Marching through history – a dark, dark stain

As long as human civilisation has existed, a dark stain has existed right alongside: slavery. Sophisticated cultures have arisen and functioned based on slavery. Ancient empires, the predecessors of most countries that are still around—once, slaves was an integral part of the economy.

In early medieval times, the Slavic tribes were repeatedly raided for new slaves—hence the word slave. In the medieval world, slaves came in every hue and colour, having one thing in common: they’d been robbed of their freedom by someone wishing to grow rich at their expense.

The taint of slavery takes on a darker shade when we discuss slavery in the American Colonies and post-Revolutionary War America. Why? Because already from the mid 17^th century, slavery was tied to the colour of your skin. White people could be indentured—and were often very badly treated during their terms of service—but their servitude only lasted a preset number of years. With European slavers bringing more and more enslaved black people over from Africa, plantation owners in the new world soon discovered that using enslaved workers made much more financial sense than using indentures or paid labourers.

By the 18^th century, slavery was fully accepted in the colonies, and as all slaves were black, it therefore followed that all black people were slaves. (Not true. We know of a number of free black people living in the colonies) Accordingly, if a white person saw a black person, they immediately labelled them as “slave” in their head, and treated them as such. And if you’re actively promoting the theory that black people are slaves, inferior to white people, then obviously it is not OK for white people to marry people of colour, hence the harsh anti-miscegenation laws implemented in various colonies.

Procreating with your slaves was, however, perfectly OK.  I simply cannot get my head around the fact that men like John Wayles had a daughter with his wife who later on married Thomas Jefferson, while at the same time fathering several children with his slave Betty whom he  considered chattel. And as to the fact that Thomas Jefferson took his deceased wife’s much younger half-sister, Sally Hemings as his slave mistress (she was a teenager, he was over 40) – well it just makes my heart ache.

We don’t know all that much about the enslaved women of the 18^th century.  There is the very brief mention of a fourteen-year-old girl who escaped more or less the moment she set foot on colonial soil. But what happened to her, we do not know: was she captured? Did this poor child, torn from everything she knew and brutally thrust into an entirely new environment manage to survive? I hope so—but sadly, I don’t think she did.

Then there’s Mary Aggie. In 1728, this young enslaved woman sued for freedom before the court of Virginia. I am rather impressed she even managed to get her case heard, and clearly, she made an impression on Lt Gov William Gooch who presided at the hearing. Among other things, Gooch found her to be a devout Christian. Ultimately, this did not help. Mary did not win her case: born a slave, die a slave (unless you were manumitted).

Some years later, Mary was again hauled before the court, this time accused of theft, which could lead to execution. The York County court found her guilty of stealing three sheets from her owner, but before a verdict could be imposed, Gooch interceded. He had the case brought before the General Court, arguing that Mary should be able to claim benefit of the clergy.

Benefit of the clergy? you may say. Well, obviously Mary wasn’t a clergyman (wrong gender, wrong colour) but the concept of benefit of the clergy didn’t have all that much to do with the clergy. Originally it did, medieval priests claiming benefit of the clergy which meant they could only be tried in ecclesiastical courts, no matter how temporal their crime. Over time, the concept developed into the right for a first offender to receive a reduced sentence, and as Mary had proved she was Christian, reasonably she should be able to claim benefit of the clergy. Or so argued Gooch.

Opinions were divided and the matter was referred back to England—but before Virginia heard back from them, Gooch and the Council pardoned Mary, assuming she was sold out of the state.

What happened to Mary, where she ended up, where she lived and, eventually died, we do not know. But we do know that because of her case, the law of Virginia was changed to allow enslaved people to claim benefit of the clergy.

Now onto another Mary, namely Mary Hemings. Her mother was Betty Hemings (the woman who gave her owner, John Wayles’ six children) but in difference to her half-sister, Sally, Mary’s father was a slave. Mary was a skilled seamstress—like her mother—which made her valuable.

When John Wayles died in 1773, Mary was around twenty. She and  her family plus numerous other slaves were inherited by Wayles’ daughter, Martha, who was married to Tomas Jefferson. Accordingly, Mary ended up at Monticello. At the time, she already had a child, Daniel, and soon enough she had a daughter, Molly, plus a son, Joseph, fathered by a white craftsman. Her fourth child, Betsy, was born in 1783, and some say Thomas Jefferson was her father.

Whatever the case, Daniel was given as a gift to Jefferson’s sister, Molly was gifted to Jefferson’s eldest daughter when she married in 1790 and Betsy was given as a gift to Jefferson’s younger daughter when she married in 1797.

However, in the mid-1780s, Mary’s children were still at Monticello. Not so Thomas Jefferson, who was presently acting as the US Minister to France. Soon enough, not so Mary either, who was rented out by Jefferson’s overseer to one Thomas Bell. She was allowed to take her two youngest children with her, and over the coming years she was to have two more children, both of them fathered by Bell.

Thomas Bell was a wealthy white merchant who developed strong feelings for Mary—feelings that were reciprocated as Mary asked Thomas Jefferson to please sell her and her two youngest to Bell when he returned from France. Her other children remained the property of Jefferson, but Bell quietly freed not only Mary but also their two children. Mary adopted the name of Bell and she and Thomas Bell were destined to spend the rest of their lives together. A HEA, I suppose. Perhaps somewhat fraught, as they had to be discreet due to the anti-miscegenation laws. Also fraught when Mary’s son Joseph was freed in Jefferson’s will only to see his wife and nine of their ten children sold to pay for Jefferson’s debts. . .

