Reconstruction

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  In South Carolina, 21 year old male ran into a black church and went on a killing spree killing many innocent lives.
• During reconstruction black men were in the senate
• Even now we are still affected by the collapse of reconstruction
• When black men were allowed to enter the Army, 180,000 former black male slaves rose to the occasion
• The role of black soldiers was important to ensure the end of slavery in the war
• Reconstruction is the process in which American society tried to come to terms and unionize all people after slavery
• They needed to define what a citizen was
• The north and the south saw reconstruction differently
• The south didn't agree with the north even after they lost the war
• Abraham Lincoln suggested that some black men deserved the right to vote
• And John Wilkes Booth assassinated him after that speech
• Hours after Lincolns death Andrew Johnson was sworn in 
  
  
  
• He was a southern democrat and that the civil war came from the rich plantation owners
• Andrew Johnson was not supportive of black people
• The freedmans borough had not a lot of money but instead had a lot of land
• In 1866 a journalist was a south civilization that defended itself from the norths aggression a sentiment that was memorized and favored in the south
• Many white southerners did not want to fight for the confederacy until after the war when they needed to unify
• In November 1865 a Mississippi government that Andrew Johnson set a bunch of racist laws known as the black code
  
  
  
• Every black adult was forced to sign a yearly labor contract or they would have to pay a fine, and then get sold off and work off the fine
• These white people could take black children and say that that they could train them up and make then valuable laborers and black people couldn't do anything about it
• The KKK was created in 1866 in Tennessee and they did the exact same thing the slave patrols did
• They made sure black people are doing labor, not getting too rich, not gaining too much land
• The republican congress was taking over Johnson and they passed the civil rights act of 1866
• Many of the people who were committing the violence were known by the victims
• It took the army 3 days to regain control memphis and every black school and home was burned down
• 48 people were killed and all but 2 were black
• Many northern states didn't allow black men to vote, the south thought this was hypocrisy and the government didn't know what they wanted to do
• The 1868 election was a very important election, black voters were being attacked and killed while trying to vote
• Half a million black men casted their vote and Ulysses S Grant ended up winning because of that
• Many black men were elected to office afterwards, and were given more rights

Eoto Reaction 3

   

The Montgomery bus boycott started when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus. She was not the first to do this but as an activist she was the most renowned. She ended up suing Montgomery and the African Americans decided to boycott but creating their own transport system. Colored riders made up of 70% of bus riders so the city lost a good amount of shares. When Parks’ lawsuit reached the Supreme Court, they decided that this reinforced the Brown V Board of Education case. The Freedom rides followed and they were riders who rode buses through the south by not boarding their respected segregated busses. They were continuously beaten and abused by many southerners until change was finally forced. The Little Rock Nine were 9 kids who were the first to integrate public schools. They were abused and attacked by students and parents alike and they were forced to have soldiers guarding them throughout the school time.

 The Voting Rights Act protected minority voters from harassment and intimidation. This led to increased voter registration, saved lives, and was the catalyst for the greater Civil Rights movement in the 1960s. The March on Washington for jobs and freedom was a march that demanded the end of racism job discrimination. Over 250,000 people marched with majority of them being African American. This march hosted the famous I Have a Dream speech from Martin Luther King Jr which was only on of its speeches and speakers. This led to the beginning of the Civil Rights Act as well as the Voting Rights Act.

