- Introduction:
- Honest Preface: Introduce the story of Sarah Ashley, acknowledging the harshness and suffering embedded in her experience.
- Importance of Truth: Emphasize the necessity of telling these painful stories to honor the realities of black history and its enduring impact.
- The Brutal Practice of Slave Speculation:
- Speculators’ Methods: Explain how speculators like Austin Woolfolk and Henry Thomas used brutal methods to transport and sell enslaved people.
- Separation of Families: Describe the heartbreak of family separations, such as Sarah being torn from her sisters and father, never to see them again.
- Sarah Ashley’s Early Life:
- From Auction to Plantation: Detail Sarah’s journey from being sold on the auction block in New Orleans to working on Miles Davis’ plantation in Texas.
- Horrific Conditions: Highlight the daily horrors Sarah faced, including picking 300 lbs of cotton, severe beatings, and living in squalid conditions.
- Life on the Plantation:
- Forced Labor: Explain the grueling work schedule from before sunrise to after sunset and the severe punishments for not meeting quotas.
- Dehumanization: Discuss the extreme brutality, including whippings, physical abuse, and psychological torment.
- The Emancipation Moment:
- Juneteenth: Describe the day of freedom on June 19, 1865, when General Gordon Granger announced emancipation in Texas.
- Immediate Aftermath: Share how the former enslaved people, including Sarah, reacted to their newfound freedom and the plantation owner’s response.
- Post-Emancipation Struggles:
- Continued Exploitation: Detail Sarah’s work as a cook for a white man who promised payment but instead exploited her labor by only providing clothes and food.
- Ongoing Hardships: Acknowledge the continued struggles Sarah faced even after gaining her freedom.
- Federal Writers’ Project and Sarah’s Narrative:
- Preserving History: Explain the significance of the Federal Writers’ Project and its role in collecting first-hand accounts from former enslaved people.
- Sarah’s Contribution: Highlight Sarah’s contribution at the age of 93, sharing her life story for the project.
- Sarah’s Reflections:
- Life of Hardship: Share Sarah’s reflections on her life, her losses, and her readiness for peace in her later years.
- Legacy and Importance: Emphasize the importance of remembering and honoring stories like Sarah’s to understand the true meaning of Juneteenth.
- Conclusion:
- Juneteenth’s True Significance: Reinforce that Juneteenth represents more than a proclamation; it embodies the end of a horrific era and the beginning of a long journey toward true freedom and equality.
- Continued Relevance: Highlight the ongoing relevance of these stories in understanding and addressing the legacy of slavery and its impact on present-day issues.
By sharing Sarah Ashley’s harrowing story, we honor the suffering and resilience of millions of black people who endured unimaginable hardships and recognize the true significance of Juneteenth in American history.