There Is No Such Thing as Rest - Essay Example

The case narrative, ‘There is no such thing as rest’ is an autobiographical account of Solomon Northrup’s life as a slave. The was free Afro American who was living a contented life with his wife and children when he was kidnapped in 1841. He had to work as slave in the cotton fields of Louisiana for twelve years before he was released in 1853 after concerted efforts by his family and New York’s governor. The narrative is hugely important because it highlights the sub human conditions of slaves. It also demonstrates how the tradition of slavery is carried out to maintain white’s superiority in burgeoning democracy of independent America. Indeed, the vicious cycle of racial differences and slavery remains a major concern as it is practiced more subtly and is supported by the power lobby, muscle power and financial advantages of the whites. The history of slavery in America goes back to the times of its discovery by Christopher Columbus in early 16th century. The discovery was followed by the invasion led by Spanish, British and French rulers who wanted to exploit the vast wealth of new world. They also brought shipload of African slaves so that could have free labor to work on the fields and do other menial work. African tribal were initially captured from west coast of Africa and later traded as slaves in the European market (Sylvester, 1998). They were skilled farmers and were also known for their art work on metal and wood. Europeans exploited them by making them slaves and using their skilled labor for free. Hence, when they were short of farm laborers in America, African slaves were brought to America, thereby starting the tradition of slavery in America. For centuries, whites have been enjoying free labor of slaves and have become used to treating the blacks as second class citizens. Slavery was made into a full fledged tradition with Africans and non whites becoming slaves for life. They were deprived of their rights to live in dignity vis-à-vis fair living condition, food and education. When native population or American Indians as they were known as, started to rebel, control over blacks became the major concern for the Whites. The conflict escalated into the famous 7 years war which finally concluded into American Revolution. Mantios (1995) asserts that American Revolution became the catalyst for the abolition of slavery (Mantsios, 1995). American Revolution was significant because it laid the foundation for free democratic America, which promoted empowerment of the people. The historical event also brought in new political system of democracy where people became the supreme power. Abraham Lincoln was the first President of free America who introduced vital social reforms through his ‘Emancipation Proclamation’ of slaves (Lincoln, nd). Though, the changes were minimal at the beginning but the proclamation had given a hope to the blacks. Their interests and welfare were brought to the forefront of American polity through mass movement by Martin Luther King Jr. In late twentieth century, he garnered huge public support that paved way for The Civil Rights Act of 1964. The African Americans, Native Americans and other non white population were finally recognized as citizens with equal rights through constitution and allowed to work along with whites. Unfortunately, the long tradition of slavery and racial prejudice against blacks has become a major challenge for the constitution to implement the equal right clause across the mainstream society. Within the American society, the racial discrimination is still practiced subtly by white population. Most importantly, the blacks and ethnic minorities still have to fight for their rights and struggle to avail benefits that are enjoyed by the mainstream society. Angelou (1969) argues that the slavery has become more covert because of lack of education and opportunities for black population. ‘.. white girls learned to waltz….. During the tenth year, a white woman’s kitchen became my finishing school’ (p101). The poignantly expressed words remind one of Solomon’s experience of slave where they had no choices but only chores to complete. Education is still not accessible to most of the black and minorities population. The lack of education is critical issue as it empowers people and helps them to exploit new opportunities for improving their socio-economic status. As such, it is one the most vital tools to reduce social divide between blacks and whites. Ramakrishnan and Espenshade (2001) strongly argue that socio-political mobilization of blacks and minorities is hugely important for promoting equality and creating suitable environment of equal opportunities for all. The assimilation of black population and their collective action against the atrocities and social injustice have been key facilitators for ensuring their participation in social reforms. Miller (2001) says that black students’ unrest and mass recruitment in the student union was very critical for the real empowerment of black students. It forced the university authorities to establish ‘a black studies program, and recruited black faculty and staff in 1969… between 1968 to 1972, more than five hundred black students programs, department, curricula and libraries were established across the nation’ (p140). Hence, social movements become very important elements of social reforms, especially when centuries of slavery tradition becomes difficult to overcome. In the recent times, the American constitution has become more stringent in its affirmation for equal rights and right to employment for all. Indeed, election of Barrack Obama, a black as the President of America, has demonstrated the democratic values of the nation and the changing outlook of mainstream population. Moreover, the challenges of overcoming racial practices are many. In the contemporary environment of globalization, socio-cultural and ethnic diversity has become integral part of changing social dynamics. Equality amongst the people therefore becomes very important issue within a social structure not only for societies but also for the development of nations. Affirmative actions and stringent measures against those who practice racism are highly recommendable as they give teeth to the constitutional postulates of equality and equal rights. Indeed, the proactive participation of actors from different areas must continuously strive to work together and strengthen democratic value. (words: 2006) Reference Angelou, Maya. (1969) I Know Why the Caged Birds Sing in Finishing School. NY: Bantam Books. Lincoln, Abraham. Retrieved from: http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/al16.html Mantsios, Gregory. (1995). Media magic: Making class invisible. In P. S. Rothenberg (Ed.), Race, class, and gender in the United States (3rd ed.). New York: St. Martins Press. Miller, Karen. (2001). Negroes No More: The emergence of black student activism in Long time Gone by Alexander Bloom. Pg 123-141. London: Oxford publishers. Northrup, Solomon. (1853) Twelve Years a Slave: Narrative of Solomon Northrup. Auburn, N.Y. Ramakrishnan, S, Karthik., and Espenshade, Thomas J. (2001) Immigrant Incorporation and Political Participation in the United States. International Migration Review, 35(3), 870-909. Sylvester, Melvin. (1998) The Journey from Slavery to Freedom. Retrieved from: http://www2.liu.edu/cwis/cwp/library/aaslavry.htm#beginning Read More