TO THOSE WHO KEEP SLAVES, AND APPROVE THE PRACTICE

by Richard Allen1794

The judicious part of mankind will think it unreasonable that a superior good conduct is looked for from our race, by those who stigmatize us as men, whose baseness is incurable, and may therefore be held in a state of servitude, that a merciful man would not doom a beast to; yet you try what you can to prevent our rising from a state of barbarism you represent us to be in, but we can tell you from a degree of experience that a black man, although reduced to the most abject state human nature is capable of, short of real madness, can think, reflect, and feel injuries, although it may not be with the same degree of keen resentment and revenge that you who have been and are our great oppressors would manifest if reduced to the pitiable condition of a slave.

We believe if you would try the experiment of taking a few black children, and cultivate their minds with the same care, and let them have the same prospect in view as to living in the world, as you would wish for your own children, you would find upon the trial, they were not inferior in mental endowments.

I do not wish to make you angry, but excite attention to consider how hateful slavery is in the sight of that God who hath destroyed kings and princes for their oppression of the poor slaves. Pharaoh and his princes with the posterity of king Saul, were destroyed by the protector and avenger of slaves. Would you not suppose the Israelites to be utterly unfit for freedom, and that it was impossible for them, to obtain to any degree of excellence? Their history shows how slavery had debased their spirits. Men must be willfully blind, and extremely partial, that cannot see the contrary effects of liberty and slavery upon the mind of man; I truly confess the vile habits often acquired in a state of servitude, are not easily thrown off; the example of the Israelites shows, who with all that Moses could do to reclaim them from it, still continued in their habits more or less; and why will you look for better from us, why will you look for grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? It is in our posterity enjoying the same privileges with your own, that you ought to look for better things.

When you are pleaded with, do not you reply as Pharaoh did, "Wherefore do ye Moses and Aaron let the people from their work, behold the people of the land now are many, and you make them rest from their burthens." We wish you to consider that God himself was the first pleader of the cause of slaves.

That God who knows the hearts of all men, and the propensity of a slave to hate his oppressor, hath strictly forbidden it to his chosen people, "Thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian, because thou wast a stranger in his land." Deut. 23. 7. The meek and humble Jesus, the great pattern of humanity, and every other virtue that can adorn and dignify men, hath commanded to love our enemies, to do good to them that hate and despitefully use us. I feel the obligations, I wish to impress them on the minds of our colored brethren, and that we may all forgive you, as we wish to be forgiven, we think it a great mercy to have all anger and bitterness removed from our minds; I appeal to your own feelings, if it is not very disquieting to feel yourselves under dominion of wrathful disposition.

If you love your children, if you love your country, if you love the God of love, clear your hands from slaves, burthen not your children or your country with them, my heart has been sorry for the blood shed of the oppressors, as well as the oppressed, both appear guilty of each others blood, in the sight of him who hath said, he that sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed.

Will you, because you have reduced us to the unhappy condition our color is in, plead our incapacity for freedom, and our contented condition under oppression, as a sufficient cause for keeping us under the grievous yoke. I have shown the cause, — I will also show why they appear contented as they can in your sight, but the dreadful insurrections they have made when opportunity has offered, is enough to convince a reasonable man, that great uneasiness and not contentment, is the inhabitant of their hearts. God himself hath pleaded their cause, he hath from time to time raised up instruments for that purpose, sometimes mean and contemptible in your sight, at other times he hath used such as it hath pleased him, with whom you have not thought it beneath your dignity to contend. Many have need convinced of their error, condemned their former conduct, and become zealous advocates for the cause of those, whom you will not suffer to plead for themselves.

—

"To Those Who Keep Slaves, and Approve the Practice" by Richard Allen (1794) is in the public domain.

All Definitions and Footnotes:

1. judicious (adjective) : having, showing, or done with good judgment or sense

2. stigmatize (verb) : to describe or regard as worthy of disgrace or great disapproval

3. lowness

4. Barbarism (noun) : absence of culture and civilization

5. Manifest (verb) : to display or show by one's actions or appearance; to be evidence of

6. Endowment (noun) : a person’s natural ability or talent

7. Posterity (noun) : all future generations

8. Debase (verb) : to reduce in quality or value; to degrade

9. Moses is a prophet in Abrahamic religions, which includes Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. According to the Hebrew Bible, he was a former Egyptian prince who became a religious leader later in life.

