The Sin of Slavery

In her speech to the Democratic National Convention last month, Michelle Obama spoke with poignancy about the fact that she, the descendant of slaves, was now living in a great mansion built by slave labor. “That is the story of this country, the story that has brought me to this stage tonight, the story of generations of people who felt the lash of bondage, the shame of servitude, the sting of segregation, but who kept on striving and hoping and doing what needed to be done so that today, I wake up every morning in a house that was built by slaves, and I watch my daughters—two beautiful, intelligent, black young women—playing with their dogs on the White House lawn.”

Her speech was an acknowledgment of where we as a country have been and a recognition of how far we have come.  Sadly, it was met almost immediately by some who objected to any mention of the legacy of slavery, and by others who questioned the truth of her words.  Researchers countered the latter with clear evidence.  The White House and the Capitol building were constructed with both slave and paid labor.  Though records are spotty, and it is not possible to determine precisely what percentage of the work was performed by slaves, there is documentation of 385 payments made to slave owners for “Negro hire” (a euphemism of the day for the rental of slaves) between the years 1795 and 1801 by the commissioners in charge of constructing public buildings in the District of Columbia.

Confession and Repentance

Updated: October 25, 2024

In recent months the Idle No More movement, which originated among First Nations activists in Canada and soon spread to the United States, coupled with the increasing prominence of First Nations and Native American voices among those protesting construction of the Keystone XL and Enbridge Northern Gateway pipelines, have helped to raise awareness of the many injustices which fill the history of relationships between the U.S. and Canadian governments and the Aboriginal peoples of North America.  I wrote this article in February 2008 when the Australian government was preparing to issue its first formal apology to Aboriginal people for the decades-long practice of forcibly removing Aboriginal children from their family homes and placing them to be raised by white families.  Current events make it apparent that it is still relevant in February 2013.

The Australian policy, in effect from 1915 to 1969, had been intended to compel assimilation of the indigenous people into the dominant white culture.  The wording of the apology was worked out in consultation with Aboriginal leaders.  It acknowledged the great harm done by past governments while refraining from ascribing any guilt to current political leaders.  Both sides were hopeful that this action would permit some healing and an improvement in relations between the Aborigines and the Australian government.