The eighteenth-century object I chose is called “Poster Warning Blacks in Boston Kidnappers”. The poster is dated April 24th, 1851 and it is from The New York Public Library Digital Collection. This poster serves as a warning to runaway slaves and their possible allies. The poster cautions both parties to “avoid conversing with the watchmen and police officers. For the recent order of the Mayor & Alderman, they are empowered to act as Kidnappers and slave catchers.” This object is proof that slaves were always fighting to gain their freedom, and that slave owners and those in power were always trying to keep them captive. Comparably, the story of Oroonoko, a story written in the seventeenth century by Aphra Behn, details the experience of a slave named Oroonoko, who constantly fights to regain his freedom.
The story of Oroonoko is similar to the idea behind the poster. The first idea being that slaves were always after their freedom, when the main character Oroonoko convinces the other slaves to leave the plantation unbeknownst to the slave owners. In addition the idea that slave owners and powers that be were consistently trying to extinguish this thought, once it was discovered that the slaves ran away, “you may imagine this News was not only suddenly spread all over the plantation, we had by noon about six hundred men, that came to assist us in the pursuit of the Fugitives” (Behn, 54). Oroonoko had first tried to gain his freedom in a passive way by asking for his freedom, once he was denied, he decided to fight for his freedom. Even in the face of six hundred men he assumed the position that “death was better than slavery”. This passage contradicts the traditional idea of a slave as meek, mild mannered and passive. Oroonoko’s captivity depended on 600 hundred men, chasing him down in the forest.
In the poster (object) the Mayor and Alderman have given authority to police officers and watchmen to capture runaway slaves. One can imagine that these posters were mounted all over town, to make sure everyone received the caution. The poster, like the text serve the same point, they were a warning that for the slaves, freedom would not be easy even if you try to run or hide, you will be found and punished. And for the allies, there would be repercussions. Slaves were not happy in the horror they found themselves, some slaves took to running as far away from captivity and as close to freedom as they could. While other slaves participated in revolts or uprising. Still there were a few slaves who would rather have died then continue their lives as a slave. Oroonoko, like the poster serves as a cautionary tale to be careful with fighting for your freedom. The text drives the point further by making Oroonoko a Prince from Africa who was tricked into slavery, and although he was treated as an anomaly by most white people, once he fought for his freedom and tried to escape, he was hunted by many of those same white people. The theme of the Royal Slave produces the thought that no matter how nice they treat you, they will hunt you down if you try to be free.
After examining both the text and the poster, there are several questions that remain. Thinking with regards to elementary and high school education why is the narrative of the weak, submissive slave the only thing taught about slavery? Students of an early age can certainly benefit from knowing that their ancestors did not willingly submit to slavery at first capture. It would also behoove students to know that freedom was a constant struggle for slaves, it would help them relate and understand the way of the world today and their role in it. Why is the economic value the slave master sees in a slave the only idea present when teaching history of slavery? It is often taught with emphasis that the reason for slavery was cheap labor, however by emphasizing that point, it cheapens or ignores that the byproduct of this idea became a quest for power or superiority. Why is it taught that white men happened upon slaves? Instead of the countless documentations that prove kidnapping, deceit and coercion. Why are the impacts of the fight and denial for freedom being ignored? Most importantly, how much has changed in terms of power structures between the black community and the police?
Work Cited
Behn, Aphra. Oroonoko, 1668
Poster Warning Blacks in Boston-Kidnappers, New York Public Library Digital Collection