The stand in the schoolhouse door was an act of resistance against desegregation. George Wallace blocked 2 black African American students from entering the University of Alabama. He was the democratic governor of Alabama and was eventually forced to move by JFK. Another racist event was the 16th street Baptist church bombing. On Sep 15, 1963, Klan members planted a bomb that injured 23 people and killed 4 little girls. Many protests were held afterwards and this bomb wasn’t unexpected, there were 50 bombings in 50 years which is number much larger than what it needs to be. The KKK also kidnapped and killed 3 men who were organizing black boycotts and increasing black voter registration. Over 700 other volunteers joined them in their fight for freedom. A massive search was conducted and eventually their bodies were all found dead. The Orangeburg massacre was a protest in which students started a bonfire and were throwing rocks at the police. One hit a police and then they all began to fire into the crowd killing 3 and wounding 28. The students were claimed to be armed and the press neglected and falsified the events. One of the biggest events to happen was the assassination of MLK. He was shot by James Earl Ray and his death sparked violent outbreaks across the entire nation with over 40 deaths and significant damage. There was a public day of mourning the day after and over 100,000 mourners were at his funeral.

Univ of Cali V Bakke Sp Court

     
    

Greetings ladies and Gentlemen of the court, your honor. As you already know we are gathered here to argue the case of Mr. Bakke and the University of California. What you may not know though, is the impact of these 16 black seats have more potential to raise America's economy than just one white man. In this era, the 1970's it's been stated by law that black people are citizens of America. So why must we continue to exclude them from the  American economy? Since the 1960s, black people have had a continuous increase in professional jobs, this trend will only continue to increase as we weave them more into the American economy. To abolish the 16 seats that stand as opportunity for the black community is working backwards for the social change and for our economy. We have just passed through inflation and war as a country, these two things are known to dismantle the economy and heavily impact finances. Our actions now should not be to limit the sources of income, but instead expand the range of things the country can profit from. By having these reserved seats, minorities of all races could have an opportunity to contribute and bridge the gap between the white economy and the minority economy. We do not have the liberty to be separate any longer, it has been proven time and time again that we must be unified if we plan to make any progress as a country. 

    Just a few years ago in 1972 the Sickle Cell Anemia Control Act was passed which made Sickle Cell Anemia become diagnosable and treatable in federally established clinics. For those who may not know this is a disease that affects people mainly of African descent. I bring this up because this disease was known to be a problem since 1910, but because there was a gap between blacks and whites not just legally or socially but economically, it was forgotten. The reality of the matter was that doctors didn't know much about it, so it was left alone for many years. In 1971 The Black Panther Party decided to educate themselves and clinics they ran on the disease which was a year before the Act was passed. This may seem irrelevant but what this an example of a disease that affects only minorities in America. By giving opportunities to more minorities there could be more breakthroughs in medicine and genetics that affect the American people. It's a simple formula, the more people that are alive and healthy, then the more people that are able to work and advance the country and its economy. The medical field specifically is a field that we cannot allow to stay separate for this reason, for the reason that information and medicine play the biggest part in the American economy.

    If you take anything away from this court today, it should be that America cannot function with only one leg, and that if we plan to progress along our journey as a nation we must allow opportunity and community to all of out citizens.    

    

Brown V Board Reaction

     4 states including Kansas that mandated public schools must be separate but equal between black schools and white schools. The African Americans come to challenge the phrase separate but equal and it violates the spirit of the law and it should be overturned.

   

For the side of Brown, every human being was created equally in the name of god. Separating children by the color of their skin holds back the potential of many. The phrase separate but equal is separate without the part of equality. It makes no sense to try to unify a country when the children are taught they are different and separate from a young age. African Americans have been useful in the war and even held high positions in the military, if they are equal during war time then why aren’t they equal in society? African Americans are not being given the opportunity the be educated and literate, by teaching the kids in the same school system American society will have more resources and unity. By not wasting funds on multiple schools for different colors, the finances can be allocated elsewhere. By teaching African Americans in integrated schools they are able to get better education and thus a higher paying job. White students benefit from desegregation because their connections and customers increase which allows for a higher economic return. The Civil Rights law of 1866 defined what a citizen should be, and it paved the way for the 14th amendment. The separate but equal clause violates the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment because the facilities of African Americans are not equal to their white counterparts. African Americans should not receive any less of an eduction just because of the facilities they have are lesser. The argument for equal opportunities for African Americans has been mentioned in the past and it will always be mentioned until true equality between races is achieved.

