Commentary

The total value of slaves, as an asset, far out weighted the value all other assets owned by Americans in the U.S. and the cost in terms of personal tradgedy cannot ever be measured.

by David Miller

Loveland, Ohio – I’m self taught, however a dedicated student of Black History as it has played out since captive humans were brought to this continent below the level of the sea in cargo ships.

Black History is every American’s history.

I came across another documentary today titled Underground Railroad: William Still Story. I watch a lot of PBS documentaries via the app I have loaded into my Amazon Fire Stick. I highly recommend it. You will find Ken Burns (Muhammad Ali, Jazz, Jackie Robinson, The Central Park Five), current affairs, and the newest Frontline broadcast as well as their archives. There is a virtual endless offering of stories about American history and American people.

“The Williams Still Story is the story of a humble Philadelphia clerk who risked his life shepherding runaway slaves to freedom in the tumultuous years leading up to America’s Civil War. William Still was the director of a complex network of abolitionists, sympathizers and safe houses that stretched from Philadelphia to what is now Southern Ontario.”

He was a conductor of the Underground Railroad and was responsible for aiding and assisting at least 649 slaves to freedom towards North. (1)

The other documentary I talk about in this very brief video introduction is The 1619 Project starring Nikole Hannah-Jones. it is a Hulu six-part docuseries and and expands on “The 1619 Project” created by the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and New York Times Magazine. The series seeks to “reframe the country’s history by placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans at the very center of our national narrative.”

(1) Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia

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