“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
As the founding fathers drafted these words, the mission statement of the US constitution; slavery was abundant in the US and many of the founding fathers themselves owned slaves. The constitution preached the right for ‘life, liberty and a pursuit to happiness;’ in a sharp contrast to the millions of people who were deprived of their personal freedom, and compelled to perform labor and services. The irony of this situation and era in US history is alarming, implying that slaves were not considered ‘people’ but property.
The slaves were also people, similar to the founding fathers, who sought freedom. Although little is known, or documented, about the slaves, the runaway advertisements depict that most slaves risked their lives and fled seeking freedom. After searching the runaway advertisements, it can be suggested that slaves also recognized ‘natural human rights’ and sought them in their ‘intent’ for running away; they fled to seek freedom, protection, family life and a right to life by choice.
A brief reading of the advertisements portray many physical characteristics of slaves, their attire, belongings and their skills. It is interesting to note that the only human insight, of the slaves and their desires, are reflected in the “intent” for the slaves’ escapes. I brief search by “intent” of the runaway advertisement derives that 17 advertisements were placed under change in home/work or owner; suggesting that slaves ran away to seek choice. 44 advertisements are categorized under the intent ‘fear of punishment,’ asserting that slaves sought some sort of protection and equality. 305 advertisements are placed under the intent to rejoin family, and 805 listed under the intent of freedom; clearly depicting the slaves’ desires for some sort of natural rights and liberty.
Anthony, a 17 year old slave fled from his owner, one of the founding fathers of the US constitution, James Madison. The advertisement placed in the Virginia Gazette, on November 22, 1786, explains the physical characteristics of Anthony. It mentions that he was a “servant” in Madison’s residence. The advertisement allows us to create a physical impression of Anthony as it is very descriptive. We can also assume that Anthony was clever, from the writing, which notes that Anthony may have already got a “Pass” and changed his clothes and name. This proves that Madison believed Anthony to be smart and quick. It is apparent from this advertisement, that Anthony sought the most basic of all rights – freedom and a right to life by choice.
Johnny also fled in search for freedom. Johnny was owned by Edmund Randolph, another founding father. From the advertisement printed in the Virginia Gazette in December 12, 1977, it is understandable that Johnny had been a slave for a long period. Johnny had also “waited” upon Randolph’s uncle. Similar to most announcements, Johnny’s physical attributes and clothes are described in great detail. In this notice, we gather an insight to Johnny as person who described as a heavy drinker. The ad is revealing as it mentions that Johnny could read and write; and helps us understand the life of a slave in a manner not depicted through other readings. An advertisement for Ben, who also escaped in a quest of freedom, is particularly interesting. This advertisement refers to a ‘settlement of free negroes,” educating us of the existence of such a settlement. These small snippets of information help us comprehend the lives of the slaves, and assert that slaves too risked their lives in a quest for freedom.
The pursuit to happiness includes closeness to families. Many slaves sought, by means of escape, to be near their loved ones. Tom, a 28 year old slave is said to have run away to rejoin his wife, who is also a slave. This ad allows you to think that slaves were married to each other. Tom’s advertisement is interesting as it claims that Tom has already had the small pox. It is possible to assume, from this advertisement, that Tom may have been treated by his master, Griffin Stith. This would help us to understand the relationship between the slaves and the masters, a matter that could never be comprehended by reading the ‘history’ of slavery in the US.
One of the most interesting advertisements that I came across was for Mann, placed by John Smith. We learn that Mann is a fifty year old man, who speaks well and has slit ears. This depicts that Mann was an intelligent person who had a hard life, and probably spent most of it as a slave. The advertisement makes it apparent, that Mann ran away to seek the most fundamental of ‘natural rights,’ the right to protection and the right to live. Mann has been outlawed for threatening to burn his master’s house! John Smith’s notice states, “If any person will deliver me his head, severed from his body, they shall receive 10 l. current money: If taken alive and delivered, 40 s…” This clearly defines the agency possessed by the slave owners over the slaves. Mr. Smith wants Mann to be beheaded; endorsing that owners deemed themselves demigods, with a right to chose life or death for their slaves. This is explicit in explaining the lack of agency of the slaves. A clear grasp, of the life of a slave and how they were treated, is perhaps best defined by the advertisements rather than other readings.
The advertisements provided me with a solid understanding of slavery; which could never be understood from the factual readings in Wikipedia. A mere definition,” Slavery is a social-economic system under which certain persons — known as slaves — are deprived of personal freedom and compelled to perform labour or services. The term includes the status or condition of those persons who are treated as the property of another person…” and a surplus of facts, cannot in essence portray why slavery and the slave trade was called “Maafa” (Swahili for holocaust.) The horror of slavery and its affect, on millions of people, will never be known due a lack of documentation from the victim’s perspective. An interpretation of the runaway advertisements, gives us a deeper picture into the lives of the slaves. Ironically, from the perspective of a “subscriber,” we learn about: the physical characteristics of the slaves, what skills they possessed and how some were literate, and in this manner we can start to acquire miniscule amounts of knowledge on their personal lives, hopes and desires. The one fact, missing in the history readings, ascertained by the advertisements is that the human desire for natural rights, presides in every man, in every situation. The elite, with agency, wrote elaborate documents to assert their need for ‘natural rights.’ Similarly, in the same nation at the same time, the slaves ran away from their masters to seek freedom, family, and life -endorsing the human need for ‘natural rights.’
February 24, 2008 at 9:57 am
I Like the approach you took with the assignment. By focusing on one aspect of the ads, by looking at the ‘intent’ attribute really illustrates the fact the slaves were people. People with the desire to fulfill the most basic need, the need to be free, free to choose, free to pursue their own lives, and ways. As a business mgmt major it was impressive to see you quantify your results. By quantifying the results clearly supports your argument of natural rights. By drawing on the ads of the founding fathers it illustrates the fact the founding fathers, while brave enough to fight for their rights against the British, didn’t have the moral courage to address rights for all people.
February 24, 2008 at 7:48 pm
Your post pointed out something interesting to me, the part which you wrote about the slave trade being called “Maafa”. I never really thought about it, until now, the fact that slavery trade was a form of a holocaust. You are right that we do not know a great deal about the slaves history due to the lack of improper documentation. Slaves were forced to different forms of torture by forms of whippings, punishment, and even death. Your example of Mann really shows how slaves were really degraded as humans. The fact that his owner offered a bigger reward for someone who would bring his severed head is very inhumane. This is just one example, and who knows how many other slaves were killed. There could have been many others who faced the same ordeal, and it probably was not documented. I also agree that the slaves ran away because they were wanted the same “human rights” as everyone else.
February 25, 2008 at 3:38 pm
The first thing that hit me when I read this post was that it is LONG (more than two times longer than 500 word max). That said, it starts off strong with a good thesis, but the evidence doesn’t seem to follow a straight path (e.g., I’m not sure how the physical attributes in the advertisements can be used as evidence). The paper tends to move back and forth between how the slaves recognized basic human rights and how the advertisements showed an aspect of slavery that is otherwise overlooked. I thought your idea to search the slave ads for ‘intent’ was novel. A couple of the points you made about the founding fathers writing of ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit to happiness’ while in the midst of supporting slavery and then later noting the Swahili word for ‘slave trade’ gave two contrasting views of this issue that were well positioned.