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Reviewing History In A Slavery Biography

By Sandra Ward


While the slave trade is a history that is often difficult to read about, or study, it is also an important one. For, there have only been a few slaves which have been able to provide documentation on the life and times of that era. Still, in many cases, it is the only slavery biography available as to the atrocities committed against slaves in the 17 and 1800s.

While there were some well known high profile individuals born into slavery whom have shared many of those stories, few were left behind by the original slaves. For, in many cases, none of those individuals were taught how to read or write. Rather, many spent long hours working on farms and picking cotton in the hot sun without pay.

One of the most well known individuals whom worked long and hard toward freeing the slaves is that of William Lloyd Garrison. For Mr. Garrison was a publicist, writer and pro-abolitionist in the early days of the slave trade. As such, while others had attempted work with regards to freeing the slaves, none were successful. For, it was not until Mr. Garrison started the abolitionist movement that people took freeing the slaves seriously.

Something which has often been overlooked in articles, books, films and stories, is that in the late 18th century, it almost seem if slavery was coming to an end. In fact, in 1777, a number of Northern states abolished the taking and holding of slaves. After which, the demand for cheap cotton became a catalyst for the growing slave trade in the South.

Unfortunately, during that same time, there began a demand for cotton which could be produced and delivered in different areas of the south. As such, the first cotton gin is often considered the catalyst which resulted in slavery continuing into the 1800s. For, in 1803, the Louisiana Purchase gave way to fertile ground on which cotton could be grown. As a result, this new and fertile land needed workers and created a rise in the population of southern slaves.

During the time Garrison created the abolitionist movement, there were two dominant views if slaves were to be freed, these included returning freed slaves to Africa, or freeing the slaves without pay. In either case, there were to be no monies paid to those whom had often been abused, beaten, used and had worked long hours on a daily basis. In most cases, these individuals lived in run down shacks at the back of plantation homes, often without air, heat or running water.

While Garrison was the first to be successful when it comes to creating an actual political movement to free the slaves, the publicist often gets little credit for doing so. For, most often the credit is given to President Abraham Lincoln when it comes to freeing the slaves. It should be noted that while the president provided the emancipation proclamation, it was the work of Garrison, the abolitionist movement and congress whom actually agreed that freeing the slaves was the right thing to do.

While this is the case, the many articles and other stories published in the abolitionist newspaper "The Liberator, " no doubt had an impact on the success of the movement. For, even the well known author of "Uncle Tom's Cabin, " and others of that time were happy to see an end to slavery. As such, it is more than likely that "The Liberator, " Mr. Garrison and members of congress had more to do with freeing the slaves than did President Abraham Lincoln.




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