Blog #6              The Assassination of Patrice Lumumba

 

    Patrice Lumumba’s determination to obtain independence for Congo was a battle that reminded me of the struggles of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X.  The more Patrice Lumumba sacrificed himself for the sake of others in Congo-the more hardship was placed onto him. As a man with great pride and expectations not to mention a very brave man, his intentions were not met with the greatest of ease. He was considered to be of great intimidation to the Western interest. So it was not a surprise that the betrayal of some key figures in his quest for independence of Congo was essential to show the power of his enemies i.e. Belgium government. Patrice Lumumba’s’ founding of the Congolese National Movement, the first Congolese political party provided a path in history. It was his belief that if the white man proved himself to have the same goal he would be worthy to be treated like a “brother”.  The accomplishments of Patrice Lumumba in his quest for freedom for the Congo, required a man to have dignity to stand on his beliefs to be free; and to create justice to obtain independence-This is the recipe of a free man

                        Blog #5: European Exploration and the Conquest of Africa



    The Europeans with all of the force and resources used to capture African Americans, for whom they viewed as a lower class of people. Even though the African American proved many times over to be the superior race, and this was proven by the perseverance of strength exhibited by African Americans. The Europeans still tried to seek different methods to capture African Americans for enslavement to provide free work on their establishments. The use of force on a race that they thought would be vulnerable did not come as easy, the resistance to the use of violence was met with violence from the African Americans. The use of forced labor came with a price, death. The Europeans had access to weapons like guns and was able to utilize them to capture African Americans, but even the use of guns did not remove the instilled will of a Strong African American that had traditions within them, that drove them to prevail. The diminishment of free labor subsided around 1884 and was replaced with the Europeans keen interest in Africas' resources i.e. rubber, coal, diamonds. The weakness of Africas' political was a way for the Europeans to take over and obtain and maintain control. The Europeans proved guideline's to follow to organize law enforcement and to give proper roles on the creation of a government. The creation of this political structure among the Africans pitted against one another. Apartheid on  delegated the level and amount of education that would or could be received by Africans, where they resided or worked. Apartheid was nothing less than structured slavery, this caused waves in the African Society until Political leaders like Nelsen Mandela fought diligently at any cost to abolish Apartheid.  Africa became too vulnerable to maintain themselves due to the above and could not think of providing to a global market.

AFS BLOG #4

Saundra Wells
AFS 1010 Blog #4
February 10, 2013

    The resistance of enslavement by the Africans appeared to misjudgement on the part of those who felt that because the Africans did not have the ability to organize let alone execute a rebellion.

    In the article Palmares: An African State In Brazil" by R.K.Kent, Kent highlighted the mind set of the Africans who were determined to be free just like they were in their native country. The urge to maintain freedom was a forethought that did not go away even though resistance to enslavement came in many forms i.e. many of the captured committed suicide before arriving to the new land. The ones that actually made it to the new land still put resistance to the idea of being enslaved, the thought of being exposed to the harsh treatment of "master" or "owners" was not acceptable to many. The beatings of slaves to the point of wishing for death to provide freedom was common among the slaves, this showed the level of resistance instilled within many.
    The difference of and African American and an African forced into slavery, was different because the African American tended to accept the degradation of their race better than the African forced into slavery by being kidnapped. The African born slave made allowances and was eased into the belief somehow they deserved the treatment they were receiving. The resistance to slavery was more explosive because the Africans  did not have the opportunity to observe tradition that they were accustomed to in their native land. Although they did not lose sight of their roots the idea that it was considered to be against the "rules" by the en slavers for them to practice rituals, due to fear for the most part.
    The African born slave although enslaved physically was not easily enslaved mentally, for they hung onto their life back in Africa, a life that proved to be far better than the one they were forced into.

BLOG #3
AFS 1010

   

    The idea of slavery is a despicable idea, one that brings about disgust to me. The notion that one human being feels more superior to another is absolutely outrageous.

The transporting of slaves from their mother land disrupting their lives and forcing these men, women and children to serve or be punished- sometimes killed if they do not comply is a heart breaking thought.

    The Trans-Atlantic Slave trade was not as smooth as the geniuses behind the idea of stealing other humans from their motherland and transporting them thousands of miles away with the notion of reaping a profit off of them. The transport was not well thought out because of the many lives that were lost between being stolen from their home due to diseases, starvation and other violent acts that took place when a group of people are forced to occupy close quarters "about 11.5 million human beings were forced to leave Africa and about 9.5 million reached the Americas"(chapter 4 page 77). The training of the individuals to succumb to the ways of the new world in which they were thrust into, was one that was taken for granted and not expected would to be as hard to train these individuals, due to language barriers and due to coming from a different culture that did not have the same beliefs or practices. Although the African culture proved to be quite adaptable in the New World "Africans were sought to work on similar undertakings in the Americas over Amerindians and immigrant Europeans because of their unique adaptability."(Chapter 4 page 78).

    The impact of slavery in Africa was one that caused division among many of the ethnic groups. The trickery of trading commodities such as iron bars, gold dust was used as payment to have the abduction of individuals from other rivalry villages. Also many were listed as criminals and were given to the slave abductors as punishment.

There was no limit as to what would be done in order to fill the order of humans needed to work the fields in America.

    There was no shame as to what level would be practiced in order to get the Africans transported to America for the sake of serving the over privileged non deserving individuals who were upheld as regal in the eyes of the thieves who stole much innocence in a blink of an eye, without any remorse.