Nigger had nothing to do with the word enslaved, since it was exclusivly
used as a term to idenify blacks. Slaves came in all colors and
nationalities.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Carol Ely" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2003 9:44 PM
Subject: Re: "Enslaved"


> During the period of slavery in America, the most common term I've seen
for
> enslaved persons is not "slaves", it's another term, a word beginning with
> "n".
>
> If you want to stay entirely within the context of the era, that word
would
> be appropriate. But today that's quite offensive, and I doubt that few of
us
> would advocate its use. I teach this era (also have developed exhibits on
> the topic) and I generally do say "people who were enslaved" and I discuss
> why - because it reminds us that they were people who had this status
> applied to them, but it was not their unalienable identity. Sometimes I
also
> use "slaves", sometimes I say "enslaved Africans" (for the earliest
> periods), sometimes "African Americans, enslaved and free" or "free
blacks"
> or "black folk".... all depending on the shades of meaning I'm aiming for.
> If a direct quote has the "n" word in it, I'll read it, but with a
> disclaimer that it's the term of the time... if I used it in exhibit
> material, I'd use it only in a quote and with a disclaimer also.
>
> But "enslaved people"? Use it all the time, nothing wrong with it.
>
> Carol Ely, Ph.D.
> Museum Consultant, Louisville
>
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