Slavery Reflection Essay

About 4 years ago, I was crossing the street headed towards my house. As I crossed the street, I did not realize that a car was coming. Next thing, I know is that I’m lying on the floor, in complete shock. People were gathering around me. The firefighters came, then the police, and then an ambulance. When the paramedics came, all I could ask was “Did I just get by a car?” The paramedic said yes. Then it all clicked. I was like “wow! I was actually hit by a car.” But I felt fine, so I asked the paramedic if I could go home. He gave me this baffled look and immediately said “No. We need to take you to the hospital girl.” Once in the hospital, the doctors took X-rays and said I would be fine. I went home feeling very lucky. If you think about it, this could have happened to anyone. You never know if the person lying on the floor is going to be you. Experiences like this one can lead to fear or trauma. But,

I’m referring to the experience of slavery. In our history class and through the readings in our English class we have learned that African Americans were once forcefully brought here as slaves. As property, and animals that were here to work for whites. For centuries, African Americans experienced the traumatic events that many slaves had to survive, which consisted of abuse, violence, and suffering. Toni Morrison described it as the thought “That anybody white could take your whole self for anything that came to mind. Not just work, kill, or maim you, but dirty you. Dirty you so bad you couldn't like yourself anymore. Dirty you so bad you forgot who you were and couldn't think it up." It was the fear that every slave had to face. Being an object that was forced to live through hell, an experience that often took the sanity of those who had to live it. Slaves were at the mercy of their masters. They could do with them as they