Friday, February 02, 2007

Black History - The 1800's


1808: U.S. Bans Import of Slaves
U. S. bans the import of slaves, but not the sale and practice of slavery.

Ohio's original constitution outlawed slavery in 1802. Ohio also aggressively barred black immigration.

At the 1787 Constitutional Convention, the Southern states wanted Blacks to be counted as equal to Whites, but it was the Northern states that argued that slaves were considered as property and therefore should not be counted at all - a tactic likely used to deny the Southern states the political representation that their large population of blacks would bring them. A Compromise was made whereas each slave would count as three-fifths of a person. The Three-Fifths Compromise.
Ok, so this was all about Southern enumeration for political power. The North wanted it deflated and the South wanted it bolstered. Thus the Three-Fifths Compromise. Monica and I would equal 6/5 or one and one-fifth person. How 'bout that for stupid. Unbelievable.


1831: Nat Turner Slave Revolt
Nat turner (1800-1831) a slave and a preacher, leads a short and bloody slave revolt in Southampton County, VA. Turner is captured, hanged and Virginia consequently institutes stricter slave laws.


Also in 1831, William Lloyd Garrison (1805-1879) begins publishing The Liberator, a weekly paper that advocates the abolition of slavery.


1839: Amistad Slave Ship Revolt
Joseph Cinque (born Sengbe Pieh) leads 37 African slaves in a revolt aboard the Amistad slave ship. The ship is later recaptured by the U. S. The matter is tried in the Supreme Court, where it is ordered that the slaves be returned to Africa and freed. Former President John Quincy Adams was Joseph Cinque's defense attorney.




In 1730 Ninety-six Africans aboard the Little George slave ship gained control of the vessel and successfully piloted their way back to Africa.
In 1841 Africans aboard the Creole slave ship revolt and sail to the Bahamas, where they are declared free by the British.
(So much for the import ban.)

2 comments:

Dustin said...

Good post. It is amazing that the slaves on the Amistad slave ship were given legal representation at all given that they weren't even considered equal.

Jackie said...

Yes, and a former President too. The extremes are amazing aren't they.