The Black Roots of Slavery

FrontPageMagazine.com ^ | June 7, 2001 | Michael Tremoglie

[Matchett-PI]

The Black Roots of Slavery

"SO WE REALLY can't blame the Europeans--we sold ourselves, " said the African-American tourist to his African guide.

"It takes two," replied the guide. "Greed! Money!"

"Greed," echoed the tourist.

This conversation was from a 1998 episode of The History Channel concerning the African slave trade.

The common version of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, the version taught in school and popularized by the TV miniseries Roots is not true. This version had Europeans invading inland Africa, capturing Africans, enslaving them and spiriting them off to the Americas. This version is more fiction than fact--a fact well known by many African-Americans. I recall a magazine article, written some years ago by an African journalist, in which he tells of members of black organizations in Harlem inveighing against the Africans who enslaved them.

Rarely, if ever, did Europeans travel to the African inland. Maps from the period indicate that Europeans knew nothing of the African interior. Before the trans-Atlantic trade, there was a thriving trans-Saharan slave trade. Slave trading was an entrenched institution in Africa, well before the arrival of the Europeans. This I learned from the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Of course none of this will be found in the mainstream media or in Hollywood. What you will find is the leftist anti-American version, which portrays slavery as an invention of white Europeans who invade Africa and abscond with slaves. However, the African slave trade more resembled a Venetian trading expedition than a Viking raid.

The slave trade was an economic partnership initially between Arabs and Africans. It was later the Europeans entered the market. There is documentary evidence to indicate that the relationship between the African slave sellers and their European customers was quite collegial. Even to the extent that the offspring of African sellers were taken to England and America to be educated there and returned home.

The slave trade with the Europeans was so profitable for African nations that when Britain abolished the trade in 1807, many African nations protested. The Chief of the Ashanti nation wanted to know "if the slave trade was so good before why is it so bad now?"

African women also were involved in the business. One, Fenda Lawrence, operated a slave trading business on an island in the Gambia River. She later traveled to the colony of Georgia with an affidavit according her the rights of a free person.

There were many free blacks in the American colonies. They were enfranchised and as early as 1641, Mathias De Sousa, were elected to legislatures. These free blacks owned slaves--some for philanthropic reasons, as Carter G. Woodson suggests. However as John Hope Franklin wrote, "...free Negroes had a real economic interest in the institution of slavery and held slaves in order to improve their economic status."

The census of 1830 lists 965 free black slave owners in Louisiana, owning 4,206 slaves. The state of South Carolina, lists 464 free blacks owning 2,715 slaves. How ironic it is that so many blacks owned so many slaves in South Carolina. Yet, no one seemed to mention this during the flag controversy.

Some blacks served in the Confederate army, which is another omission in our popular culture. The movie Glory did not happen to mention that blacks served in the Confederate army. It did give the impression that the black soldiers in the 54th Massachusetts were former slaves-- which was not true.

Unfortunately the average American is unaware of these historical facts. Yet despite leftist academicians the true history is being told--mostly by African and African-American political leaders, historians, and journalists.

In 1998, President Clinton visited Uganda and offered an apology to Africans for slavery. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni replied, " African chiefs were the ones waging war on each other and capturing their own people and selling them. If anyone should apologize, it should be the African chiefs. We still have those traitors here even today."

Just within the past few months African Director Roger Ngoan M'Bala, from Cote d 'Ivoire, made a movie Adanggaman that delves into the origin of the African slave trade. The movie seems to be shown everywhere except the United States. Predictably M'Bala is being criticized as absolving whites from guilt. What M'Bala is really doing is revealing that there is enough guilt to go around for everybody.

Before Congress votes for reparations let them vote when all the facts are known-not just the facts that those politicians, lawyers, and " community activists " who exploit the issue for their own personal gain want known.

Michael P. Tremoglie is a freelance writer currently working on his first novel, and an ex-Philadelphia cop. E-mail him at elfegobaca2@earthlink.net.

[semaj]

... These free blacks owned slaves--some for philanthropic reasons, as Carter G. Woodson suggests. However as John Hope Franklin wrote, "...free Negroes had a real economic interest in the institution of slavery and held slaves in order to improve their economic status."

Shucks, I guest that means that slavery was OK. And I thought slavery was evil? What was I thinkin?

[DonkeyHodee]

You do understand the difference between indentured servitude and slavery, don't you. It means they came voluntarily, like the majority of our ancestors

You do understand the difference between a barbarous uncivilized culture an a civilized Christian world? Oh, no you wouldn't would you, you're from the south.

[patriciaruth]

Very interesting point. But just because in farming slavery becomes uneconomical when free land is exhausted and the price of land goes up in competition with free farmers doesn't mean the end of slavery, as some people will always want to feel powerful and have others obey their every command.

The upper classes in the Arabic world that once dominated the trade in slaves has a reputation for treating imported servants very badly, including physical abuse.

[patriciaruth]

I read Cry to Heaven. Fascinating. What is The Mummy about?

[nopardons]

It's about a mummy , in Egypt, who lives. Akin to the vampire series, but about a mummy. It is VERY well done, and Rice had promised to make a series out of it, but never has . IMHO , it is far better than any of the vampire books; which got tiresome.

