Source: NewsOne Screenshots / Wikipedia / Wikipedia
If you know me… You know that i’m a history buff. I love reading and understanding how the world came to be. In my pursuit of understanding the African American experience. I ran across “The William Byrd II Diaries. I found it very interesting to be able to look into the day to day trivial thoughts and actions of an 18th century Slave owner. It’s heart breaking, yet very informative. Check out the entries:
September 3, 1709: I ate roast chicken for dinner. In the afternoon I beat Jenny for throwing water on the couch.
December 1, 1709: Eugene was whipped again for pissing in bed and Jenny for concealing it.
December 3, 1709: Eugene pissed abed again for which I made him drink a pint of piss.[2]
Byrd often quarreled with his wife over the treatment of their slaves. These disagreements did not bode well for the slaves in question:
[1712 May] 22. . . . My wife caused Prue to be whipped violently notwithstanding I desired not, which provoked me to have Anaka whipped likewise who had deserved it much more . . .
And to think there are streets named to honor these people here in Richmond, Virginia. If you don’t know, you don’t know. But I challenge you to take the time out and GOOGLE any questions you have. The answers are right there. We have access to all of this information. The question is.. Are you ready to move forward with that information, and use it to make the Black Community stronger?
