Thursday, February 11, 2010

The CT Historical Society: The Amistad & Slavery in Connecticut

Today the Project:LUCID students went to visit the Connecticut Historical Society and Museum.  The students participated in a hands-on activity that helped bring alive the experience of Slavery in Connecticut.  The students read slave advertisements and discussed what can be learned about the life of the runaway slaves written about in the advertisements.

Next the students learned about journey from Africa to America aboard a slave ships by discussing their reaction to excerpts from the narrative of Olaudah Equiano's.  They also participated in a hands-on simulation that allowed them to "experience" the cramped conditions on a slave ship.












The highlight of the day was the multimedia "Amistad" Exhibit.  There the Project:LUCID students experienced the story of Cinque and his fellow Africans who revolted against their Spanish captors aboard the slave ship "The Amistad" and fought to return home to their native Sierra Leone.  The story of Cinque and his fellow Africans struggle for freedom is a part of Connecticut history as the trial of the Africans takes place in New Haven and Hartford.  Ultimately, the Africans are found to be free men by the US Supreme Court and allowed to return to their homeland.

The group very much enjoyed the day and we look forward to our next face to face in April!

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Slavery in America-Part I (The Middle Passage)


Review the Timeline of Slavery in America.

Early European settlers in America had a lot of work to do, but not many people to do it. To solve the problem, they brought slaves from Africa to do the work. Slavery was a cruel experience that has left lasting effects on American life.


Slavery began in the U.S. Colonies in the early 1600’s and lasted until 1865. By that time, the slave population was approximately 4 million people. 95% of slaves in America lived in the Southern states. European slave traders kidnapped people from Africa and shipped them to America. Slaves were chained so that they could not escape or fight back. They were sent by ship across the Atlantic Ocean. The terrible voyage, called the “Middle Passage,” lasted up to a month. As many as half of the slaves died along the way.

Olaudah Equiano (1745-1797)

Olaudah Equiano was abducted at the young age of 11 from his Ibo village in West Africa (Benin) and enslaved, endured the terrible "middle passage" and was sold into slavery.  Thirty years later he was able to purchase his freedom and wrote his famous autobiography, "The Life of Olaudah Equiano."  His slave narrative was very influential in bringing about an end to slavery, especially in Great Britain.  He later became an abolitionist and spent the last part of his life traveling the world speaking out against the cruelty of slavery.

The excerpt below describes his voyage from Africa to the New World.

[1] "I was soon put down under the decks, and there I received such a salutation (greeting) in my nostrils as I had never experienced in my life: so that with the loathsomeness of the stench (stink) and crying together, I became so sick and low that I was not able to eat, nor had I the least desire to taste anything....two of the white men offered me eatables, and on my refusing to eat, one of them held me fast by the hands and laid me across I think the windlass, and tied my feet while the other flogged (whipped) me severely. I had never experienced anything of this kind before, and although, not being used to the water, I naturally feared that element the first time I saw it, yet nevertheless could I have got over the nettings I would have jumped over the side, but I could not; and besides, the crew used to watch us very closely who were not chained down to the decks, lest we should leap into the water...
[2] The stench (stink) of the hold (below deck) while we were on the coast was so intolerably loathsome that it was dangerous to remain there for any time, and some of us had been permitted to stay on the deck for the fresh air; but now that the whole ship's cargo were confined together it became absolutely pestilential (sickening). The closeness of the place and the heat of the climate, added to the number in the ship, which was so crowded that each had scarcely room to turn himself, almost suffocated us. This produced copious perspirations, so that the air soon became unfit for respiration (breathing)  from a variety of loathsome smells, and brought on a sickness among the slaves, of which many died...The shrieks of the women and the groans of the dying rendered the whole a scene of horror almost inconceivable. Happily perhaps for myself I was soon reduced so low (I was getting very sick) here that it was thought necessary to keep me almost always on deck, and from my extreme youth I was not put in fetters (chains). In this situation I expected every hour to share the fate of my companions, some of whom were almost daily brought upon deck at the point of death, which I began to hope would soon put an end to my miseries. Often did I think many of the inhabitants of the deep much more happy than myself. I envied them the freedom they enjoyed, and as often wished I could change my condition for theirs...

[3] One day they had taken a number of fishes, and when they had killed and satisfied themselves with as many as they thought fit, to our astonishment who were on the deck, rather than give any of them to us to eat as we expected, they tossed the remaining fish into the sea again, although we begged and prayed for some as well as we could, but in vain; and some of my countrymen, being pressed by hunger, took an opportunity when they thought no one saw them of trying to get a little privately; but they were discovered, and the attempt procured them some very severe floggings (whippings).


[4] One day, when we had a smooth sea and moderate wind, two of my wearied countrymen who were chained together (I was near them at the time), preferring death to such a life of misery, somehow made through the nettings and jumped into the sea: immediately another quite dejected fellow, who, on account of his illness, was suffered to be out of irons, also followed their example; and I believe many more would very soon have done the same if they had not been prevented by the ship’s crew, who were instantly alarmed...''


Discussion Questions: 
1. Describe what the middle passage was like.  Why was it often so deadly?


2. What would you have found most difficult about the middle passage?  















Friday, February 5, 2010

The Yale Museum of American Art & The British Art Museum




















































The Project:LUCID students were off to Yale University in January to tour the British Museum of Art and The Yale University Art Gallery.  The focus of the tour was "The Slave Trade and Exploring West African Culture Through Art."  The students were very fortunate to have with us on this field trip, Mrs. Kopecki's and Miss Avery's Chinese guests, who were here in the state to learn about US educational practices.