Sure there are examples of slaves that were allowed an education and who earned their freedom. But I am not sure of your point.
While I think using the shortest month of the year for “Black History” month is some white guy’s idea of a bad joke, I don’t think it is reasonable to hold up a single example of anyone as a reason to perpetuate the slave class.
While there might have been 250,000 free negroes in the south before the war, there were still, by your numbers, some 3 million or so who were slaves.
Slavery was an abomination. No grey area about it. We talk about “Free Republic” and every person has the God given right to be free.
That said, I agree that generations of freed slave ancestors need to move on from the civil war and their treatment. I believe that there are a lot of white men and women who are very willing to give any other free person in this country a hand up. But that requires getting up off your ass to take the hand when it is offered to you. AND, there is a moral obligation to turn around, and help the next person in line.
I agree that generations of freed slave ancestors need to move on from the civil war and their treatment.
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LOL. Soon to regret this comment, but there are a handful of unreconstructed southerners on this board who would benefit from that very same advice.
Slavery was an abomination.
Agreed.
...I don’t think it is reasonable to hold up a single example of anyone as a reason to perpetuate the slave class.
Again, agreed.
But I am not sure of your point.
Solely this: Mr. Ellison was a free Black man who himself owned 60+ Black slaves and participated actively not only in their purchase, use, and sale, but also in deliberately causing Black children to be born for the purpose of selling them. Additionally,
While there might have been 250,000 free negroes in the south before the war, there were still, by your numbers, some 3 million or so who were slaves.
Among whom Ellison was not at all unique in practicing slavery, and was indeed not the worst offender of his race.
Understand?