"why talk about slavery in 2024?" Topic

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Why is it important for me to talk about American slavery in 2024? It's really not important. I could live a fine and wonderful life and not give a second thought to American slavery. I think infinitely more often about dodging the homeless in downtown San Diego or about my daughter becoming Little Miss Social on her college campus. I care far more about moving my oldest son into his new dorm at Stanford.

Isn't that progress? Some people, such as my lovely wife, say they are not ready to let go of slavery. A woman born in 1967 in Brooklyn is not ready to let go of slavery. When we hold onto resentments and grudges, we are not hurting the slave owner. Nor are we helping the slave. They are all dead and buried and turned to dust and bones and non-existence.

W. F. Twyman Jr., a former law professor, was born in Richmond, Virginia. He came of age in the New South in the 1970s. A graduate of the University of Virginia and Harvard Law School, Twyman is the co-author (with Jennifer Richmond) of the acclaimed book, Letters in Black and White: A New Correspondence on Race in America. He appeared with his co-author on the Free Black Thought Podcast to discuss the book with host Connie Morgan. His essay in the Pennsylvania Lawyer Magazine inspired the posthumous admission, in 2010, of the first black lawyer in New York state, George Boyer Vashon, to the Pennsylvania State Bar, which had denied him twice, in 1847 and in 1868. His previous article for the Journal of Free Black Thought was a defense of George Washington.

Doc comments: actually, this historian would disagree with some of the above and of the rest of the OP. Slavery is part of our national story and deserves being told. But Twyman is correct that harboring resentment does the dead no good and the living a great deal of harm. (Although it does help race hustlers.)

Wonder how long Mr.Twyman had to sleep on the couch?

Here's the very fine essay on Washington:

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And once again, absolutely nothing to do with gaming. Not really anything to do with history even; just modern attitudes – one might almost say 'politics'.

Why talk about World War II in 2024?

Why talk about Prohibition in 2024?

Why talk about Theodore Roosevelt in 2024

Why talk about the Cold War in 2024?

Why talk about Manifest Destiny in 2024?

Why talk about the founding of our country in 2024?

Why talk about the Industrial Revolution in 2024?

Why talk about Charles Lindbergh in 2024?

Why talk about Thomas Jefferson in 2024?

Why talk about the War of 1812 in 2024?

Why talk about American History in 2024?

"And once again, absolutely nothing to do with gaming. Not anything to do with history even; just modern attitudes – one might almost say 'politics'."

Talk to Bill. He is the one allowing it.

+1 advocate and Old, but sharp, Contemptible. H

These postings should get the poster in the "dawg house." This is getting tiresome.

And once again, absolutely nothing to do with gaming. Not really anything to do with history even…

Slavery has nothing to do with history? I beg to differ.

Talk to Bill. He is the one allowing it.

Historical discussions are allowed here. Slavery certainly ties into military history, and it's fair to discuss the impacts of slavery on post-Civil War America.

These postings should get the poster in the "dawg house." This is getting tiresome.

What rule is he breaking? Did someone force you to click on this topic? I assume that TMP readers are adults, and exercise control over their reading choices.

WHY? Because there are more slaves today in the arab world (and Chinas 'prisons') right now than in the south in 1860. Maybe we should deal with that. Although what this has to do with wargaming I dont know.

Thanks mildbill,

That would seem to be the real question here. The popular narrative is only about slavery in the 19th century. It is still in existence and seldom is covered.

On a related note, it is highly doubtful that anyone alive today would not be able to find a relative (thru DNA testing) in the past who was not a slave.

Col D

Related to slaves in US? Or slaves at some time in history, I.e. Rome, etc.
I've had my DNA run, no African or Native American in my DNA. But very large chance of the later. All European, mostly Irish, English, Scottish, Swiss with spatter of German, Scandinavia and French.

Do the modern Italians owe me reparations!? 😉

Definitely slaves in a different time and place.

Do indentured servants count? I'm Irish American, but we didn't get here until the potato famine.

Well, on Saturday night I arrested a pimp and took his unwilling sex slave to a shelter.

My family was indentured and brought over to New York State in 1709. Does that count? They were left on their own in the moat winter in history in 1710 as the German tar camps proved to be a failure. Fortunately the Native Americans got along with my family, provided them with land whi h the lost in the Revolutionary War forcing my family to flee persecution once again to Upper Canada. My family never reeived 1 bloody cent for all their losses. Maybe I should join the "entitled" generation and reclaim all lands given to my family in the early 1700s. Fair is fair!!!

Isn't indentured service a form of payment for goods/services supplied – e.g. "you take me to America and I'll work for you for 3 years"? Or an alternative prison sentence – "I'll take 10 years indentured in America rather than a month in prison followed by a neck-stretching exercise" kind of thing.

Somewhat different to slavery where one would be bought and sold, and where one's own children would belong to someone else and could be sold.

Not suggesting the conditions were always great for indentured servants, and during the term of indenture it might in actuality look a lot like slavery, but ultimately, on paper, the aim was to "work the debt" and then be free to carry on one's life.

Indenture varied, from good to … well you get the picture. My first direct relative holding my last name, came over in 1750 or 1751, indentured to a man from Switzerland for his passage to America. His was probably good, as he learned the blacksmithing trade and traveled from Pennsylvania to North Carolina, where he was able to acquire land on the NC frontier, via marriage to his wife.

Remember that the Constitutional provision, and the Fugitive Slave Acts, applied as well to runaway indentures.