Historical voices

When freedom came, the slaves were almost as well fitted to begin life anew as the master, except in the matter of book-learning and ownership of property.

The whole machinery of slavery was so constructed as to cause labour, as a rule, to be looked upon as a badge of degradation, of inferiority.

The hurtful influences of the institution were not by any means confined to the Negro.

Ever since I have been old enough to think for myself, I have entertained the idea that, notwithstanding the cruel wrongs inflicted upon us, the black man got nearly as much out of slavery as the white man did.

When persons ask me in these days how, in the midst of what sometimes seem hopelessly discouraging conditions, I can have such faith in the future of my race in this country, I remind them of the wilderness through which and out of which…

Having once got its tentacles fastened on to the economic and social life of the Republic, it was no easy matter for the country to relieve itself of the institution.

No one section of our country was wholly responsible for its introduction, and, besides, it was recognized and protected for years by the General Government.

I have long since ceased to cherish any spirit of bitterness against the Southern white people on account of the enslavement of my race.

I pity from the bottom of my heart any nation or body of people that is so unfortunate as to get entangled in the net of slavery.

I have never seen one who did not want to be free, or one who would return to slavery.

As a rule, not only did the members of my race entertain no feelings of bitterness against the whites before and during the war, but there are many instances of Negroes tenderly caring for their former masters and mistresses who for some…

I do not know how many have noticed it, but I think that it will be found to be true that there are few instances, either in slavery or freedom, in which a member of my race has been known to betray a specific trust.

In order to defend and protect the women and children who were left on the plantations when the white males went to war, the slaves would have laid down their lives.

This tenderness and sympathy on the part of those held in bondage was a result of their kindly and generous nature.

Even to this day I can recall accurately the tortures that I underwent when putting on one of these garments.

I can scarcely imagine any torture, except, perhaps, the pulling of a tooth, that is equal to that caused by putting on a new flax shirt for the first time.

Even the most ignorant members of my race on the remote plantations felt in their hearts, with a certainty that admitted of no doubt, that the freedom of the slaves would be the one great result of the war, if the Northern armies conquered.

These discussions showed that they understood the situation, and that they kept themselves informed of events by what was termed the “grape-vine” telegraph.

In this connection I have never been able to understand how the slaves throughout the South, completely ignorant as were the masses so far as books or newspapers were concerned, were able to keep themselves so accurately and completely…

The picture of several dozen boys and girls in a schoolroom engaged in study made a deep impression upon me, and I had the feeling that to get into a schoolhouse and study in this way would be about the same as getting into paradise.

From the time that I can remember anything, almost every day of my life had been occupied in some kind of labour; though I think I would now be a more useful man if I had had time for sports.

Until that question was asked it had never occurred to me that there was no period of my life that was devoted to play.

I cannot remember having slept in a bed until after our family was declared free by the Emancipation Proclamation.

She was simply a victim of the system of slavery.