Afrcan Americans and Slavery

            The first African Americans arrived to Jamestown from 1619 to 1651 during the end of the Civil War. At first they were treated terribly and forced to do the white’s dirty work as slaves. Even though they lived in the same house as the whites, they weren’t even able to eat at the same table as their owner. Once the Abolition Act of Slavery came, that changed a lot of things in the lives of African Americans.

            In 1960, there was a 6 year old girl named Ruby Bridges. She was the first African American to ever attend an all-white school. I think if people could have tried harder right after slavery was completely abolished after the Civil War, African Americans could have been part of public schools earlier. Not too many people were well educated back then especially women and African Americans in general.

            First of all, many blacks experienced discrimination at one time or another even though they were free. One of the worst places it occurred in was Philadelphia. They were not allowed into many places such as schools, churches, or even public transportation systems. In Ohio, blacks weren’t allowed to do almost anything that had to do with office. They were not even allowed to testify whites in court. African Americans couldn’t even live in Ohio without proof of their freedom. As with many states, these people were restricted from many daily things for white-only use.

            Moving on, enslaved African Americans actually were allowed to physically live in the same house as their owners. Some owners liked their slaves and treated them with the respect they deserve. On the other hand, some owners just bought these people not thinking of them as humans, but as tools. They punished the slaves for many things such as trying to escape, slacking off work, and smuggling food they harvested themselves. Surprisingly, blacks could have gotten in trouble for sharing a meal at the same table with their owner even if they were invited. There were all kinds of owners and slaves, but altogether, slavery never should have happened.

            In conclusion, African Americans are still humans that feel pain and betrayal just like white people, but slave owners didn’t realize this. They thought of them as un-teachable tools that do anything for you. Even free blacks were treated like slaves only because of their color.