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PDFFrom ProgressivePOC:
This POV is very tough and grueling for me. I’m seeking to strike a balance that does not caricature the experience of the Enslaved but does shine a light on their lived experiences. It is difficult in the current climate where for whatever it is worth, I feel the “white gaze” is a threat to the sanctity and dignity of the Enslaved because of a lack of empathy or the miseducation regarding African Americans and Slavery in the United States. I often struggle with keeping these brutal truths private; the degradation of my ancestors on one hand in this environment and the importance of at least providing a platform for the hidden history, stories and struggle, on the other hand.
I viewed a few pictures on Facebook of “Slut Walks.” One picture in particular deals with our culture that doesn’t call men who rape, what they are, rapist. I hope this movement incorporates the rape and sexual exploitation of African American Enslaved Women because without it, the foundation for our current society’s view on rape, is devoid of its grounding and historical foundation. Fact, our rape culture started when white men began their sexual exploitation of African Enslaved women for their profit.
This is the third installment in the Slavery in North America series on ProgressivePOC. It is a must read.
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