I learned that slaves have come a long way, they had it bad. Because they tried to run away they either got their toes chopped off or their foot smashed in with a sledge hammer. If they wanted to go off somewhere they had to ride in the back of the bus. When they eat at out they had to eat a certain food because they couldn't have every thing that they wanted. When doing work they either had to do house work or pick cotton. But now, today life is better you can ride in the buses wherever you want, and have freedom to do things you couldn't do back then in those days of slavery. But I wish that the food and the gas was the same price as it was back then.
By: Jonathan
I enjoyed your reflection on the food and the gas. Did they have gas back in the times of slavery though? I think you're confusing the Civil Rights era and the slavery era, though, even though they are more than a century apart.
Slavery has always been a big problem in the United States, and a lot of people had to co-operate to solve it.
Posted by: Bronwyn G | February 15, 2006 at 07:51 PM
Hi Jonathan,
I hope you can help me to make sure I understand your post because I believe you have created a timeline that outlines important differences in the lives of Black Americans in the United States, stressing the gains that have been made since slavery.
Am I right that you first share with us the horrors of slavery? Slaves worked in the field or in the "big" house and awful things were done to Black slaves as they tried to escape.
Then you pick up the lives of Black Americans some many years later, when they were not slaves, but not allowed to ride where they wanted on the bus nor eat where they wanted.
And finally, you point out that today Black Americans' lives are much better because they are allowed more freedoms.
Do I have that right? Do you think this is important to remember as we work to make lives better for all in America? Or do you think we are the best we can be?
Lani
Posted by: Lani | February 22, 2006 at 05:13 PM