$300 m redo Phili's "White House"-but no memorial for the slave quarters

[papau]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-an...

A Historic Clash of Slavery, Liberty
In Philadelphia, the lack of a memorial for Washington's slave quarters revives dispute.
By David Zucchino
Times Staff Writer

August 30, 2004

PHILADELPHIA — In October 1795 an African named Joe, who was born a slave and died a slave, arrived here from Mount Vernon, Va. He accompanied the presidential coach of George Washington, who called him "Postilion Joe," for Joe was a postilion, or footman.

Joe worked at the Robert Morris house, which served as the presidential residence during Philadelphia's decade as the new nation's capital. Many historians believe he slept in slave quarters behind the mansion, now known as President's House.

Today, the place where Joe and Washington's other slaves once worked and lived is a few feet from the entrance to a new building housing the Liberty Bell, which opened in October 2003 as part of the redesign of Independence National Historical Park.

The National Park Service spent $300 million on a decade-long project improving the park but did not provide a memorial for the slave quarters — or, for that matter, the so-called first White House. The oversight outraged descendants of slaves, who formed the Avenging the Ancestors Coalition (ATAC — pronounced "attack"). It also drew the ire of a crusading Philadelphia historian whose discovery of Postilion Joe, announced last month, has reignited the 2-year-old dispute.<snip>

EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT

[noiretextatique]

1. america has never faced the slavery issue

reparations is but one example. revisionism and denial are the preferred modes of thinking on the subject.

[Heddi]

3. oh surely you jest :)

You mean to tell me that my history books (in wonderful, progressive SOuth Carolina) were wrong? That the slaves WEREN'T working happily in the fields? That their Soul Spirituals weren't songs of affirmation of their love for God and Master? That many female slaves went willingly into the bedrooms and barns of their masters and happily bore and raised their children? That those savage Africans were so unlike God-Loving Americans that they felt no emotional damage when separated from family as they were sold across the country?

Oh pshaw! My history book showed wonderful block-cut prints of smiling black bucks with happy smiles on their faces as a whip was lashed down upon his back. Tears of joy streaming from the eyes of children as they were pulled from their mother's teat and dragged to a new, better, happier life living on a plantation where the plants are fertilized with the blood, sweat, and tears of a million sorrows and hurts.

/sarcasm. (obvious, I hope)

I think that the problem with alot of Americans is that they really aren't in denial about slavery because they were never taught the true history of the US to begin with. They can't be in denial about something they never learned about. Same with Japanese Americans interned during WWII. I *NEVER* learned that in school---NEVER. The first time I heard ANYTHING about this was when I was watching a TV show on PBS when I was in my mid-20's. I was so shocked. Utterly shocked that this had happened---why hadn't I been taught about that? We learned about the Holocaust, a bit about Slavery....why not that dark part of American History?

Utterly shameful on so many levels with regards to so many subjects. :hangs head in shame:

[noiretextatique]

4. whitewashed history?!?!...surely you jest :)

:hi: indeed, the ignorance and denial isn't just about slavery. as the idiot-in-chief said recently, the chief function of slavery was to make white americans better people, and america a better country :shrug:

[Heddi]

5. Of course :slaps forehead:

Forcing millions of people to be slaves makes us all better people. In fact, I think recent (and past) history would show quite well that people only become free when other people are oppressed and killed.

I mean, look at the Native Americans. Why, they're so fucking free we gotta give them parcels of rotten land to live on. They're so free and sovereign that our president can't even define "sovereign" without using the word "Sovereign"---that just goes to show how free they are.

P.S. Did y'all ever get that 40 acres and a mule? I heard something mentioned about that a few hundred years ago but nothing really came out of it. Oh well. I'm sure it's forthcoming. And btw--I hope y'all know that because of inflation and rising cost of living, your mule is no longer a mule--it's a dwarfed shetland pony, and your 40 acres have been downsized to a peice of land the size of an alcohol swab. Enjoy your freedom !!

[noiretextatique]

6. and the iraqis

now we know why we went to war with them...to make ourselves better people :eyes: you must have seen the clip of the native american reporter asking bush about the future of indian sovereignity :D LOL...
i don't believe any reparations will even be paid to the ancestors of slaves (which begs the question: why weren't they paid to the slaves or their immediate progeny?!?...just ask the LIVING survivors of the tulsa race riots about that), but there is a case pending against some insurance companies that should bring up some interesting issues.
i hope all is well with you and your studies.

[Heddi]

10. Honestly I wonder if anything will ever be done

I've heard some people say that alot of companies that are being sued by holocaust survivors are doing their best to drag the cases out as long as possible---why? Because more and more holocaust survivors are dying every day, and the longer the legal bullshit goes on without actually going to trial, the fewer people they have to pay reparations to.

I think the same thing is going on re: compensation to black Americans. Of course as so many people like to point out THERE ARE NO SLAVES LIVING TODAY (duh) but there are survivors of the Civil Rights Marches, and the Alabama Bus Boycott, and I'm sure there are many people alive today who had dog sic'd on them, hoses blasted at them, or clubs swung at their heads in the 50's and 60's. But I guess since they were black and free then their lack of civil rights just don't count.

I think there are many people who hope that if they just wait maybe 10...20 years....stall a bit re: reparations for blacks, and the only voices that will be around are the youth of today all grown up, who never lived through riots and watts and "no blacks, dogs, or irish" signs, or "negro water fountains" or forced bussing...and that the kids born in 2004 will be apathetic and uncaring about the plights of their ancestors so that when (if) any mention of reparations were made, it would be shrugged off without even a thought---much like White America has done since the dreaded "r" word was first mentioned. Sigh.

As far as studies---I start Nursing School on 9/20. In 2 years I'll be a full=fledged Registered Nurse. Be afraid...be very afraid :)

[Tim4319]

2. They continue to want to sweep slavery under the rug!

This is my opinion! But, this issue is where America is the biggest hypocrite. And, America is too scared to look at itself in the mirror!

[Blue_Tires]

7. does this story

really surprise anyone??

[Moderator]

8. papau

Per DU copyright rules
please post only four
paragraphs from the
copyrighted news source.


Thank you.

DU Moderator

[papau]

9. Thanks for the heads up - this story made me forget to edit it down

:-(

[David Zephyr]

11. Kick.

[Tight_rope]

12. America will and should always live in shame over slavery!