I too , very much enjoyed " CRY TO HEAVEN "; it was a fascinating book. : - )

[backhoe]

Slavery in Perspective

[LS]

Since I just finished a scholarly book on Blacks in the Confederate Army, let's be clear on what was happening:

MOST (90+%) of blacks who "served" were IMPRESSED/INDENTURED to the Confederate Army. They were not given weapons, but were used to dig trenches, haul supplies, and so on. They were simply slaves with uniforms, and any attempt to portray them otherwise is a lie.

A literal handful (the numbers in Virginia, for example, are tiny) "volunteered" when promised FREEDOM if they fought (and, obviously, the South won).

Far MORE---in the multiple thousands---of SOUTHERN blacks escaped to Northern-controlled areas and aided the Union Army, either by enlisting or by performing PAID work.

So let's no pretend that slaves ran out to defend "ol' massa." It didn't happen in ANY significant numbers. Yes, you can find one or two who actually liked slavery, the way today you can find some convicts who "can't make it" on the outside. But not common, and so uncommon as to demand special research to even find these people.

[HELLRAISER II]

They can't handle the truth, so they make up their own so they can blame us for everything. Typical B.S.

[DonkeyHodee]

. It's not us but brainwashed nut balls, such as your self, that can't read that want to enslave the whole country and force us to your beliefs

It is true that legitimate elections and freedom and equality before the law are essentially totally alien to you old time southers. They always were, and judging by response they still are. Still, you couldn't stand your ground against them then, and you never will either in the future. After you wither and fall away to rot, freedom will write you obituary with the sad but disappointed acknowledgement that you remained ignorant until your last breath, if that is what your heart so fervently desires. After all, we have given you your freedom.

[billbears]

It is true that legitimate elections and freedom and equality before the law are essentially totally alien to you old time southers

LOL!! Alien to us?

In May 1861 the Civil War was already raging. President Abraham Lincoln called on Maryland to send four regiments to fight for the Union cause. But the state was bitterly divided over the war

Lincoln was infuriated. He sent informers to determine which members of the legislature were "disloyal" – i.e., opposed to war. On the night of September 12 he had federal troops arrest dozens of legislators and other prominent citizens (including the mayor of Baltimore and a Maryland congressman) he suspected of Southern sympathies. Since Lincoln had also suspended the right of habeas corpus, he claimed the power to arrest anyone arbitrarily, without specific charges and without a trial.

Having depleted the Maryland legislature, Lincoln moved to refill it with reliable Unionists. He stationed thousands of federal troops in the state and used them to crush dissent. As the historian Charles Adams writes in his book When in the Course of Human Events (Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield, 2000): "In November there was an election, and to make sure only Union people were elected, all members of the Federal armed forces voted, even though they were not residents of the state. At the voting booths, other voters had to pass through platoons of Union soldiers who had bayonets affixed to their rifles." Southern sympathizers attempting to vote were arrested.

Alien to us. That's rich!!

Found here

Not an opinion, not wishful thinking, but DOCUMENTED FACT

[DonkeyHodee]

It was a war. It is to be noted that Charles Adams, a great American champion, was only repeating allegations. In any case, at the time this occurred the South was already hanging thousands of US citizens for the 'crime' of not wanting to give up their citizenship, and the southern ballot box stuffing goes back generations before. If you don't like being served your own distasteful arrogance, you should have given up your entire history of never ceasing to exercise it as an affront to civilization.

[DonkeyHodee]

As for Sobran, you become what you read. Posting regulations require that I refrain from further explanation.

[WhiskeyPapa]

The common version of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, the version taught in school and popularized by the TV miniseries Roots is not true. This version had Europeans invading inland Africa, capturing Africans, enslaving them and spiriting them off to the Americas.

"Roots" clearly showed Kinte Kunte captured by blacks and sold to whites.

Walt

[billbears]

In any case, at the time this occurred the South was already hanging thousands of US citizens for the 'crime' of not wanting to give up their citizenship, and the southern ballot box stuffing goes back generations before

LOL!!! Please present these 'thousands' of hanging references that happened in 1861. Please present stuffing of ballot boxes going back generations before the War.

[bvw]

Is this your own original words?

[billbears]

It is to be noted that Charles Adams, a great American champion, was only repeating allegations

Again, you apparently don't know your history

On August 7, the General Assembly adjourned, intending to meet again on September 17. However, on that day Federal troops and Baltimore police officers arrived in Frederick with orders to arrest the pro-Confederate members of the General Assembly

Maryland State Archives

So unless Mr. Adams wrote the archival history for the state of Maryland looks like he got it right again and sadly, so sadly, you didn't. It's like fishing out of a barrel. Come on, you've got to have something better than that. Still waiting on the 'thousands' of hangings and ballot stuffing going back generations

[DonkeyHodee]

Of course, traitors should be arrested, and their descendents should thank their lucky stars there were shown mercy instead of a Confederate gallows as so many loyal US citizens of the south were shown, without trial or rule of law.

[DonkeyHodee]

Senator Charles Sumner, MA, (R). June 4, 1860. The Congressional Globe, 36th Congress, First Session, pg 2592. On line at the Library of Congress.