From Slavery to Freedom

Sengbe Pieh

(1813-1879), whose name was later changed to Joseph Cinque, was another victim of the Atlantic slave trade.He was a West African from Mende ethnic group. He was also one of the important defendant in the Amistad case, United States vs. Libellants of the Schooner Amistad, because he led the revolution against the African slave traders, who, in 1839, illegally captured him and fifty two other African men and carried them to Cuba with the intention of selling them to work in the cane fields. The mutiny left the captain of the ship dead along with a few others. Instead of directing the ship back to Africa, as they were ordered, the slave traders directed the navigator to go to the United States. The slaves were taken into custody by members or the USS Washington, after the ship reached Long Island, New York, and was taken to New Haven Conn. For trial. The trial last more than a year. They were found guilty, then there was an appeal to the Supreme Court, were they were found innocent. They were freed and returned to Africa, in 1842, where no one really knows what happened to them. It is believed, that Cinque, went back and became a slave trader himself, and later died and was buried as a Christian.

Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey (Frederick Douglas),was born a slave in Talbot county, Maryland. His mother was Harriett Bailey, whom he didn’t know, because she died while he was still an infant. No one knew who his father was, but because of the color of his skin, he was told that his father was a white man, perhaps his owner, Aaron Anthony. He was  raised by his grandmother until the he was age seven, at which time  he was moved to Wye House plantation. He later claimed  that he experienced extensive abuse on this plantation. When his owner died, he was twelve and sent to live in Baltimore on another plantation. Even though teaching slaves to read was forbidden, Douglas was taught to read by the overseers wife, Sophia Hughs. Douglas learned to read, newspapers, political materials, and books.  He then started teaching other slaves to read, but was raided and the teaching stopped. Douglas continued his quest to free the slaves. He was beaten frequently, which is believed to have broken him psychologically. He met and married Anna Murray, a free black woman in Baltimore. Douglas is well known for his Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas. 

York

(1770-1831?), was an American slave.  He and his family were properties of the Clark family in Caroline county, Virginia.  As a young slave, York was the servant to his young master William Clark, who would later be one of the leaders of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.  In 1804, York left his family and joined the Lewis and Clark Expedition.  He was the only African American on the expedition and was treated not as a slave, but a free man and as a member of the crew who had voting rights, freedom and duties.  Because he was considered free, he was allowed to carry a gun which he used to killed game.  Unfortunately, after the expedition returned the United States, York’s freedom was revoked and his slave status was reinstated.  Therefore, York did not receive any money or land, unlike the other members,  for his services on the expedition.  No one knows what really happened to York after they returned to the United States.  Some speculated that Clark set him free and set him up in a business that failed because he was not able to run it successfully.  Others speculated that York ran away because he could not accept returning to slavery after experiencing free.  After his escape, it is believed that  he died of Cholea and therefore would have been better off remaining in slavery.

I say, better dead and free than living a life in slavery.