You'd think that slaves would be the last people to influence society. However, many enslaved people have made a difference. Americans automatically think of black slaves before emancipation, but there have been slaves all over the world and all throughout history. Find out about well-known figures at online slavery biography sites.
Many sites are devoted to keeping the memory of famous slaves alive. Often we know of these 'hidden' people through their own words, either spoken or written. Sometimes their history is recorded in newspapers or in the words of others who were their contemporaries. Scholars have long loved to piece together the life stories of people which illustrate dramatic events in the past.
Many famous people from ancient times were in fact slaves. Aesop, whose fables have been part of western education for centuries, was a slave. Spartacus, a gladiator, was a slave who led an unsuccessful revolt against the Roman Empire. Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was enslaved as a boy. He escaped back to England but later returned to convert the Irish to Christianity (and to fight a dragon).
Moses, who led the descendants of Abraham out of Egyptian slavery and who wrote much of the bible, was born a slave. He was raised as a son in Pharaoh's household, but later escaped arrest for murder by fleeing to the wilderness, where he became a shepherd. When he returned, he freed his people under God's direction. Moses' biography is the Bible.
Anyone who wants more information than can be found online at the biographical sites can just keep searching. Speeches, letters, news accounts, biographies, poetry, and other records reveal the people who were enslaved but still made an impact. Many accounts come from family members, friends, or neighbors, just as happens with people and events today.
Dred Scott sued for his freedom and that of his family. Although he was unsuccessful, public opinion was on his side and this helped further the cause of emancipation for all blacks. A young slave named Celia killed her abusive master and was tried for his murder. Margaret Garner, a slave who escaped with her husband and children, was tried for the murder of her young daughter, whom she killed during their recapture. She preferred to see her children dead than returned as slaves.
Other dramatic stories based on true events chronicle captures, enslavement, and escapes or rescues on the American frontier. Ann Calhoun was four when she was taken by the Cherokee and seven when she was rescued. There are many records of captives, often white but also black, and of their endurance under slavery or while making their way back to their homes and people.
To really understand the plight - and the bravery - of enslaved peoples, read their personal accounts. Many blacks were uneducated - teaching them to read and write was against the law - so they are remembered for their words. A famous speech by Sojourner Truth, a former New York slave, entitled 'Ain't I A Woman?' has been immortalized in prose and a film. Frederick Douglas escaped slavery in Maryland to become a prominent abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman in Massachusetts. He fought for an end to slavery, rights for women, and better treatment for Irish immigrants.
Many sites are devoted to keeping the memory of famous slaves alive. Often we know of these 'hidden' people through their own words, either spoken or written. Sometimes their history is recorded in newspapers or in the words of others who were their contemporaries. Scholars have long loved to piece together the life stories of people which illustrate dramatic events in the past.
Many famous people from ancient times were in fact slaves. Aesop, whose fables have been part of western education for centuries, was a slave. Spartacus, a gladiator, was a slave who led an unsuccessful revolt against the Roman Empire. Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was enslaved as a boy. He escaped back to England but later returned to convert the Irish to Christianity (and to fight a dragon).
Moses, who led the descendants of Abraham out of Egyptian slavery and who wrote much of the bible, was born a slave. He was raised as a son in Pharaoh's household, but later escaped arrest for murder by fleeing to the wilderness, where he became a shepherd. When he returned, he freed his people under God's direction. Moses' biography is the Bible.
Anyone who wants more information than can be found online at the biographical sites can just keep searching. Speeches, letters, news accounts, biographies, poetry, and other records reveal the people who were enslaved but still made an impact. Many accounts come from family members, friends, or neighbors, just as happens with people and events today.
Dred Scott sued for his freedom and that of his family. Although he was unsuccessful, public opinion was on his side and this helped further the cause of emancipation for all blacks. A young slave named Celia killed her abusive master and was tried for his murder. Margaret Garner, a slave who escaped with her husband and children, was tried for the murder of her young daughter, whom she killed during their recapture. She preferred to see her children dead than returned as slaves.
Other dramatic stories based on true events chronicle captures, enslavement, and escapes or rescues on the American frontier. Ann Calhoun was four when she was taken by the Cherokee and seven when she was rescued. There are many records of captives, often white but also black, and of their endurance under slavery or while making their way back to their homes and people.
To really understand the plight - and the bravery - of enslaved peoples, read their personal accounts. Many blacks were uneducated - teaching them to read and write was against the law - so they are remembered for their words. A famous speech by Sojourner Truth, a former New York slave, entitled 'Ain't I A Woman?' has been immortalized in prose and a film. Frederick Douglas escaped slavery in Maryland to become a prominent abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman in Massachusetts. He fought for an end to slavery, rights for women, and better treatment for Irish immigrants.
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