Cora Garner - A Timeline of Slavery lyrics

Amongst the significant eras which define African-American culture, the Slavery epoch was the most diverse and parallel in its events and literature. From 1619 to 1900, there was a transition from domestic stability to foreign captivity, benighted souls to enlightened spirits, and elevated unity to segregated communities. This pattern was signified by a theme of oscillation, which is the variation between two extremes of opinion, action, or quality. In denotation, it is a persistent back and forth movement. In demonstration, it was the act of slaves progressing one step forward and reverting two steps backwards. 1619 - The Genesis: Slavery is Established and Ingrained in America "After all the business was ended on the coast of Africa, the ship sailed from thence to Barbados. After an ordinary pa**age, except great mortality by the small pox...there were found out of the two hundred and sixty that sailed from Africa, not more than two hundred alive...the vessel then sailed for Rhode-Island" -Venture Smith, The Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture, Chapter II (1793) 1660 – The Heaven: Slaves are Converted to Christian Slaves "Our Hearts hath felt thy fear. Now Glory be to God on High, Salvation high and low; And thus the Soul on Christ rely, To Heaven surely go. Come Blessed Jesus, Heavenly Dove, Accept Repentance here" - Jupiter Hammon, An Evening Thought (1760) 1740 – The Earth: Commence of the Negro Act "Very soon after I went to live with Mr. And Mrs. Auld, she very kindly commenced to teach me the A,B,C. After I had learned this, she a**isted me in learning to spell words of three or four letters. Just at this point of my progress, Mr. Auld found out what was going on, and at once forbade Mrs. Auld to instruct me further, telling her, among other things, that it was unlawful, as well as unsafe, to teach a slave to read." -Fredrick Dougla**, Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Dougla**, Chapter VI (1845) 1775 – The Surface: Slaves Participate in the Revolutionary War "When Black and white fought side by side, Upon the well-contested field,- Turned back the fierce opposing tide, And made the proud invader yield- When, wounded, side by side they lay, And heard with joy the proud hurrah From their victorious comrades say That they had waged a successful war" -James M. Whitfield, America (1853) 1787 – The Plataeu: Founding of the First Black Methodist Church and Fraternal Association "By this, we do not wish to be understood as advocating to the actual attainments of every individual; but we mean to say that if these attainments be necessary for elevation of the white man, they are necessary for the elevation of the colored man. That some colored men and women, in a like proportion to the whites, should be qualified in all the attainments posed by them." -Martin R. Delany, The Condition...And Destiny of the Colored People, Chapter V: Means of Elevation (1852) 1831 – The Rise: The 1st Annual Convention of People of Color "Brethren arise, arise! Strike for your lives and liberties. Now is the day and the hour. Let every slave throughout the land do this, and the days of slavery are numbered. You cannot be more oppressed than you have been- you cannot suffer greater cruelties than you have already. Rather die free men than live to be slaves. Remember that you are FOUR MILLIONS!" -Henry Highland Garnet, An Address to the Slaves of the United States (1843) 1865 – The Elevation: Slavery's Persona is Abolished "Our greatest need is not gold or silver, talent or genius, but true men and true women. We have millions of our race in the prison house of slavery, but have we yet a single Moses in freedom." -Frances E. W. Harper, Our Greatest Want (1859) 1881 – The Hell: Slavery's Shadow, Segregation, is Revealed "I was handcuffed. Around my ankles also were a pair of heavy fetters. One end of a chain was fastened to a large ring in the floor, the other to the fetters on my ankles. I tried in vain to stand upon my feet. Walking from such a painful trance, it was some time before I could collect my thoughts. Where was I?" -Solomon Northup, From Twelve Years a Slave (1853)