MLK: Another Cosby Moment?

[Adrift]

One interesting tidbit to keep in mind: "."

Reading through the article, they mention what the slaves did in the early 1600s, clearing land, splitting logs, milling lumber. This was, of course, before America's founding, and the author points out the slaves were the property of The Dutch West India Company. The article also mentions that these slaves were "half-free,"

As a condition of their half-freedom, families who sustained themselves as farmers agreed to labor for the company when it called on them and pay an annual tribute in furs, produce or wampum. This arrangement provided the company with a loyal reserve force without the responsibility for supporting its workers. It was less beneficial for the half-free men and women. Their status was not automatically passed down to their children, who instead remained the property of the company.

Certainly not an ideal situation (especially for the children), but freer, it sounds, than the chattel slavery of the South in the 1800s, which was committed in the US proper.

I wonder if that 42 percent includes Irish indentured servants. Also, because there weren't plantations (at least on the scale of the South), the slaves were used domestically, so the treatment had to have been different, if not better. The number of slaves compared to other colonial cities then makes sense seeing as NYC had a higher population than Charleston and South Carolina, which was likely quite a bit more rural. After the British took NY over from the Dutch, they continued to import slaves, but eventually found it unethical so that by 1775 the number of slaves dropped to 25%. As the article points out, by 1799 NY introduced a Gradual Emancipation Law, which saw slaves freed from that point to a complete legal end in 1827. Less than 25 years is not bad for a brand new state, but could have been better seeing as they were the second to last northern state to pass emancipation. Pennsylvania was apparently the first to roll one out during the American Revolution. Vermont did a full stop emancipation in 1777, and New Jersey was the last of the Northern states to roll one out in 1804.

[rogue06]

Reading through the article, they mention what the slaves did in the early 1600s, clearing land, splitting logs, milling lumber. This was, of course, before America's founding, and the author points out the slaves were the property of The Dutch West India Company. The article also mentions that these slaves were "half-free,"

As a condition of their half-freedom, families who sustained themselves as farmers agreed to labor for the company when it called on them and pay an annual tribute in furs, produce or wampum. This arrangement provided the company with a loyal reserve force without the responsibility for supporting its workers. It was less beneficial for the half-free men and women. Their status was not automatically passed down to their children, who instead remained the property of the company.

Certainly not an ideal situation (especially for the children), but freer, it sounds, than the chattel slavery of the South in the 1800s, which was committed in the US proper.

I wonder if that 42 percent includes Irish indentured servants. Also, because there weren't plantations (at least on the scale of the South), the slaves were used domestically, so the treatment had to have been different, if not better. The number of slaves compared to other colonial cities then makes sense seeing as NYC had a higher population than Charleston and South Carolina, which was likely quite a bit more rural. After the British took NY over from the Dutch, they continued to import slaves, but eventually found it unethical so that by 1775 the number of slaves dropped to 25%. As the article points out, by 1799 NY introduced a Gradual Emancipation Law, which saw slaves freed from that point to a complete legal end in 1827. Less than 25 years is not bad for a brand new state, but could have been better seeing as they were the second to last northern state to pass emancipation. Pennsylvania was apparently the first to role one out during the American Revolution. Vermont did a full stop emancipation in 1777, and New Jersey was the last of the Northern states to role one out in 1804.

Reading about "The Great Slave Conspiracy" in 1747 and what led up to it (for instance), it appears that nearly all slaves in NYC were black.

[Adrift]

Reading about "The Great Slave Conspiracy" in 1747 and what led up to it (for instance), it appears that nearly all slaves in NYC were black.

Alright, well even if that's the case, the situation in the North appears to be quite different than it was in the South.

[rogue06]

Alright, well even if that's the case, the situation in the North appears to be quite different than it was in the South.

Slavery became less viable up north as time passed whereas in the much more agrarian south it still remained economically feasible

[Adrift]

Slavery became less viable up north as time passed whereas in the much more agrarian south it still remained economically feasible

And also, slavery in the North was generally far less harsh than in the South. Ethical concerns played a greater part in making slavery less viable, and the North was happy to separate itself from slavery soon after, or even as the US was founded.

[Cow Poke]

And also, slavery in the North was generally far less harsh than in the South. Ethical concerns played a greater part in making slavery less viable, and the North was happy to separate itself from slavery soon after, or even as the US was founded.

It was always interesting to hear the old folks (most of them long gone by now) explain slavery.... "If they came to the front door asking for food, we would scold them about coming to the front door, and tell them come round to the back kitchen and I'll feed you". This was an attempt to show their generosity and lack of prejudice.

[rogue06]

And also, slavery in the North was generally far less harsh than in the South. Ethical concerns played a greater part in making slavery less viable, and the North was happy to separate itself from slavery soon after, or even as the US was founded.

AFAICT, slavery in the 13 Colonies was, for as brutal as it was, far less harsh than in the Carribean or South America.


And to many of our country's founders credit, they worked tirelessly keeping slavery from spreading into the Midwest and outlawing in their own states.

[lilpixieofterror]

AFAICT, slavery in the 13 Colonies was, for as brutal as it was, far less harsh than in the Carribean or South America.


And to many of our country's founders credit, they worked tirelessly keeping slavery from spreading into the Midwest and outlawing in their own states.

[Cow Poke]

Along with advances in cotton production and alternative fabrics that made slaves less 'necessary'.

[Sparko]

It was always interesting to hear the old folks (most of them long gone by now) explain slavery.... "If they came to the front door asking for food, we would scold them about coming to the front door, and tell them come round to the back kitchen and I'll feed you". This was an attempt to show their generosity and lack of prejudice.

of course in the south, the back door is usually for friends and family and the front door is for company, so there's that too.

[Adrift]

of course in the south, the back door is usually for friends and family and the front door is for company, so there's that too.

Seems like it just makes good common sense too. If the society you live in is so racist, and so pro-slavery that your own life, liberties, and social standing could be threatened while you're out there helping others, then it's probably good practice to do it in secret, or without drawing so much attention. If you have to struggle in the same world as those you're helping, then you're going to be less of a help. There are limits to that, of course. Sometimes, it's better and bolder to take a stand against the society you live in, but I suppose that's a matter of whether or not the good outweighs the bad.

[Cow Poke]

of course in the south, the back door is usually for friends and family and the front door is for company, so there's that too.

Pretty much, yeah.