HISTORY
Why It's Important to Drop Passive Language To Discuss Black Freedom
We must properly credit Black people who liberated themselves
As Juneteenth draws near, we must reflect on the importance of active language in discussing Black freedom and abolition. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. emphasized in his Letter from a Birmingham Jail, "We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed." His quote is a reminder that Black people have always taken an active role in their liberation. However, many mistakenly believe that enslaved Black people "were freed," a key example of the way passive language can shape a misleading narrative.
An overreliance on the passive tense in discussions about slavery and abolition obscures the active role Black people played in their emancipation. To honor their legacy, we must ensure our language acknowledges their agency and determination to secure their liberation. This is especially true of those who escaped slavery and created Maroon communities, vocal abolitionists, Union Army soldiers, and volunteers. There are many who believe Black people accepted chattel slavery as the status quo. However, history shows that despite physical and social risks, Black people continuously resisted their…
