Stripped From Dignity Much of America’s current society is unaware of the cruelty era that American ancestors walked upon. It is to no surprise that African Americans have been discriminated for centuries and it wasn’t till recent years that their enslavement was abolished. Yet little did we know of the inhumanity conditions that they overcame. It wasn’t until historians dug up the muddy truth that we Americans can know value and honor those slaves who gave us their living story inside the American nightmare.
A counted number of slaves had the opportunity to narrate their life and gift historians with this valuable jewel. Two of the most known biographies are that of Olaudah Equiano and Omar ibn Seid. Both men were of educated families, …show more content…
In his biography he use the term ‘”middle passage’” (Equiano and Seid, Flyover History p.49) to label the route from his homeland, Africa, to the New World. With this unique, first person, experience it has been understood the cruelty lived in the ships and the infernal conditions that they were put thru. Slaves were placed in confined spaces down with the cargo. The hot weather and crowded space brought out perspiration. Combined with this was that of human discharge. These “’ loathsome smells”’ (Equiano, www.brycchancarey) mutated and gave birth to illness and death. Those who were sick were allowed moments of fresh air in the deck, if they refused to eat where beaten until they accepted food. Equiano like all slaves was taken against his will and deprived from nourishment. Many died thru this passage due to the horrible conditions of the voyage that weakened them. Restating that Equiano was child during this journey he also suffered illness and malnurishment. Despite the horrible conditions that he was forced to live, Equianos greatest fear during the middle passage was of surviving the voyage and become a slaved. So he prayed to God for death over slavery. Equiano was not the only one with such fears. There were men in his voyage that shared these feelings. Desperate by the circumstances, three slaves took the decision of jumping overboard and into deep sea “’…Preferring death to such a
A counted number of slaves had the opportunity to narrate their life and gift historians with this valuable jewel. Two of the most known biographies are that of Olaudah Equiano and Omar ibn Seid. Both men were of educated families, …show more content…
In his biography he use the term ‘”middle passage’” (Equiano and Seid, Flyover History p.49) to label the route from his homeland, Africa, to the New World. With this unique, first person, experience it has been understood the cruelty lived in the ships and the infernal conditions that they were put thru. Slaves were placed in confined spaces down with the cargo. The hot weather and crowded space brought out perspiration. Combined with this was that of human discharge. These “’ loathsome smells”’ (Equiano, www.brycchancarey) mutated and gave birth to illness and death. Those who were sick were allowed moments of fresh air in the deck, if they refused to eat where beaten until they accepted food. Equiano like all slaves was taken against his will and deprived from nourishment. Many died thru this passage due to the horrible conditions of the voyage that weakened them. Restating that Equiano was child during this journey he also suffered illness and malnurishment. Despite the horrible conditions that he was forced to live, Equianos greatest fear during the middle passage was of surviving the voyage and become a slaved. So he prayed to God for death over slavery. Equiano was not the only one with such fears. There were men in his voyage that shared these feelings. Desperate by the circumstances, three slaves took the decision of jumping overboard and into deep sea “’…Preferring death to such a