What I found interesting this week is Richard Allen’s writing. When I think of slavery, I think of gruesomely horrifying conditions and treatments. Allen shined a light that I never knew was present. I understand that each slave experienced a different level of severity, but for Allen to refer to his slave master as a father figure is very intriguing to me. This reading makes we rethink all of the harsh comments I made about Jupiter Hammon. Hammon and Allen were from the same general area; their experiences as slaves were probably similar. Allen’s master proved Hammon’s theory of masters becoming self-aware that they are wrong to be true. I think this is because of geographical location. In the south, this was probably unheard of because the north was so polarized than the south, in terms of slavery. I think that Allen’s master being a Quaker was why he came to his senses. I also feel that this is why most Quakers began to get rid of their slaves. Allen was eye-opening if only we could hear more similar stories.
Richard Allen: Making Me Rethink Jupiter Hammon’s Logic
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