Dear Editor:
Your publication of Excerpts from Narrative of the Life Frederick Douglass, an American Slave has truly inspired me. I am writing to voice my concern on the treatment of slaves in the colonies.
I am an Abolitionist currently residing in Baltimore, Maryland and seen the effects of slavery on young black men and women, as well as their owners firsthand. As Douglass mentioned in his autobiography, conditions and treatment for slaves range from near equality between slave and slaveholder to an lesser treatment of slaves than that of farm animals. Although it is true, conditions in the Northern colonies are often much better than conditions in the South, I have seen my fair share of horrors. However, upon hearing of the vastly more horrid conditions of slave to slaveholder relationships in the South, I was appalled and determined to do something about it.
First of all, the fact that babies born into slavery are taken away from their mothers upon birth is completely inhumane. In a society where human beings are bread into captivity under other human beings, family ties and friendship is everything. Without these ties, human slaves are reduced to angry workers with no recollection of love that have nothing to live for, no motives, no reason to continue working (other than the fact that they will be killed if they refuse to work). This results in a population of uneducated angry laborers who want to be free but have nobody to help them achieve this freedom in their own population. I admire Mr. Frederick Douglass for pursuing an education in order to be this achieving force, not only to educate slaves of the atrocities taking place across the country, but also the slaveholders, that they may see their flawed ways. If only word of Mr. Douglass’ autobiography spreads wide enough throughout the colonies, may the people realize their atrocious ways and change them so that all humans are created and treated equal in society.
Sincerely, Trevor Jones
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