Nobody Turn Us Around Delves

¶ … Nobody Turn Us Around" delves into the wealth of resources regarding the African-American experience since the founding of our nation. A specific examination of the context of slavery before 1861 reveals a deep level of inhumanity at the way slaves were treated. This text carefully illustrates the immoral and unethical manner in which slaves were treated, as well as the heroes and heroines who wanted to attempt change.

The tradition of slavery ran deep within the American mindset between 1789 to 1861. This is evidenced through documentation of the many disgusting and arbitrary ways that slaves were treated. Laws such as the one presented in Chapter six, which prohibits salves from learning to read and write, reveals the mentality that the white majority viewed slaves. Essentially, the establishment saw those individuals of color as unworthy of human status, without the ability or need to be educated. This theme is again evident within Chapter eight, in which we find that within this era slaves could not even marry without their master's permission. This cruelty with which these individuals lived was truly atrocious; they did not have even the sanctity of family. The manner in which slaves were sold in Chapter nine captures the nature of the slavery system, which was an attempt to denigrate African-Americans to an even lower level of social acceptance. They were effectively classified as subhuman, without the respect accorded to even the lowest of the social order.

Despite the way that the majority within the American establishment treated slaves, there were a few brave men and women who advocated and fought strongly for abolition. Many of these individuals fought against slavery through literary, cerebral and political channels. Among them was the first African abolitionist, Equiano, chapter one tells his amazing tale of slavery to English gentlemen. He represented one of the first waves of African rights discussion that eventually led to the abolition of slaves from England. Equiano demonstrated that the use of the human narrative can awaken the sympathy of others, and he used his personal narrative to impress his views of abolition upon the British. Similarly, Prince Hall within Chapter two also carried the cause of abolition. Hall also advocated the continuing fight for abolition by providing hope to the African-Americans and slaves alike. Although he could only use words to motivate those in peril, the strength of his statements rests primarily in his ability to teach foundational skills to his brethren that could help them become skilled workers rather than limited by their education. Maria Stewart was another advocate of abolition; she not only fought for the doctrine of freedom for slaves, but also for the women's rights movement. All of these advocates used nonviolent means to attempt to sway the general public to turn against slavery as well as provide hope for slaves everywhere.