10. A thistle is an herbaceous plant of the daisy family, which typically has a prickly stem.

11. burdens

12. Propensity (noun) : an inclination or natural tendency to behave a certain way

13. Abhor (verb) : to regard with disgust and hatred

14. brothers

15. Dominion (noun) : control of a region; power to rule

16. Wrath (noun) : extreme anger

17. The yoke is a tool used to control livestock, and is often used to refer to those who are oppressed or controlled.

18. Insurrection (noun) : an act of revolt against civil authority

19. Contemptible (adjective) : not worthy of respect of approval

20. Contend (verb) : to argue strongly

21. Zealous (adjective) : extremely passionate or enthusiastic in support of a person, object, or cause

“To Those Who Keep Slaves, and Approve the Practice”

by Richard Allen (1794)

Paraphrased by A.I. for a simpler reading level.

It is unreasonable to expect good behavior from people you treat as if they are less than human, and who you believe can never change. You say that Black people are naturally inferior, but we can tell you from experience that, even when reduced to the lowest state possible—short of madness—Black people can still think, reflect, and feel pain. We may not feel anger or desire for revenge in the same way you do, but we still feel it.

If you would just take a few Black children and teach them as well as you teach your own children, you would see that we are just as capable of learning and thinking.

I don’t mean to make you angry, but I want you to understand how wrong slavery is in the eyes of God. God has punished kings and rulers in the past for their cruelty to slaves. Pharaoh and King Saul’s descendants were destroyed for oppressing the poor. If you look at the Israelites, who were once slaves in Egypt, you can see that even though they were badly treated, they still managed to become free and strong. Slavery made them weak at first, but freedom helped them grow.

When we ask for freedom, some of you respond like Pharaoh did in the Bible, saying, “Why do you want to stop working? We have many people to do the work.” But we are only asking for what is right, as God Himself did when He first spoke up for the slaves.

God, who knows the hearts of all people, has forbidden hatred for others. He tells His people not to despise the Egyptians because they were once strangers in their land. Jesus, who showed us the best example of kindness and love, told us to love our enemies and do good to those who hurt us. I feel that it is a blessing to forgive others, and I hope all of us can let go of anger and bitterness.

If you care about your children, your country, and God, then you should stop enslaving people. It is a great sorrow to think about the violence done to both the oppressors and the oppressed. Both are guilty in the eyes of God.

You may argue that we are not ready for freedom, and that we are happy with our condition, but that is not true. The uprisings and rebellions that have happened throughout history show that we are not content. When the chance comes, we fight for our freedom. God has sent many people, sometimes humble or despised, to speak out for the rights of slaves, and some of those who once opposed us now speak up for us.

---

(A.I. says: This version keeps the original meaning but uses simpler language to make it easier to read while maintaining the seriousness of the message.)

A student is writing an essay about the nonfiction text from which this selection is taken:

When Helen Keller was born in 1880 in Tuscumbia, Alabama, she was able to see and hear. Unexpectedly, though, Helen was struck with a severe illness at nineteen months old. After her recovery, Helen's parents discovered that she had lost her sight and hearing. At first, they struggled to communicate with her daughter. Luckily, Helen and the daughter of her family's cook soon came up with hand signals that Helen could use to convey some of her thoughts. Still, these signs did not allow Helen to fully express herself.

A student is writing an essay about the story from which this selection is taken.

Something crazy is going to happen now, Charlie thought. But he wasn't frightened. He wasn't even nervous. He was just terrifically excited. And so was Grandpa Joe. The old man's face was shining with excitement as he watched every move that Mr. Wonka made. Mr. Wonka was reaching for a button high up on the glass ceiling of the lift. Charlie and Grandpa Joe both craned their necks to read what it said on the little labels beside the button.