Introduction

• Oral history is crucial for understanding Black stories predating modern recording technologies.
• Written sources alone are insufficient; slave narratives provide deeper insights.

The Work Progress Administration (WPA)

• Created by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1939, the WPA hired writers to interview ex-slaves, forming a significant source for Black History.

Slave Narratives: “Drums and Shadows”

• Focuses on the persistence of African heritage among Blacks on the Georgia coast in the 1930s.
• Interviews reveal customs and beliefs passed down from ancestors smuggled into slavery as late as 1858.

Themes in Slave Narratives

• Common themes include the quest for freedom, search for home, redemption, salvation, deliverance from evil, and crossing boundaries.
• Many narratives contain a religious framework, reflecting the strong influence of African traditions.

Outlawing the Slave Trade

• Officially outlawed on January 1, 1808, but continued in the U.S. until 1898.
• The U.S. was the largest slave-owning power in the 19th century, significantly impacting Black heritage and culture.

African Society vs. American Slavery

• African societies were highly developed with advanced farming, literary, and language skills.
• European disregard for these skills, combined with stripping language and culture, resulted in brutal and inhumane treatment.

Native American Slavery

• Native Americans were initially enslaved but decimated by European diseases.
• Their hunter-gatherer skills differed from agricultural skills, making them less suitable for the Europeans’ needs.

Conclusion

• Oral histories and slave narratives are indispensable for a comprehensive understanding of Black history and heritage.
• They reveal the profound impact of slavery and racism on African and African American cultures.