Slavery, and what it means to me (written February 2007)

I confess most sheepishly that I have never cared much for the whole issue of slavery and consequently, know little or nothing about it.

Not that I am in any way dismissive of or nonchalant about my roots: far from it, as I am very passionate about my West African heritage. It’s just that I have a hard time relating to the concept. My father was not a slave, neither was his father or grandfather before him, as far as I know. And I guess with the progress Black people have achieved worldwide and particularly in this country, it can be hard to conjure up authentic images of a time when the quality of people’s lives was determined by the colour of their skin.

So, seeing as 2007 marks two hundred years since the Slave Trade Act was abolished, I thought it particularly apt that I research and learn more about slavery and the slave trade. I am also very keen to explore what effects – if any – slavery has had on me as an individual, and on my generation.

The modern incarnation of slavery as we know it began around the sixteenth century. As European explorers and merchants discovered the resources and potential – both human and material – of the Dark Continent, slavery and the trade in humans quickly became a booming industry. Africans were forcefully transported to Europe and the Americas and put to work on plantations, where they cultivated raw materials for such products as sugar, rum, cotton, rice and tobacco. There was high demand for these products in most of the British Empire and other Western territories and as this demand grew, more and more slaves were captured to feed supply.

Although unskilled slaves worked the plantations, processing the raw products into finished goods and exporting them required a certain expertise. Such requirements led to the evolution of a ‘skilled’ workforce. Also, owning slaves quickly became a status symbol, and soon they were being used in virtually every aspect of daily life.

As one generation of slaves gave way to another the different industries in which they could work increased, and they were no longer used solely for tasks that called for brute strength. They became visible as domestic staff and artisans specialising in building, painting, watch making and crafting gold and weaponry, to name a few. Quite a few were also preachers, with the ability to speak several languages.

Slavery served an obvious economic purpose, and understandably when calls to end the inhumane practice began these were not taken kindly. Cases were brought before the courts, seeking to prove that no man could truly own another in the real sense.

But the significance of such cases was severely and intentionally downplayed, and slaves continued to be treated as their masters’ property. To put it in context, slave ship owners could insure their ships and its contents, and make a claim in the event of any ‘mishap’ at sea. Any slaves that were killed – in a revolt, for example – or had to be thrown over the side – which often happened when they fell ill, for fear that the sick ones would infect the rest – were claimed for on insurance.

The beginning of the end of slavery and the slave trade began around 1780, as a series of riots and revolts, in conjunction with the numerous court cases, raised the profile of slavery. It forced Europeans and Americans to confront this ugly side of their civilisations, which was becoming ever more untenable with what they considered to be their high moral standards and the growing human rights movement. The slave trade was abolished in Britain and the United States in 1807, and this in turn spelt the end of the practice in colonies around the world such as Brazil, Cuba, Guyana and Jamaica.

A very brief history there, which does not come close to doing justice to slavery or the slave trade. Nor am I attempting to do so, as I do not think any article or book can adequately capture or articulate the pain, humiliation, emotional turmoil, torture and suffering experienced during those three hundred-odd years. But as a Black woman living in the United Kingdom in 2007, with my family and circle of friends, an excellent education and a good job, a comfortable home and hope for even better things to come, has slavery actually affected me in any way?

I admit that I approached this research project with a slight bias. Harking back to my primary school days, I remember being taught that the slave traders enjoyed huge success in their nefarious activities by implementing a cunning strategy of ‘divide and rule’. I personally think this strategy has always worked quite well against Black people. And it proved as effective again during the days of colonial rule as it had done centuries before in the days of the slave trade.

As far as I am concerned, Africa – and West Africa in particular – was an easy target because the indigenous people had no qualms with bartering their neighbours and relatives for items they considered to be of immense value, but which we now know to be as worthless and commonplace as mirrors and salt! Africans sold their brothers for these items, and have then gone on to bemoan for centuries how they were hard done by. That’s my take on it, anyway.

And it is true though: the point must be made that the Europeans did not initiate slavery. My studies corroborate the fact that slavery did not begin with Sir John Hawkins’ first English Atlantic slave voyage in 1562. What the European influence did was to take it global and use it to maximum advantage by exploiting it to revolutionise their national economies. When Europeans arrived in Africa, they found a burgeoning slave trade already in existence. Arab merchants regularly shipped Africans across the Sahara, and the advent of Islam meant thousands of people were taken as prisoners of war. The men were used for their strength, and the women and children were used for sexual and domestic purposes. Slavery also existed within indigenous communities. Local chiefs became prosperous and powerful by being big slave traders: regular negotiations took place with captains of slave ships when they arrived in the coastal towns, and they sold their own people to gain economic advantage over neighbouring villages and townships. It was also a way of instilling fear in the people and retaining political power, and it ensured that such chiefs remained forces to be reckoned with in their geographical regions. Consequently I have arrived at the conclusion that the slave trade would never have been as successful as it was, had it not been for the collaboration of Africans, and their duplicitous dealings with regard to each other.

In terms of social and economic development, Black people have come a long way (although some may argue that we still have some way to go before we achieve real equality). But I will be honest and say that I certainly do not feel inferior or disadvantaged in any way. Thousands of Black people work in the hub of the financial capital of London, as I do. Many of my friends are doctors; others are engineers, accountants, lawyers and bankers. There are Black people excelling in politics and business, the public and private sectors, as authors, playwrights, film directors, actors and sportsmen, to name a few. Why then do we feel as a people that we need the crutch of a public apology – or even worse still, reparations – to make progress? Granted, slavery was a crime against our humanity, but it is plain to see that our ancestors were not entirely blameless in the matter. Many of them are just as culpable as the Europeans, if not more! I guess what I am saying is that I am done holding anyone else responsible for the quality of my life today. To say that slavery was an unfortunate event in our history is to grossly understate the obvious, but there are so many things that stand in our favour too. We have been blessed with natural intelligence and the ability to adapt to different situations. Even when faced with adverse conditions we are able to see the silver lining behind every cloud, and have a resourcefulness and never-give-up-attitude that can defy common sense. We have a spirit that cannot be broken, that shines through regardless of the circumstances. And we have the ability to dream, and achieve those dreams through a combination of diligence and hard work.

Slavery did not stop me being born into and raised by a loving family, who provided me with the foundations I needed to become a self-sustaining and responsible adult. They gave me a good education, which has been the platform on which I have built my career.  It has not stopped me striving towards achieving my life’s goals and dreams. It has not stopped me falling in love, getting hurt, or finding inner peace through my relationship with God. Living in a free and liberal society means I am not marginalised in any way; I can proudly say I do not suffer because I am Black. I have not had any doors shut in my face, and would like to believe that for the most part, I have been judged as every man should be: solely on the merits of my performance as an individual. In short, it has not stopped me living out a full and well-rounded existence. As a people, we have at our disposal the tools to excel in our generation, if we so desire. But to let the crimes of slavery continue to shackle and limit us, so many years after the event, would surely be the biggest travesty of all. 

First published in Outflow, March 2007.

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