We may write the year 2025 and believe that slavery is a thing of the past, but unfortunately, that is not the case. It is estimated 50 million people are enslaved today. 50 million! This is why countries like the UK and Norway, organisations like the EU, have implemented strict Anti-Slavery acts, obliging the companies in their countries to actively ensure they do not purchase goods or services from companies that use enslaved labour.

Today’s slaves are trafficked from one country to another, left helpless in the hands of their new “owners”. Many, many are young women, forced into prostitution. Like the enslaved women I described above, these modern slaves must feel such fear, such frustration. Many see no way out. Many try to flee and die. Some try to flee and succeed. As the French say, plus ca change, plus c’est la même chose . . .

To round things off, I’ve attached an excerpt from Times of Turmoil. Erin, my protagonist, is a young woman of colour who has had the misfortune of being thrown three centuries backwards, landing in early 18^th C Pennsylvania. It comes with challenges, even if Erin is fortunate enough to have a white husband, Duncan, at her side.

Lloyd offered Duncan a seat and handed him a sheaf of papers. It took but a glance for Duncan to realise what this was, and all of his previous irritation returned in force.

“They persist, I am afraid,” Lloyd said, settling himself in his chair.

Duncan read through the first few pages.  “We both know why the good men of Pennsylvania are so eager to push through these laws.” He dropped the documents in a messy pile on Lloyd’s uncluttered desk and made a great show of wiping his hands.

“Of course. To ensure good order in our community.”

“Are you saying my wife is a threat to that good order?” Duncan kept his voice soft.

Lloyd sat back. “Thou knowest I have the greatest respect for Erin Melville, but . . .”

“Yes?”

“It is not right. White men should wed white women—it is easier thus.” He busied himself tidying up the stack of papers Duncan had dropped on his desk.

“Aye, I imagine it is. Because accepting that a white man has a coloured wife is effectively stating that she is an equal to a white woman, both in intellect and morality.”

“Precisely,” Lloyd said, giving Duncan a relieved smile.

“My Erin is the equal of any white woman,” Duncan growled. “She is as intelligent—if not more—than most white women I have ever met. She has higher morals than most of them, and—”

“Erin Melville’s qualities are not the issue,” Lloyd said. “No one questions them.”

“And yet this legislation will make it impossible for us to remain here, won’t it?”

Lloyd hemmed and hawed before sighing deeply. “It would likely not be wise to stay,” he said. “Not that the legislation, once in place, would be applied to marriages entered before it was passed, but it may make things difficult for thee—well, for her.”

“And you do not think it already is?” Duncan asked. “Here in Chester, she is mostly accepted, but in Philadelphia there are establishments that will refuse her entry based only on the colour of her skin.”

Lloyd nodded repeatedly. “Which is why it is best for the races to remain separate. Besides, we have the offspring to consider.”

Duncan scoffed. “This is not about a general concern about white men mating with coloured women—slave owners do it all the time. No, this is about buttressing the ridiculous notions of white man’s superiority to other races. Because if, God help us, the people of Pennsylvania were to accept that a coloured woman—or man—is in everything the equal of a white person, then how can we ever justify the evil practise of slavery?”

Lloyd set down the now neat pile of documents and looked up at him through his spectacles. “I do not hold with slavery; neither do most of the Friends.”

“No, but some do—and grow rich trading on the suffering and misery of others. And this . . .” He swept a hand through the stack, scattering all the papers again. “This will help perpetuate that ungodly practise.”

“What would thee have me do? Demand we abolish slavery in the colony?”

“Yes!” Duncan slammed down his hands on Lloyd’s desk. “But you won’t do that, because it would cause too big a dent in the purses of too many of your precious Friends.”

Lloyd rose. “I will not tolerate the Friends being insulted, not even by thee, Duncan Melville.”

“I wasn’t insulting you. I was stating the truth.” He looked down at Lloyd. “I imagine you are quite pleased with this piece of legislation. If nothing else, it assures you we will have to leave, thereby ridding you of all that violence you blame us for.” From Lloyd came a sharp intake of breath, but Duncan did not wait to hear his reply.

Times of Turmoil

It is 1718 and Duncan Melville and his time traveller wife, Erin, are concentrating on building a peaceful existence for themselves and their twin daughters. Difficult to do, when they are beleaguered by enemies.

Erin Melville is not about to stand to the side and watch as a child is abused—which is how she makes deadly enemies of Hyland Nelson and his family.

Then there’s that ghost from their past, Armand Joseph Chardon, a person they were certain was dead. Apparently not. Monsieur Chardon wants revenge and his sons are tasked with making Duncan—and his wife—pay.

Things aren’t helped by the arrival of Duncan’s cousin, fleeing her abusive husband. Or the reappearance of Nicholas Farrell in their lives, as much of a warped bully now as he was when he almost beat Duncan to death years ago. Plus, their safety is constantly threatened as Erin is a woman of colour in a time and place where that could mean ostracism, enslavement or even death.

Will Duncan and Erin ever achieve their simple wish – to live and love free from fear of those who wish to destroy them?

Buy it HERE
Find out more about me HERE

Check out the previous Marching Through History post HERE!