Emancipation: Could The African Slaves Have Freed Themselves?

One of, if not the greatest sin on American hands is the involvement of slavery. Even before the establishment of the United States of America in 1776, there was slavery occurring in the “New World”. Historically, the slave trade was “abolished” by Abraham Lincoln when he gave the great Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. However, the activities of the slave trade and ownership of slavery did not come to a complete end until many years to come. Moreover, years after the “emancipation” African Americans still did not maintain the level of freedom described and believed by the American Founders. Looking at history, questions do arise: could the African slave population have won their own freedom in America? And did they have a right to fight for their freedom? A fight for freedom is certainly something the Founding Fathers believed in and did with success; however, it was only one of two types of freedoms attempted by the African slave populous. The tactics applied in the Revolutionary War were certainly something African slaves did employ; to not engage on a normal playing field. Even with the clever tactics of the time, African slaves could not fight an all-out war on their own. The best course to freedom was through a long-term plan, with the help of friends, sympathizers, and even those who were indifferent.

To fight for anything, there is usually an overwhelming motivation, especially when it is a fight that affects and even ends the life of another. One of the strongest motivations shown throughout time has been the desire to be free. The drive to eradicate the suppression from others over your own life. The Founding Fathers felt that very same need and desire; to run their own lives without the oppression of others. Likewise, so did the African community that was forced into the abusive and abhorrent life of slavery. The two groups, people from very different origins and beliefs, had the same understanding: Humans have the right to live out their own lives without the forced influence of others. It is an incredible revelation that two very different cultures had very similar beliefs, beliefs worth fighting and dying over. Humans have shown time and time again an innate repugnance towards external influence. A few examples other than the American Revolution: When Scotland attempted to revolt and secede from the British Empire in 1688 and The French revolution in 1789. In all cases, the people felt they had a right to fight. One of the distinguishing factors for the American Revolution was its heavy influence of religion. Arguably, it was the main influence. The right to go to war for the Thirteen Colonies was developed from their religion.

The view of the founding fathers was plainly written out in the Declaration of Independence.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed

The Founding Fathers believed that all men are created equally. There are two parts to this quote that are repeatedly confused and misinterpreted: the word man, and the word equal. The word “man” is a general term for mankind. It is an umbrella term that refers to men and women of every color and culture. This is often, purposeful or otherwise, misunderstood to be referring only to the white Anglo-Saxon protestant male. Second, the word equal does not refer to a continual and equal placement within society. The equality believed in is the equal opportunity to make something out of one’s self. That everyone has the same chance to work for your success. That is the right written about and intended by those who established the United States.

The expansive rights in The United States of America are available for all to see within the Bill of Rights. Those rights are to be protected by the government, which was the original purpose of the federal government. Those were the rights and beliefs that the Thirteen Colonies went to war to defend. They believed that they were afforded those rights by their “creator”. Before the United States was even established, those views were maintained. There was no citizenship required to have those “given” rights. Because of those beliefs, which America was founded on, the African community had every right to fight for their freedom. The federal government may not be required to protect the Africans from foreign oppression, but there certainly should not have been any involvement with the oppression. The act of enslavement goes against the ideology of all mankind being equal. The general populous may not have practiced the foundational beliefs of the Founders, but those who held office in the federal government had every responsibility to not interfere with the personal freedom of any individual.

The freedom under contention by the African Slaves was split between two preferences. First, there were those who wanted freedom within the United States of America, to be viewed as equal people with equal rights under the government and its laws. Second, there were those who wanted to be separate from the United States, to be their own separate society and community. These two views continue to be argued to this day.

The fight for complete separation was not un-common within English colonies, particularly in the Caribbean. Two examples would be Cuba and Haiti. Both colonies were plantation colonies established to produce a multitude of crops. Cuba was under the rule of Spain and Haiti under the occupation of France. The separation was accomplished in both colonies do to a strong rebel uprising and a lack of mainland influence. A land with a weak economy and a low influence from the mainland left the colonies vulnerable to uprisings. “Abolition came from an economically weakened and politically isolated metropolis” Without having the continual influence of the people from the country’s mainland, the colonies would be almost left to their own devices. This is essentially what occurred with the American Revolution. The British were to far away to carry a large political influence and too far away to continue a proper supply. That one substantial factor, separational freedom was not possible. At least not possible within north America. The United States had too many resources that were too readily accessible for the African Slaves to have separated. Regardless, there was an exodus of 40,000 Blacks to Kansas who purchased and established their own lands. The land allowed for freedom until the later expansion of the United States. This then presented the Blacks with the issue of lacking equal freedom within the country.

The process for equal rights under the government was the second form of freedom struggled for by African slaves in America. For an example of abolition being accomplished relatively peacefully, one can look towards Great Britain. Great Britain began the process of slavery abolishment much earlier than the United States of America and did it much more cost effectively. One of the methods for procuring the freedom for slaves was through government payouts. To offset the economic loss for the families and individuals that owned slaves, the government payed enough to equate to modern days millions in Euros. This gave the impression of the government paying for the slaves, which were viewed as property, instead of stealing the perceived property from the people. This was quite effective and showed a willingness of the government to work with her people, something the United States government was unwilling to do.