   

For the side of the Board of Education, the separate but equal clause affects the white population of well. In order for African Americans to increase their school facilities they must pull their weight and contribute more to taxes just like the white people are doing because that is true equality. They have the ability to gain a higher paying job and create a bountiful community because to been shown with The Black Wall-street of Oklahoma. It is the community taxes that go towards the school facilities so it is in their hands to increase their facilities and the same goes for the white people. Black Wallstreet was destroyed because a black man attacked a white woman in Oklahoma and that warranted a revolt. If a single black person could destroy the entire working class of the entire race, integrating will only bring danger to the rest of society. They are uninformed and uneducated and need to gain more knowledge before integrating into white society. The African Americans were given right after right, and they had opportunities to advance and catch up to the whites but they would rather keep fighting for more than to realize that what they have is the same things the white people have. It should be obvious that putting black people into an aggressive white society will only repeat the violence and dangers of history and that is not productive for the American society. The Bible claims that what god has seperate thy shall not enjoy together and vise versa. African Americans are the subservient race, and integrating would disrupt the divine order of race. If we do not support same gender marriage which disrupts the order set by Adam and Eve, why must we support the splicing of races which upsets the divine order? It has already been shown that separate but equal does not violate the equal protection clause in previous cases such as the Topeka case. From these past cases it has already been proven that the Kansas education system is equal, to overturn this case would be a major decision that won’t be the right one. The doctrine is not the problem, it is the execution and the execution is decided by the city. Upholding the doctrine and holding the city accountable is the right thing to do by the law. 

   

The judge summarizes, that the country is moving towards desegregation and African Americans slowly gain the same rights as African Americans. Certain norms customs and traditions are outdated and are moving on, and this is just far beyond schools such as transportation, entertainment, and more importantly the military. How can we expect African Americans to put their lives on the line for the country, and then treat them as second class citizens. It is also more efficient to pay for one quality school system, versus two quality school systems. In integrated communities there is less crime, less prison, more income, and are more affordable for not just the African Americans but the whites as well. If the schools had the same textbooks, teaching ability, and course material then the seperate but equal clause can be applied. Now for the state, Kansas rejects the claim that schools are not equal. This law affects whites and blacks alike, and the facilities aren’t an evil scheme. It’s just reality that the low income black community cannot provide enough tax dollars to increase their school facilities and it is shown elsewhere that they are not limited to making low income. The cause of the Tulsa race riot was because of the black success and if we integrate that can only happen on a larger scale. Change must be slow and steady and not sped up, and besides the god fearing judge was asked if he planned to disrupt the divine order. 4 other cases came out of the same state and they were all shown to be rejected, and the state of Kansas won all of them. All these cases are the same in nature, and this should be no different. The court decides that Brown has won the case.

The Birth Of A Nation

 
   The film The Birth of A Nation is a film made by D.W. Griffith was released on February 8, 1915. It is based on Thomas Dixon's novel The Clansman. This film was highly controversial due to the depictions of the African Americans, as well as the depictions of the Ku Klux Klan. It was unique because while having a cast of more than 10,000 people it managed to get so many historical events inaccurate. Naturally you would think that a movie of its caliber would fail, but that was quite the opposite. In fact it was so gross and dramatized that the NAACP filed to get the film banned or censored because of its defamation of the African American race. Of course they failed to do so and the movie went on to become one of the most famous movies in history.

    In the movie you see events such as Abraham Lincoln's death, the Civil War, and the Reconstruction era. Even while depicting these historical events Griffith decided to warp history and make a powerful story about the poor whites and the rising of the Ku Klux Klan. African Americans were depicted as monsters and criminals

with the sole purpose of passing laws so they can prey on innocent white women. They were uncivilized and needed to be restrained because every second they ran free, they were a danger. The worst part is that at the time, this is what Griffith as well as many other racist white people genuinely believed. This was their correct depiction of history and since then it has been debunked for obvious reasons. Now despite being extremely bigoted and racist, the film was of a great production for its time, having never before seen camera angles and a cast that pushed the boundaries of what could be defined as a movie. The goal of this movie from the jump was to be something big, something eye-catching almost like a real retelling of history.

