Olaudah Equiano

An Excerpt from Olaudah Equiano's slave narrative.
"We were not many days in the merchant's custody, before we were sold after their usual manner, which is this: On a signal given, (as the beat of a drum) the buyers rush at once into the yard where the slaves are confined, and make choice of that parcel they like best. The noise and clamor with which this is attended, and the eagerness visible in the countenances of the buyers, serve not a little to increase the apprehension of terrified Africans, who may well be supposed to consider them as the ministers of that destruction to which they think themselves devoted. In this manner, without scruple, are relations and friends separated, most of them never to see each other again. I remember, in the vessel in which I was brought over, in the men's apartment, there were several brothers, who, in the sale, were sold in different lots; and it was very moving on this occasion, to see and hear their cries at parting. O, ye nominal Christians! might not an African ask youÑ-Learned you this from your God, who says unto you, Do unto all men as you would men should do unto you? Is it not enough that we are torn from our country and friends, to toil for your luxury and lust of gain? Must every tender feeling be likewise sacrificed to your avarice? Are the dearest friends and relations, now rendered more dear by their separation from their kindred, still to be parted from each other, and thus prevented from cheering the gloom of slavery, with the small comfort of being together; and mingling their sufferings and sorrows? Why are parents to lose their children, brothers their sisters, husbands their wives? Surely, this is a new refinement in cruelty, which, while it has no advantage to atone for it, thus aggravates distress; and adds fresh horrors even to the wretchedness of slavery."

Equiano, Olaudah. "The Atlantic Voyage". 1995. March 2008 .
<http://www.wsu.edu:8000/~dee/Equiano.html>


REFLECTION: This account was written by Olaudah Equiano years after he had gone through his unwilling journey to Barbados through slavery. Olaudah was shocked by the appearance of the white men and their cruelty to the Africans and each other. In fact because of their cruelty this whole journey stuck with Olaudah for years until he learned how to read and write and recorded this event. His hate and fear towards the white men remained in him so he was able to write his story.
The excerpt above adds to the cruelty the white men showed towards the Africans when they were unloaded at Barbados to be auctioned off. It talks about how families and friends would be split up forever, adding to the fear and grief already present among the slaves. The white men saw themselves as superior to the Africans which is ironic because the Africans had never seen anyone so cruel and unfeeling as these newcomers who had dragged them from their homes to work for them. Olaudah also mentions how the white men completely ignore God's teaching to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. This is strange because at this time religion was a major factor in people's lives and they believed that they were only just kept out of hell by God's grace. It is strange how they would still tempt God's patience by continuing slavery and breaking families apart in such a manner.

Dear Diary,
Out town has recently been visited by a band of travelers with many goods. However, among them were a few slaves. Two of them were young boys who couldn't be older than 11, while the third was a young man about 18 years of age. The manner in which these travelers treated these slaves was so cruel that even a few residents of our village tried to intervene and stop them from killing the young boys. The two boys had stopped carrying goods out of a wagon and sat down for only a minute when their owner came by and yelled at them for being lazy and impudent. He then started to beat them over the head with his cane. The boys cries could be heard through half the town. I got two of my friends and stopped the owner before he managed to stike the child again. We tried to calm him down and ask him what the Christian thing to do would be but he would have none of it. He swipped at us with his cane and then left town in a fury, practically kicking his slaves before him on his way.
I don't know how that man lives his life. Not after that sermon last week about God's fury and wrath. I personally have looked down upon slavery in the past but that was by far the worst treatment I have ever seen. Hopefully, that was an example to our town of how slavery is a sin. I just wish that those poor boys could be away from that horrible man.
God's peace be with you,
Matthew

Essential Question: The American dream has changed since the time when settlers first arrived in America from a community with God to a dream focused on possessions and wealth. With this switch to material goods there came a demand for labor, which was provided cheaply through slavery. This helped boost profits projecting some people on their path to achieving wealth, the new American Dream. This dream comes at the cost of others and undermines the work put forth to achieve the first American Dream which focused on God and his teachings. At one point slavery may have been looked down upon but now with it being used to achieve this new American Dream slavery may be tolerated as a necessary evil or even welcomed as a form of legitimate business. As the American Dream switched from beliefs to wealth, people went over previous boundaries set forth by society in order to obtain this new dream; setting forth a new process by which to acomplish their goals, no matter the cost to others.