The leader of the United States during the “peak” of the abolition movement was resident Abraham Lincoln. He was the man who wrote and delivered the “Emancipation Proclamation”. The speech that is historically known for being the speech that freed the slaves. With a man at the head of the government so willing to outwardly speak towards the freedom of the African slaves, one would assume that he and the government would be equally minded towards that goal. That assumption would be incorrect. In fact, that could not be farther from the truth. President Abraham Lincoln and his administration had no true intentions of freeing the African population and it certainly was not the purpose for the Civil War. There are multiple recorded speeches and conversations carried out by President Lincoln that speak towards the advancement of only the white man. “The whole nation is interested that the best use shall e made of these [new] territories. We want them for the homes of free white people – Abraham Lincoln, October 16, 1854”. President did not plan for a future with or for equal blacks. The future President Lincoln sought for would be for only free white men. Lincoln made it clear that he had no intentions of any other future.

I have no purpose to introduce political and social equality between the white and black races. There is a physical difference between the two, which, in my judgement, will probably forever forbid their living together upon the footing of perfect equality; and inasmuch as it becomes a necessity that there must be a difference, I, as well as Judge Douglas, am in favor of the race to which I belong having the superior position. I have never said anything to the contrary.

His conversations were very clear. He had no desire to make movements to free the African people. With all the words and towards the view of superiority, why did Lincoln make slavery and aspect of the Civil War? Lincoln did so to shake the social landscape in the enemy of the Confederacy. Lincoln’s goal for the Civil War was to bring the Union back together. To have the most amount of land and people under the influence of the government. Before the Emancipation Proclamation, the Confederacy was winning the war, pushing back the Union back farther and farther each day. Lincoln had to do something drastic, he needed to stop the progress and through off the Confederacy. The Emancipation Proclamation was the perfect answer. It was an answer the African slaves could utilize for their benefit.

The Emancipation Proclamation gave the slaves in the south the motivation to revolt against theirs master and either fight or run away. The slaves that ran to the north would even join up with the Union army and fight against there former owners and the Confederate army. Without the sudden increase in the troop ranks of the Union army and the chaos erupting in the home towns of the Confederate lands, the Union would not have won, and the United States would not be what it is today. The speech also gave those working in the abolition movement within the government the opportunity to take ground in the political scene.

Two of the greatest figures for abolition movement was Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois. The two figures had outwardly opposing views and plans for the equality of the black man in America, however, the goal was still the same. “W.E.B Du Bois believed the best route for African’s was to become educated, that powered is developed through education. ‘Education, for Du Bois (1973), is “by derivation and in fact drawing out of human powers’”. Du Bois Believed that to combat and reach equality in America, the Black community needed to educate themselves and reach an equal playing field. Booker T. Washington believed in having a foundation, to go and start a community and be self-sufficient. Washington wanted the Blacks to build a relationship with the white population, to the end goal of the Whites wanting the Blacks to be apart of the community as equal. To be equal with the rights in America, seeing them with equal values as human beings. With the continuing fight for total equality, the two philosophies are still being debated and discussed to this day.

The United States has a short history on this continent and on this planet. A history full of incredible accomplishments and many characteristics worth celebrating. Nevertheless, like any other country run by the human race, she has her faults. The most notable is the American Slave Trade and the process the United States went through to abolish it and the discriminatory views of the people at the time. African Americans suffered many atrocities and they suffered because of the greed of others. Many countries were able to abolish slavery through many means other than war. But the United States had many hidden agendas which prevented the peaceful and natural emancipation of the Black Community. Because of the people of the time and the government that would not serve all people under her protection, the abolition of slavery required many parties, and people to arrive at the equality of all men under the law and protection of the government. Something that to this day is still being perfected.

Works Cited

Adams, John, et al. ‘Declaration of Independence Transcript.’ 4 July 1776. National Archive. 11 November 2018.
Barnes, Robert P. ‘Scotland andthe Glorious Revolution of 1688.’ (n.d.).
Dilorenzo, Thomas. The Real Lincoln: A New Look at Abraham Lincoln, His Agenda, and an Unnecessary War. Crown Forum; Reprint edition, 2009.
Knight, Franklin W. ‘The Haitian Revolution.’ American Historical Review (2000): 109.
Lawson, Stephen F and Nancy A Hewitt. Exploring American Histories. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2016.
Manning, Sanchez. Britain’s Colonial Shame. 24 February 2013. 23 November 2018.
Palmer, R. R. ‘Reflections of the Frech Revolution.’ The Academy of Political Science (n.d.).
Rabaka, Reiland. ‘W. E. B. Du Bois’s Eveolving Africana Philosophy of Education.’ Sage Publication Inc. (n.d.): 2.