    

    

The Ku Klux Klan in this movie were known as righteous heroes, saviors, and guardians. There was a very specific scene that showed a former slave owner's home being under siege by freed African Americans because his son was a part of the Klan. The part that is harrowing is that he is holding his adult daughter by her hair and he is threatening them with her life as if their main purpose is to attack and rape his daughter. This of course is avoiding the obvious problem of him thinking that killing his daughter himself was a better fate than being left with the brutish savages the movie portrays. The Klan goes around shooting innocent black people trying to vote, as well as protecting and getting revenge for their women and all of this is done in "defense". This depiction of the Ku Klux Klan is what everyone at the time was able to see and they believed it wholeheartedly, and it's what empowered the white people around to bring about the second emergence of the Ku Klux Klan.

EOTO Reaction

    The positives of the reconstruction start with forty acres and a mule. There was an order placed that stated 400,000 acres of land would be given to freed African American families. This was meant to establish their own economic independence, and how it could be land to themselves and not have to face discrimination and hate. This land was taken from the wealthy confederates, the very land the African Americans used to work on and was given to them to help establish their place. The freedmen's bureau was established by congress in 1865, in order to help black slaves and poor whites following the end of the Civil War. They provided things like food, housing, medical aid, education, etc. They set up offices on 15 southern and border states and it followed the War Department's record keeping system which held labor contracts, letters, marriage, and hospital registers. It was brought to a close for not enough funds, but the impact it had on the slaves was hope, and a belief that they can survive on their own.

The reconstruction Amendments are the 13th amendment which abolished slavery, the 14th amendment which granted equal protection laws, and the 15th amendment which was the right to vote for black men. This big reconstruction was brought on by the abolitionists who were petitioning to continue where Lincoln was unfortunately not able to finish. African Americans were even able to be elected to the house of representatives. Joseph Hayne Rainey was the first African American to serve and preside over the House of Representatives. He advocated for the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871 and the Civil Rights act of 1875 which served as protection for the black community. The Civil Rights act of 1875 was first introduces in 1870 by senator Charles Sumner, and it guaranteed all citizens, regardless of skin color, accommodations and the right to be included in jury duty. The bill was passed in February 27th, 1985 and became law on March 1st, 1875.

    The negatives of the reconstruction era first introduced the assassination of president Lincoln. He died April 15, 1865 in Ford's Theatre in Washington DC. His death caused national grief and halted the possibility of peace and threw the government into disarray. He was an important figure in history and was the main driving force behind the goal of reconstruction, he believed that reuniting the country was a priority. Andrew Johnson ascended to presidency and was harder on the south than Lincoln, and that allowed the south to regress instead of progress. The black codes where enacted due to Andrew Johnsons plan of reconstruction. The southern governments enacted a plethora of codes to limit black peoples success and to create a system similar to slavery. Of course white men would take advantage of these laws and force them into work that they should not have to due to debt peonage which was illegal. There were also laws that violated whites rights to increase wages to black people just to keep black people from being able to live on their own. The Ku Klux Klan started as a social club that turned into a powerful force in the south. Their goal was the reverse and prevent any progress black people may have made in the past. 10% of the black legislation were attacked and 7 black members were killed.

South Carolina was the state with the highest concentration of Ku Klux Klan members, and they would even go as far as to lynch prisoners already facing punishment for crimes they may not have even committed. The problem was, that they were hidden in plain sight, with white people all around there was no way to tell who was a member and who wasn't a member. The New Orleans Riots took place on July 30, 1866 which was preceded by the Memphis riot of 1866. Town sheriffs shot into mobs of black veterans which were not just protests and it led to 38 deaths in which 34 were black. The civil rights cases of 1883 was a series of 5 supreme court cases that ruled the 13th and 14th amendments did not allow congress to prohibit racial discrimination by private individuals. This affirmed that the government could not interfere with discrimination that was in non public places which means that it was still very much at large. It undermined the governments power and made the 13th and 14th amendment seem as if they didn't matter in the eyes of the people who were still finding ways through and around the laws.

