Running Head: SLAVERY AND ME 1
Slavery and Me
Slavery is one of the staples in history that both white and black people would like to
forget about, but our original 13 colonies was built by the hands of slaves. White people will
never understand the harsh circumstances endured by blacks because the whites have never been
enslaved. To be beaten, branded and treated like property is ungodly and inhumane. Slavery was
not right, but without it blacks would not understand the struggle or sense of accomplishments.
Whites still to this day experience white privilege having everything given to them without a
stress, struggle, or pain. Blacks are still underpaid, overworked, and not fully appreciated for
their work performances.
In school, I remember celebrating Black History month which is now slowly fading away
with the integration of different cultured. I learned about Rosa Parks, Dr. King, and many other
blacks that contributed to black civil rights. We also learned about innovators like C.J. Walker
and George Washington Carver. Slavery was not presented thoroughly until high school when a
history teacher showed us the movie Roots which angered many of my peers. At that time, I was
already aware of my family history and never let the topic of slavery bother me. How can
something that happened over 150 plus years ago cause me to have an emotional reaction? It
happened, the past is unable to be altered so we need to look forward to tomorrow. Are there still
traits of slavery today? Many of my peers will argue that we are still in slavery. My son says we
are slaves with a timeclock. Our ancestors worked extremely hard to overcome their
circumstances and fought for equality for future generation to come which is us.
I’m a descendant of Big Bob Ealy who was stud taking around by his master to breed
strong slaves. Once freed from slavery he married Jane Parrot then birthed at least 12 known
children. This is where my family tree begins. There was an Ealy plantation in which most of my
family maintained life, the Ealy family had a store, school, and took care of each other. Just
SLAVERY AND ME 2
because slaves were free does not mean prejudice stopped. I would hear stories of how my
grandfather and siblings were told not to leave the land that they owned they were only protected
on the plantation. I had a great-great-uncle dragged down a dirt road when he tried to leave
Mississippi leaving a widow and three small children to provide for themselves. My
grandmother’s grandmother picked cotton and she would talk of how her hands and legs were all
scratched up from working in the field. It was always a joke that I would have been in the big
house because I’m considered a Mel ado. As my grandmother said “you would have been the
master’s whore having mixed slaves running everywhere.” Yes, I am bi-racial but my
stubbornness and mouth may have not got me far in the slave days. My family has been blessed
to have a genealogist as an Ealy and he researches the descendants trying to account for every
blood relative. Knowing my history provides me with the insight of self-respect and dignity.
