The Significance of the Slave revolts in the Abolition of ...



The Significance of the Slave revolts in the Abolition of slavery in North America: By: Dr. Amos M.D.Sirleaf, Professor and Vice President of Blacology Research and Development Institute, Inc.

Introduction and Background

The study of the African component of slave resistance may appear to be the exception to the general state of slave studies, which has tended to pay more attention to the European influences on the Americas rather than the continuities with African history. Palmares is identified as an "African" Kingdom in Brazil; an early and important example of the quilombos and palenques of Latin America which also often revealed a strong African link[1] (See the excellent studies in Richard M. Price, ed. Maroon Societies: Rebel Slave Communities in the Americas. 2nd ed. (Baltimore, 1979); Patterson, "Slavery and Slave Revolts," 289-325.

Despite the identification of the ethnic factor, however, most studies of slave resistance fail to examine the historical context in Africa from which this rebellious slave came. Whether or not there were direct links or informal influences that shaped specific acts of resistance simply has not been determined in most cases. Because the African background has been poorly understood, perhaps, scholars have tended to concentrate on the European influences, which shaped the agenda of slave resistance. For instance, Rev. Nah Turner revolts had been marginalized, underestimated, and undervalued by white American historians to express the significance of their revolts to the American political, social, and legal systems. Another instance, Eugene Genovese, has argued that there was a fundamental shift in the patterns of resistance by slaves at the end of the eighteenth century, which he correlated with the French Revolution and the destruction of slavery in St. Domingue. [2](Eugene D. Genovese, From Rebellion to Revolution: Afro-American Slave Revolts in the Making of the Modern World Baton Rouge, 1979) Before the 1790s, according to Genevese, slave resistance tended to draw inspiration from the African past, but the content of that past remains obscure in Genovese's vision. With the spread of revolutionary doctrines in Europe and the Americas, slaves acquired elements of a new ideology that reinforced their resistance to slavery. It is necessary to point out that the process of creolization, which introduced slaves to European thought, brought the actions of slaves more into line with the revolutionary movement emanating from Europe.

In essence, Slave Revolts in Africa, in The Americas, and every where slavery existed, some how and some ways contributed to the following conditions: 1. Persistence slaves Uprising and Slave Revolts precipitated redemption of slaves

2. Precipitated alternatives to the questions of marketable slavery, 3. Precipitated the questions of abolition slavery and emancipation of the slaves. For instance, the Rev Nah Turner Revolt created a great degree of fears into slave owners on the questions of slave submissiveness to their masters when the news of the revolts spread within the region. There were urgent resolutions within the American system of leadership how to resolve the slave issues to avoid African and Indian slaves killing white slaves owners in mass numbers. In many ways, slave revolts contributed to freedom of slaves, integration of slaves into their master's household, (i.e.) the philanthropy of share cropping, slave working on the masters farms for restitution.

The naming of the slaves with their masters' name. This was to substantiate a good ownership and integration into the master's culture. Slave revolts, especially in the Americas, created some beneficial effects between the slaves and the masters in the long terms. Slaves, especially Africa and Indian revolts in the Americas were a dangerous undertaking for white slave owners to deal with. Some times the slave will kill the entire white slave plantation owners and take over. A typical example of Slave Revolts, from the African/Third World perspectives, in the Labor Union Strikes, Mine Workers Strikes, the African Women Revolts against imperialism and colonial exploitation of the African men to slavery, The African Women Revolts against The African Kings, Chiefs, and Elders concerning the undisclosed discussions between the white explorers and the kings, and chiefs which led to the disappearance of the African Women's husbands from the townships, chiefdom, and kingdom, etc..[3] African slaves were brought to America against their will and their choice. It was through protests, revolts, and uprising that precipitated various constitutional amendments, legal previsions, good human relations, and world vision on human sufferings that brought freedom to African slaves and also freedom to all human beings enslaved by fellow human beings. Therefore, Slave Revolts did good to the slaves, to the slave owners, to North America, and to all nations that enslaved human beings. Revolts against injustice is the absolute remedy to institute human justice.

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[1] See the excellent studies in Richard M.Price, ed. Maroon Societies: Rebel Slaves Communities in the Americas. 2nd ed. (Baltimore, 1979); Patterson "Slavery and Slave Revolts", 289-325.

[2] ( Eugene D. genovese, From Rebellion to Revolution: Afro-American Slave Revolts in the Making of the Modern World Baton Rouge, 1979).

[3] See Dr. Amos M.D.Sirleaf's book: The Black Race, The African Continent, and the Ultimate Necessary for The Development Black Cultural Science (Blacology) The 21st Century African System of Thought. 2001. Blacology Research and Development Institute, Inc. 914 East Tantallon Drive, Fort Washington, Maryland 20744.

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