Plessy v Ferguson

    Greetings ladies and gentlemen of the court, your honor. When it comes to the case of the respondent our side coins the phrase "separate but equal". This phrase can be applied to the most important aspects of life. America's economy is a major priority, as its what is keeping this country self-sufficient. Separating the races does not make either side any more important than the other, or any more successful than the other. An example of a successful black economy would be the black wall street of Galveston Texas. This Wall Street opened many successful businesses, monuments, and educational resources for African Americans. This stands as solid proof of the contribution and equal opportunities black people can take advantage of. 

    Now I assume the petitioner’s argument will speak along the lines of integration allowing for a more competitive market which in turn will boost our economy or that separate facilities are too costly.

Frankly, if blacks and whites start integrating, we all know that won't end well for the safety and security of the people of America. But speaking strictly of economics, forcing two races into a place of business can cause tension, and therefore scare off and frighten customers. Naturally, this isn't good for business, and instead having separate businesses and institutions stands to be the best way to gain profit and customers. One also must take into account the cost of accommodations to fit an integrated race society, increasing sizes of local governments and businesses weigh a pricey burden that will then put our country into an economic hole. Trying to force such stark change from the society we currently live in is bound to shake the country and put us at risk for an economic collapse. 

    Stepping away from businesses for a moment, just the simple idea of integration itself threatens the stability of the social hierarchy. Many people may not know this but drastically changing the social order leads to reduced investments, and constant quarrels that can hinder economic growth and simply cause more work for the judicial system. 

       Now speaking from a more positive point a view, the separation of races allows for a more specific allocation of resources.

These demographics are different, so it is possible to have different business for different races that all thrive the same which in turn boosts our economy. By already catering to specific demographics these businesses and local governments can more accurately follow trends and push out new products or policies that help our countries financial situation. Ladies and gentlemen wars are expensive as most of you may know, and it's not just wars that are costly, its smaller scale fights as well. Destruction of public property must be paid for and fixed by the government and over time these small disputes will become deadly to the economy of America. Tensions are still unbelievably high between not just races but between people's beliefs on how our country should make its profit. What we don't need right now is another divide that will put us into a deeper hole. After all, we just finished pouring money in the form of investments in our railroads and still need more time to get more returns on that. To bring this argument to a close, one can simply say our economy is better off with the separation of races because integration is too costly for what it's worth. 

Mock Trial Reaction

     John Mann is a "slave owner" because he rented a slave named Lydia. She is tasked with doing work for him for a certain amount of time. During that time Lydia ran away from punishment, and then John Mann proceeded to shoot her in the back with a pistol. She did not die but he was charged with attempted murder and assault and battery and was fined for 5 dollars. Mann says the fine was unjust and that the 5 dollars should be refunded to him.

    The offenders claimed that even though slavery existed from the dawn of time, not all slavery is the same. They claim that we are all the same and that we are all human, slavery or not. They are not asking to be put to death, but to be punished for harming another human, not a slave, not a savage, but a human. They claim that instead of being branded with a hot iron, or getting your ears cut off all they ask is for 5 dollars. A woman should not be subjected to the same pains a man should. These slaves bleed red just like the slave masters, and the lord states to treat others how you would like to be treated. Slaves are expensive, so much so that Mr. Mann doesn't even own one, and yet all they ask for is 5 dollars. They believe the clause that all men be treated equal extends to slaves as well. Slaves should not be harmed by anyone but their master, and Mann simply rented that slave and did not own her.

