THE PERSPECTIVE OF A BLACK AMERICAN ON SLAVERY AND THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

By Anna Julia Cooper
Frances Richardson Keller (translator)
Lewiston, NY: The Edwin Mullen Press, 1988. ISBN # 0-88946-637-8

Notes by Bob Corbett

Keller's introduction:

• p. 5. 66 years old when she presented and defended this doctoral thesis at the U. Of Paris in 1925.
• p. 8. Cooper born a slave in 1858. Her father was probably the white master. She lived 105 years.
• p. 13 From Cooper on effects of slavery in black/white relations.

  (about white southerner)

  "For two hundred and fifty years he trained to his hand a people whom he made absolutely his own, in body, mind and sensibility. He so insinuated differences and distinctions among them, that their personal attachment for him was stronger than for their own brethern and fellow sufferers. He made it a crime for two of three of them to be gathered together in Christ's name without a white man's supervision, and a felony for one to teach them to read even the Word of Life; and yet they would defend his interest with their life blood; his smile was their happiness, a pat on the shoulder from him their reward. The slightest differences among themselves in condition, circumstances, opportunities, became barriers of jealousy and disunion. He sowed his blood broadcast among them, then pitted mulatto against plantation slave, even the slave of one clan against like slave of another clan; till, wholly oblivious of their ability for mutual succor and defense, all became centers of myriad systems of repellant forces, having but one sentiment in common, and that their entire subjection to that master hand."

  p. 102 Anna Julia Cooper, A VOICE FROM THE SOUTH.

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• p. 33 mortality rates of slaves ( slave slavery ) was 3 times their birth rate. this kept a steady stream of new slaves coming. For each 1 imported slave probably 4 died enroute.

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