The Ties Of Slavery
Upon the recent dismantling of monuments that should have taken place years ago my only hope albeit I like numerous American individuals of color have roots from American slavery several times over — I hope cancel culture extremists do not begin removing or defacing all of history in attempts to make history appear clean as they understand it. Yes, absolutely the statue of Columbus deserved to be thrown into the river that goes without saying but what about historical figures that very minute information is known? Such as the story of Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson? What about their descendants who are frequently very proud of where they come from?
We have to keep in mind there were people of color who owned slaves Black and Creole people especially. There were even American Indigenous people who owned slaves and thus who had descendants with those they essentially owned. I’ve spoken of this before, I am one of the descendants of Cherokee Chief Chulio Shoeboots and what became his African wife Daul (sometimes referred to as Doll) also known in history as Dwali the Cherokee word for “Bowl” most likely due to the fact she did the domestic work as opposed to any field work. She had been purchased as a slave by Shoeboots, later wed and I believe later freed by Shoeboots. Several of their children were taken as slaves by white slave owners needless to say both Chulio and Daul petitioned for their freedom. There actually was a book by Tiya Miles entitled “Ties That Bind” about the history of Chief Chulio Shoeboots and Doll. Not so unlike Sally Hemings little is known of Doll other than she was a Black slave practically right off of the boat by way of the Caribbean according to historical records.
Hopefully historical stories such as those mentioned are not cast into the flame of generationally pent up oppression and injustice. History albeit most often is not only murky but also can not be broad brushed. History can not be sanitized nor warped into what individuals will it to be. That is why it is the past and often in order to preserve history and to respect descendent we must look at the past in context. Obviously not in all cases but in some cases at least because legacies of those who are living must be thought of.