    The defense claims that slavery is a reflection of economy and human life, so why should be punished for upholding this economy. Slavery isn't just a system but the cornerstone of the south, he shouldn't be punished for defending the cornerstone. Slaves are seen as property, and they are an investment. It is the owners duty to control and maintain their slaves, and the slaves duty to submit themselves completely to the master. The masters authority has to be absolute and his actions were in line with societal norms and his contemporary rule was absolute. As Christians the bible itself, deem Mann's actions as holy and justified. It is not incorrect for him to whip her and shoot her when she did not submit herself to her master. Even though she was rented, she still belonged to him for the time being. In Ephesians 6 slaves must obey their master with respect and fear just as they would obey Christ. Lydia did not follow the lord, so Mann was carrying out his religious duty of disciplining his slave.

    The judge restated facts and his opinions on the case. If agriculture is so important to the south, why are they comfortable with using other humans to do the work rather than making machines or use livestock to do the tilling for them. This doesn't take away the fact that slavery is the reason the south is thriving and it doesn't just benefit the slave owner but all of society. How can we as Christians condemn Mann when our religion has accepted religion so far back as Abraham and even the angels encouraged slavery. An argument against slavery is an argument of Christianity. For all intensive purposed slavery is civilization and punishing slaves is apart of the civilization system which is enforced by law. History does not care about your emotions, and law does not care about your emotions. It all comes down to contractual law, in the contractual renting he has assumed the position of a slave owner and all the rights that come with it. The verdict was in favor of Mr. Mann court adjourned.

Amistad

     The Amistad is a Spanish ship that held 53 African captives from Sierra Leone, and was tasked with transporting them to Cuba on a Caribbean plantation as slaves in 1839. This violated multiple treaties on the slave trade so of course what they were doing was illegal and would send shockwaves through the United States. But three days into the trip a 25 year old captive named Sangbe Pieh also known as Joseph Cinuqe broke free, and then freed the rest of the captives. Together they took over the ship after killing the captain. There were two men Pedro Montez and Jose Ruiz who were the plantation owners who purchased the 53 slaves and got them aboard the ship. The slaves held them and forced them to take them back home to Sierra Leone. The captives though had no clue that at night they were being steered North and eventually after 63 days of the back and forth, the ship ended up in Long Island New York. There it was discovered by Thomas Gedney, who was the captain of navy the ship Washington. The ship was seized and all its cargo and everyone on it were taken to the Connecticut court. 

    The two plantation owners were freed while the slaves were held in captivity for piracy, and murder. Although eventually the charges against the captives would be dropped they were still held in captivity. They were being treated harshly and some of them died, by the end of the trial only 35 of them  survived. The case then went to the Federal District Court of Connecticut, and the plantation owners, the government of Spain, and the Captain who found them were each asking for rights to the slaves, or compensation. The president Martin Van Buren was in favor of sending the captives to become slaves in Cuba but abolitionists in the North raised money to defend them and their freedom. The abolitionists used the money to hire lawyer Roger S Baldwin, and two attorneys Seth Stables and Theodore Sedgewick. Without the abolitionists raising awareness then this case would have ended quietly with the captives becoming slaves. The attorney's revealed to the court that they were free Africans from outside the Spanish slave trade who were kidnapped from Africa. 

    The district court ruled the slaves free and for them to be sent back to Africa, but the U.S District Attorney filed an appeal to the Supreme Court. He demanded that they be returned to Spain to be incorporated into the slave trade as per the treaty. In the supreme Court trial, the Africans were represented by the revered John Quincy Adams who was the first president to not own slaves. He spent 8 1/2 hours defending the Africans and their rights before the Supreme Court, and ultimately won their freedom. In a 7-1 decision, the Supreme Court decided that it was their ultimate right to be free since they were illegally kidnapped, and taken from their rightful home. 

Post Reactions

     Sojourner Truth real name was Isabella Bumfree. She had been sold with a flock of sheep for 100$, which was a little odd because female slaves were very high in demand because they could make more slaves. Sojourner Truth had 13 children who were almost all lost to slavery. 

