Where are all the ‘black voices’ from the slave trade – why is mostly ‘white voices’ telling the story?
Only three former slaves are known to have written down their experiences. They had been taught to read and write by their owners. Most slaves were kept illiterate. Family groups were broken up and sold separately so little was passed on of their homeland. If the horrors of the ‘Middle Passage’ were known for over a century – why did take so long to mount a campaign to stop it? Answer: There were no investigative journalists then and very few newspapers. What was known was from sailors returning home. Many thought it was the fault of a bad captain. As most people in Scotland did not have the vote at the time – what’s the point of getting them to sign a petition to Parliament? Answer: Lots of signatures demonstrate the depth of feeling in society. Politicians have to take note of this if they are to keep their supporters. What’s the difference between a black slave and a white indentured labourer in the plantations? Answer: Black slaves were someone’s property. The owner has the power o
