A fight against racism and prejudices
Miranda Bradford, Associate Writer
Graphic Credit: Miranda Bradford
“Some believe history is a discipline that is sometimes different for outsiders to understand,” said Jim Roark, special guest and cultural event speaker on free African Americans and the problem of slavery. “I disagree.”
On the topic of slavery, Roark spoke to North Greenville University students, staff, faculty and guests on the different perspective and outlooks current historians have on the slavery situation between the North and South.
On October 4, Roark depicted the prejudices of race that appeared not only in the South, but the “free” North.
“Prejudices of race appear to be stronger in free states who had abolished slaver than those who have not,” Roark stated.
Roark shared the unique perspective and thoughts on the life of one former black slave, William Ellison, who ended up owning 63 slaves himself after he bought his freedom. Ellison did this in order to keep favor with the whites in his community. Ellison recognized the fragility of his freedom and how it stood in the hands of the whites.
“Freedom was little more than rhetorical fiction,” said Roark in reference to the state of slaves both in the South and the supposedly free North.
Roark explained how people had the mindset that blacks were meant to be slaves and whites free. It was how God intended the world to be. That racist mentality was so strong that the United States ended up in a war that was fought to abolish slavery and the mindset of one race of people being above another.
Looking at the shooting in Charlotte that happened Sept. 22, there is evidence on how prejudices of race are still alive today and have carried over from our past history. Despite the war fought to kill off that mentality and the great effort put forth post war, instances of racism and prejudice still occur daily.
The question of whether we, the citizens of United States of America, are truly free today of these prejudices are questions at the forefront of the minds of many individuals as news events constantly reveal stories of racism and prejudices still going on within our boarders.
People are left with the question of if the United Stated, a country claimed on having liberty and justice for all, is truly living in freedom, or if is it little more than rhetorical fiction.
