The Valuable Skills Taught To Black Slaves.
Florida introduced a teaching standard where students would learn how black people benefited from the valuable skills taught during slavery. Let that sit in for a bit.
Ok, let’s continue…
Since most Black Americans’ ancestors are from the West African region, I’m going to use historic West African examples to look at this argument. The three industrial areas that tied the faith of enslaved black Americans to slavery were maritime travel, agriculture, and craftsmanship. If enslaved Black Americans learned any skills during slavery, it would be from one of these industries. Right?
Did enslave Africans in America learn about maritime travel from their enslavers?
Despite being transported three to five thousand miles across the ocean, enslaved Africans did not learn seafaring from their enslavers. This is obvious because they were captives on these voyages. However, let’s be clear, for more than a millennia before the slave trade; West Africans sailed the coast of Africa and Europe for trade and commerce. West Africans were so renowned for their maritime expertise that the Spanish and Portuguese kingdoms used them to navigate the Eastern Hemisphere and the Americas. These same Africans taught Europeans how to navigate many of the waters they traveled.
If I went deeper into the maritime history of our ancestors, the West Africans were so good at seafaring that there’s evidence suggesting the Mali Empire sailed to the Americas 200 years before Columbus. Even during the early decades of the transatlantic slave trade, some free West Africans unfortunately voluntarily helped Europeans transit the Atlantic Ocean, delivering thousands of captive men and women and acquiring wealth from this billion-dollar shipping industry. On a more local scale, many enslaved Black Africans took these same skills and navigated American rivers and swamps, and enslavers used those critical skills to clear land for plantations.
Did enslave Africans in America learn agriculture and farming from their enslavers?
Given the South used enslaved Africans to cultivate a $6B cotton industry, you would think if Africans were taught anything new, it would be advanced agricultural skills. That’s not the case at all. Many enslaved Africans were well-versed in agriculture and farming before arriving on America’s shores. Many enslaved societies possessed advanced agricultural knowledge compared to Europe and the colonist, especially in farming and irrigation. The ability of the enslaved Africans to use generational knowledge from their homeland to enhance American crops is why they were so valuable to plantation owners in the first place.
Did enslave Africans in America learn craftsmanship from their enslavers?
Nope! Not even! West Africans had worked in iron, wood, home building, and gold throughout antiquity. Enslaved Africans “…possessed a wide range of skills that they had used for generations to wrest a living from the land, and among these millions of unwilling [enslaved Africans] were many skilled artisans. They included builders who erected houses for their families and other structures that sheltered their annual harvests.” I once visited Whitney Plantation in New Orleans, and despite the history, there was no denying the architectural skills of the enslaved Africans. A guide showed us how an enslaved person from West Africa used a system from his homeland to build the foundation for the plantation’s “big house.” The foundation was so well made it survived a severe fire and only needed minor restoration after almost 200 years.
Let’s be clear again; many enslaved Africans possessed diverse skills and knowledge, including expertise in building and craftsmanship. While the specific knowledge and techniques varied depending on the ethnic and cultural backgrounds of the enslaved individuals, many Africans were skilled in traditional construction methods and architectural practices. Florida’s attempt to show the “skills training” side of slavery is an attempt to whitewash history. The black people brought to America were not cattle. They did not need skills to be “good slaves.” The reason Africans were enslaved was for their skills and durability. Their skills drove America’s economy and were passed down to generations of enslaved and enslavers.
After slavery, Black Americans continue to have their knowledge and abilities copied, exploited, and used to build industries and bring wealth to those outside of their communities. Slavery was no different. Florida’s decision only emphasizes the need for black-led educational institutions from K-12 to include charter schools. There also is a need for us to vote for politicians who will protect black education.
So what were the valuable skills taught to enslaved Africans?
Their experience in America taught them the skills to survive in a foreign, hostile and brutal land, ensuring the survival of generations of Black Americans. Maybe Florida should teach that.
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