In the belly of the slave ship, there are souls trapped inside of bodies, lined up in pews of wayward submission to a new god, also known as the Americas. At the bow a savoir stands bestowing unnecessary mercies into ignorant and wicked hands that cast no favor on the souls in bondage. –Josalynn Smith
The diagram of the slave ship is a visual representation of the system of economic gain by slaveholders. When I view the diagram, I imagine the unbearable bodily orders, the sounds of clenching iron collars for the rebellious, and the sharks’ trail of death lingering behind the ships. Although the enslaved were packed helplessly as sardines in a can as vividly shown, many of these souls were less than destitute, although attempts were made to strip and threaten their sense of identity and purpose. –Candace Chambers
After seeing the slave ship image, I started to think about the unimaginable horrors committed against the people of Africa. While the multitude of these crimes continue to astound me, I'm also amazed on how far African Americans have come despite these tragedies. —Alesia Alexander
This image is a fossil of our history, and I see the souls that decorated the ships. I know my ancestors came on those ships, and I know MY blood is here because of those ships. –Mariah Hill
The breathtakingly painful image of a slave ship has the ability to force you to question the true motives of those enslavers. It is a reminder of the effects that greed, capitalism, and the thirst for Money and power can have on an entire world of people, affecting generations. Money is not the root of all evil, but the love of money is the root of all evil, and being able to pack a ship with humans toe to toe is proof. --Amber Walker
The ship was not a ship. It was a factory. The ship manufactured Africans by objectifying them and turning them into tools for the growth of a nation they could never call their own. –Deontez Wimbley
Related:
• AALCI 2014
************
************
No comments:
Post a Comment