to a lot of people he has an enormous amount of um
people he has an enormous amount of um pride in the revolution and knows that
pride in the revolution and knows that it is far from being complete knows from
it is far from being complete knows from his study of history that very easily
his study of history that very easily this could a counterrevolution could
this could a counterrevolution could take place and they would lose all they
take place and they would lose all they had fought
for there was no greater division in the nation than the one that lay between the
nation than the one that lay between the states that had begun to abolish slavery
states that had begun to abolish slavery and those that had not in
and those that had not in 1780 Pennsylvania lawmakers ruled that
1780 Pennsylvania lawmakers ruled that in keeping with the revolutions
in keeping with the revolutions principles of equality they would extend
principles of equality they would extend their freedom to others as a result
their freedom to others as a result all black children born in Pennsylvania
all black children born in Pennsylvania from that year forward were to be freed
from that year forward were to be freed at age
at age [Music]
[Music] 28 in
28 in 1783 Massachusetts outlawed slavery
1783 Massachusetts outlawed slavery entirely based on a state constitution
entirely based on a state constitution that declared all men are born free and
that declared all men are born free and equal Connecticut and Rhode Island soon
equal Connecticut and Rhode Island soon followed with gradual emancipation
followed with gradual emancipation acts as the tide began to turn against
acts as the tide began to turn against slave holders in the north the nation's
slave holders in the north the nation's Founders laid the groundwork for a
Founders laid the groundwork for a society that could grow while both
society that could grow while both espousing ideals of Liberty and
espousing ideals of Liberty and endorsing the practice of
endorsing the practice of slavery every time a new state was
slavery every time a new state was brought into the Union the test was was
brought into the Union the test was was there a slave state to bring in with a
there a slave state to bring in with a free state so we've got a nation now
free state so we've got a nation now growing with the interest of free states
growing with the interest of free states and the slave states kind of trying to
and the slave states kind of trying to grow in tandem it's a dispute between
grow in tandem it's a dispute between two different systems one system of
two different systems one system of slavery based upon slavery and the other
slavery based upon slavery and the other system based upon free labor and so
system based upon free labor and so virtually every issue that was discussed
virtually every issue that was discussed in the Constitutional Convention had an
in the Constitutional Convention had an impact From
Slavery delegates voiced great concern over the protection of individual
over the protection of individual liberties and personal property for
liberties and personal property for southern delegates one of the most
southern delegates one of the most important Liberties was the right to own
important Liberties was the right to own slaves while they wanted a federal
slaves while they wanted a federal government that would protect their
government that would protect their rights they did not want a governing
rights they did not want a governing body that would emancipate their
body that would emancipate their slaves the problem with the libertarian
slaves the problem with the libertarian ideology of the entire revolutionary and
ideology of the entire revolutionary and constitutional period is this notion
constitutional period is this notion that uh the pursuit of happiness is tied
that uh the pursuit of happiness is tied to property so even though Thomas
to property so even though Thomas Jefferson is able to say all men are
Jefferson is able to say all men are created equal and owed by they're
created equal and owed by they're created within Noble rights these rights
created within Noble rights these rights include the right of property uh as
include the right of property uh as strongly as people might adhere to the
strongly as people might adhere to the notion of Liberty and freedom they
notion of Liberty and freedom they adhere just as strongly to the notion of
adhere just as strongly to the notion of [Music]
property in the course of 6 months the 55 delegates drafted the foundation of
55 delegates drafted the foundation of American law and government
American law and government neither the word slave nor slavery
neither the word slave nor slavery appear in the Constitution but the fate
appear in the Constitution but the fate of enslaved men women and children was
of enslaved men women and children was carefully inscribed within its
Pages the US Constitution prevented Congress from voting to end the African
Congress from voting to end the African slave trade for a minimum of 20
slave trade for a minimum of 20 years free states were required by law
years free states were required by law to return fugitives to the slave states
to return fugitives to the slave states and slave states were permitt commed to
and slave states were permitt commed to count 3 fths of their slave population
count 3 fths of their slave population in determining the number of