    Lucretia Mott was a white female abolitionist who fought for woman's rights and slave freedom. She help established the first women's rights convention. She gathered black and whites famous and non famous people such as Fredrick Douglas to help speak out.

    John Quincy Adams was the 6th president of the United States. He was one of the only 2 presidents who didn't own slaves. He made a gag rule to stop the anti-slavery talk. He made a clause that made every slave born after July 4 to be born free. 

    Elizabeth Buffam Chase was an abolitionist who lost her 5 children. Her community shunned her and her husband for their beliefs of abolition and total freedom. She also fought against racism by founding an anti-slavery organization. She set up the first underground railroad station in Rhode Island. 

    Abby Hailey Foster spent 20 years traveling the country for anti-slavery and women's rights. She was an organizer of the New England Women's Suffrage Association. She was a delegate to the first anti slavery convention for American women. She began to lecture people on anti-slavery using her knowledge of a teacher.

    John Brown was a studied ministry in Connecticut, before he had to quit because of an illness. Many of his children found careers in abolition. He supported anti slavery activists, and believed in immediate abolition. He traveled to Kansas and fought for the freedom of slaves to the legislature. He went to 5 slave owners and then executed them, because of how enraged he was of his hometown being persecuted. He then planned the raid on Harpers Ferry so he could overthrow slavery. His violence and brutal methods struck fear in the hearts of the slave masters, and inspired the slaves to rebel.

    

Leonard Grimes: A Virtuous Man

     I am Leonard Grimes, a black man born in 1815. Unlike others around this time period I was born to free parents. I was a mixed child, and people tended to regard me as a boy with a bright future. Being born in Leesburg, Virginia my freedom wasn't always secure, and it was subject to change at any moment. When I was a young teen we moved to Washington D.C where I worked as a butcher and an apothecary. I had to build up enough money to help support my family and to officially register myself as a free black man around the age of 20, even though I was born free.  

    I started to travel all around for work. I eventually ended up working for a slave holder in the deep south. Here I saw the atrocities and horrors of slavery. It was because I was free that allowed me to sympathize with the slaves. So I decided that I was going to use my freedom, to help others, I vowed to combat slavery. I became a conductor of the underground rail road unbeknownst to my family. I had a wife Octavia and four kids: Emma, John, Leonard Jr, and Julia, but at the time I only had two kids. As a conductor I had to have a solid coverup for this job. So I established myself as a prominent hackney driver. I transported politicians, professionals, and many other people around Washington D.C. In 1839, I got caught and sentenced to two years in prison. It was a surprise to many people because I was rather popular among blacks and whites at the time. Lucky for me I purchased my own property well before my arrest, so my family had a stable place to stay and didn't have to worry about the unjust persecution of the slaveholders.

   

    In 1846 after I was released I moved my family to New Bedford Massachusetts in search of a new job, and stable living. Around this time whaling was very popular, but after being in jail my connection to the spiritual only grew deeper. I went on a trip to Boston in 1848 which was an abolitionist hotbed, this is where a congregation was in need of a minister. So I decided to step up to the plate with my faith, and drive to combat slavery to become a trial minister. I was so good that I ended up becoming a Baptist minister and a pastor of the new Twelve Baptist Church. The church became known as the "Fugitive's Church", because many of our members escaped from slavery. Then in 1850 the infamous Fugitive Slave Act was passed. The entire church was no longer safe, and it was a risk that the church was so well known.

    Everything was good enough until 1854 when one of the men who was in the church's district was captured. His name was Anthony Burns, and I figured that if we can save this one man, then we can make a statement for the entire race. We tried directly to free him from the Boston jail, but that didn't go as planned. His trial was famous, and really brought attention to the slave act. Burns lost his case, but I wasn't planning on stopping there, I led a fundraiser which raised 1,300 dollars and then traveled to Baltimore Maryland myself to purchase his freedom from a slave holder. After that, nobody persecuted fugitive slaves in Boston.

