Prep note 10/3

A topic from chapters 4-6 that I had not known much about before was the colonization movement, and efforts to transport free blacks to a colonized area in Africa, Sierra Leone. I had no idea that this movement had gained so much traction, and that many abolitionists as well as the white population of Richmond, and James Madison had supported it.

It was also interesting learning about the jails within Richmond. Historically, this connects with writing our way out, and the racism within the justice system. Listening to specific stories about the torture faced by incarcerated blacks within the Lumpkin jail were horrific and stomach turning. It was also interesting to see that the beginning of jails being owned by private entities began so long ago, and that these entities were using their incarcerated as slaves for profit, just as we see in some jails today.

I also decided to read chapter 3, and I really enjoyed learning so much about Pocahontas. It was so interesting to me that she had been baptized, and lived the last years of her life in London. I did like how the author emphasized that we do not know her true motives for her baptism, or whether or not she was forced into doing what she had done, as there are no written entries from her.