Reflections 2: Some History

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Some History

This photo is a Time magazine file photo. It shows the rear view of a former slave revealing scars on his back from savage whippings. This photo was taken after he escaped to become a Union soldier during the American Civil War.

6 comments:

LondonBuki said...: Oh my Goodness... Oh My...

Can one begin to imagine the pain and humiliation? I am sure it got to a point where it was just numbness... This is SAVAGE!!!

Uzo, do you have a gmail addy? Please email it to me...; Thu Mar 29, 08:08:00 AM
omohemi Benson said...: Oh! My Goodness!; Thu Mar 29, 08:39:00 AM
Unknown said...: I got really weird shivers looking at this. I'm reading a book at the moment about slavery at the time of the American Revolutionary war. I've always been interested in the slave trade era and in a strange way it's the fact that humans could be so barbaric to each other that fascinates me, the branding, the padlocks through mouths to stop them eating, piling them one on top of the other several men deep on trips across the atlantic that took months ... it's like I don't believe people are capable of that until I read about it.; Fri Mar 30, 09:36:00 AM
soul said...: I remember the first time I came across this picture.
I cried. I couldn't help it. I was in a library and I felt my face get slightly hot.

I delved deeper in history and I came across more obscenities.

Black women used as sport.
As in yes used as sport. gang raped, by slave masters as evening entertainment.

Black men made to have sex with their own children and siblings for entertainment.

Black women used as training for the masters sons...

When I saw this picture again, I remembered what I felt back then...
and it was real hatred and sadness because I know that this is a situation that many people would relish to see happen again.; Sat Mar 31, 12:13:00 AM
9jamommy said...: Jesus Christ!!, this is terrible...; Mon Apr 02, 05:13:00 AM
uknaija said...: I thought I knew about slavery but somehow, irrationally this photograph blew me away; Wed Apr 04, 10:51:00 AM