   

    When the civil war broke out I was invited to serve as the the norths chaplain. In other words, President Lincoln invited me to be on the clergy for the armed forces. This was a little above me, and I had developed an attachment to my church so I declined the offer. After the war and the 13th amendment I had worked to help the free men and women. I lived to see the 14th amendment granting life, liberty and property, and the 15th amendment right to vote for black men. I think I did a fair share of good in my life, that being said on March 14 1873, at the age of 60 I had been laid to rest.

The Role of the Supreme Court

     The Supreme Court is a very important part of the judicial system. According to the video, with 9 justices they deliberate on very few cases, as little as less than 100 per year. All of these cases are picked by the justices, just because it gets sent doesn't mean they have to try it. Justices stay for a very long time and their decisions interpret the laws and how we apply them to our current lives. Of course they weren't always this powerful, after the creation of the supreme court it took 200 years for America to accept the word of the court. The saying "We the people" now encompasses everyone, but it used to only encompass eligible citizens which were typically white and most of the time male. Whenever a new judge gets appointed, they must all get together and take a new supreme justice portrait.

   

    The way cases get decided is a vote for if its constitutional, or if it not constitutional between judges and the more popular vote wins. You would think that people with opposing views would start to dislike each other but no, the justices actually do not hold grudges against each other. They have a job to do, and letting personal vendettas get in the way can seriously damage our country and interpretation of the constitution. A typical court decision is not a simple answer, it can range from 80 pages and up. All the pages are filled with evidence, reasonings, and arguments on why they made that decision. Justices converse in the courtroom with questions, points, and answers, all so they can get a better understand of the details and context of a case.

    A court case has to work its way up to the supreme court. Making it's way through the district, and appellate courts. With the 14th amendment every case needs the due process of the law and should be protected equally. This means that every case needs a decision, or a result the supreme court is the only court that has the power to reject cases. The supreme courts job is interpret and extend and shrink the boundaries of the rights we have as people, so understanding how they operate is very important. 

Slavery In the Bible: Was it Justified?

  INTRODUCTION

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      As we know, slavery has been around for centuries and has only recently abolished in the year 1865. But the question that seems to be on my mind is was it justified? When we ask that question, there becomes two sides to a story. 
        

    But what we seem to forget is that slavery didn't just "happen." There is a reason why slavery has been around for so long; the Bible. Today, we will speak to both sides of the story; the side that argues in favor of the Bible justifying slavery, and the other side who does the complete opposite, and argues against the Bible justifying slavery.

ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF SLAVERY  

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        Before slavery was abolished many masters, if not all, used the Bible to justify their cruel and violent wrong doings. Slave masters would learn the Bible and would then proceed with a baptism. The problem with this is the change within the masters' mindset. A baptism gives most people a fresh start, or as I say, a wash from their previous sins. Because of this, masters believed that their wrong doings towards enslaved people were gone and forgiven.

        But why is it that slave masters start to believe that they have a right to treat enslaved people in the cruel way because of the Bible? Well, there are many times that the Bible does encourage slavery. For example,  1 Timothy 6:1-2 explains how enslaved people should look up to their masters and should show respect towards those who believe in the faith. This citation gives a view into the concept of how slave masters should be the ones who hold the power in the relationship. Titus 2:9-10 also goes more in depth about the concept of a master holding all power by stating that masters should "Urge slaves to be submissive to their masters in everything... showing complete and perfect fidelity." 

        

        There are many more examples in the Bible that encourage the thought and actions of slavery. I find it interesting that the Bible also informs enslaved people that they should proud of their situations. Genesis 24:35 essentially gives off the idea that a slave is a form of wealth and is a blessing. There are many other citations in the testaments that substantially advises people of this idea that slavery is a blessing from God.

ARGUMENTS AGAINST SLAVERY