in determining the number of Representatives they would send to
Representatives they would send to [Music]
[Music] Congress slaveholders won an enormous
Congress slaveholders won an enormous political Victory owning slaves would be
political Victory owning slaves would be part of the American freedom and in the
part of the American freedom and in the process a union was
process a union was [Music]
[Music] forged the Federal Constitution was
forged the Federal Constitution was ratified in 1788
ratified in 1788 the following year George Washington was
the following year George Washington was sworn in as the nation's first president
sworn in as the nation's first president during the course of his two
during the course of his two administrations Washington like a
administrations Washington like a growing number of Americans began to
growing number of Americans began to feel that slavery was evil and an
feel that slavery was evil and an unsound economic system for the
unsound economic system for the future yet he kept his thoughts confined
future yet he kept his thoughts confined to private correspondence with close
to private correspondence with close friends and never took a public stand
friends and never took a public stand against
against slavery during his presidency he and his
slavery during his presidency he and his wife wife own
wife wife own 3177 human
beings upon the decease of my wife it is my will and desire that all the slaves
my will and desire that all the slaves which I hold in my own right shall
which I hold in my own right shall receive their
receive their [Music]
[Music] freedom in his final will George
freedom in his final will George Washington stipulated that upon his
Washington stipulated that upon his wife's death the 125 slaves that he
wife's death the 125 slaves that he owned outright would be
free his wife's slaves would be parceled out to her HS according to the terms of
out to her HS according to the terms of her
will he had sought to reconcile in death what he could not come to terms with in
what he could not come to terms with in life
life [Music]
[Music] on a cold December night in 1799 George
on a cold December night in 1799 George Washington
died following her husband's death Martha Washington moved out of the
Martha Washington moved out of the bedroom she had shared with him and took
bedroom she had shared with him and took up residence in a small guest room her
up residence in a small guest room her last years were troubled filled with
last years were troubled filled with melancholy loneliness and a growing fear
melancholy loneliness and a growing fear of the slaves who lived at Mount
Vernon there 125 people who knew that when she died they were free she feared
when she died they were free she feared for her life and so Martha actually went
for her life and so Martha actually went to court and Fairfax County and freed
to court and Fairfax County and freed those slaves um a year after her husband
those slaves um a year after her husband died she did not wait so she was clearly
died she did not wait so she was clearly uncomfortable and you you must think
uncomfortable and you you must think that Washington thought that she might
that Washington thought that she might be in that situation and I I think he
be in that situation and I I think he didn't want to put her In Harm's Way but
didn't want to put her In Harm's Way but he just didn't know what else to
he just didn't know what else to [Music]
do I am bowed down with age and hardship while I am now looking to the
hardship while I am now looking to the grave as my home I have many
grave as my home I have many consolations Meg the wife of my youth
consolations Meg the wife of my youth whom I married for love is still
alive I am not possessed of more than 100 acres of land and three houses but
100 acres of land and three houses but my freedom is a privilege which nothing
my freedom is a privilege which nothing else can
else can equal Venture
Smith Venture Smith died in 1805 as the practice of slavery began its slow
practice of slavery began its slow demise in the part of the country that
demise in the part of the country that he called
home the census of 1800 recorded the presence of over 100,000 free black
presence of over 100,000 free black people living in the United States by
people living in the United States by contrast there were 800,000
contrast there were 800,000 slaves America had won its War but for
slaves America had won its War but for black Americans the revolution would
black Americans the revolution would remain a fight unfinished
remain a fight unfinished [Music]
to learn more about Africans in America and to see the teachers guide for the
and to see the teachers guide for the series visit the Africans and America
series visit the Africans and America website at
www.pbs.org next time on Africans in America religion inspires freedom but
America religion inspires freedom but rage makes it possible you can feel the
rage makes it possible you can feel the anger and you can wonder whether slavery
anger and you can wonder whether slavery ever would have ended without that sort
ever would have ended without that sort of
of Rage to purchase the Africans and
Rage to purchase the Africans and America home video companion book or CD
America home video companion book or CD soundtrack call 1800
soundtrack call 1800 25594 24
25594 24 [Music]
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