News of this poll about racism…
…and the most recent attacks against accuracy in teaching students about slavery in the US
both caused me to consider what alternatives could be presented to counter the bs that the enslaved benefited from that system, that systemic racism in the US ended, and that acknowledging past harms and trying to atone for them is somehow racist against White people.
Here’s my short list of what the enslaved in the US learned:
Construction, metalwork, landscaping, housekeeping, etc. - any skills or crafts necessary to build and maintain the owners’ homes, land, and possessions (including livestock, tools, clothing, and household goods). These skills were also applied to public infrastructure and institutions.
Agriculture - planting, cultivating, harvesting, processing, and transporting crops for consumption or sale.
Healthcare - healing wounds/trauma from assaults or corporal punishment, contraception, maternal care, child care, and addressing any other illnesses or injuries as required.
Cooking - preparing & serving meals for owners (to their tastes/preferences), while also learning how to make any available scraps or local wild plants edible/palatable for enslaved people to avoid starvation.
Acting - how to communicate with owners in a way that didn’t result in injury or death, as well as hiding religious differences.
The power of religion and education in the US - reading, writing, and math (most owners didn’t approve of this or any religious practice beyond the Slave Bible).
Espionage - listening, observation, and networking with other enslaved people or allies.
Strategy - escape/revolt planning (including communication through song, reconnaissance, disguises/camouflage and astronavigation).
Genealogy - methods to retain oral histories, track, and/or locate family members sold and transported to other states.
Perseverance - using faith, hope, and expressions of joy to maintain mental health and cultural connection despite enslavement, oppression, and severing of ancestral links due to the African diaspora.
Skepticism - related to owners and groups who reneged on promises/assurances of freedom, equality, fraternity, sorority, or solidarity; attempted to convince the enslaved that their treatment and lack of compensation was for their own good; or claimed enslavement was supported by the owners’ religion. This is associated with feelings of dread or mistrust toward those in power/law enforcement who serve as obstacles to freedom and fairness by supporting those enriched by oppressing others.
Finally, here’s Michael Harriot’s feedback on the concerns raised about addressing historic injustices (through compensation that has been withheld for centuries, and other means) as well as reactions to racism in the US:
