Thought experiments
In 1662, Virginia enacted the Hereditary Slavery Law, officially establishing the national slave race as Black before there was even, officially, a nation. After that, it was expected that enslaved Black people could be tortured and murdered at white will. Included in that torture was sexual assault, which led to the birth of light skinned, brown, enslaved babies. That, in turn, led to the white wives of these rapists killing those babies in ways far too brutal to list here. Naturally, the wives weren’t to be punished, so in 1669, Virginia passed the Casual Killing Act to legalize these murders of children.
White supremacy was enshrined by law, but it didn’t stop there. In the 1830s, a formerly enslaved woman named Charity Bowery told abolitionist Lydia Maria Child about what might happen if a Black person got caught singing or praying, “There was no law about it; but the whites reported it round among themselves that, if a note was heard, we should have some dreadful punishment; and after that, the low whites would fall upon any slaves they heard praying, or singing a hymn, and often killed them before their masters or mistresses could get to them.”
While slavery eventually became synonymous with the South, it wasn’t always that way. For instance, in the early 18th century, many believed the richest person in the country was a man from Kittery, Maine, named William Pepperrell.
It is a popular, albeit cliché, thought experiment to ask yourself what you would do if you were alive during a time of historic oppression. Would you volunteer for the Underground Railroad during slavery? Would you be willing to hide “runaways” in your home?
But what if you asked yourself that question without assuming privilege? What would you do if you were born into a world of immeasurable legal and cultural cruelty targeting you for an otherwise inconsequential physical trait?
Looking at this “runaway slave” ad from the 1705 Christmas edition of The Boston News-Letter, we’d all like to believe we would be like “Peter”:
“Ran-away from his Master William Pepperil Esqr. at Kittery, in the Province of Maine, a Negro Man-Slave named Peter, aged about 20, speaks good English, of pretty brown Complexion, middle Stature, has’on a mixt gray home-spun Coat, white home spun Jacket and Breeches, French fall Shoes, fad coloured Stockings, or a mixt worsted pair, and a black Hat. Whosoever shall take up said Negro, and bring or convey him safe to his said master, or secure him and send notice of him either to his Master, or to Andrew Belcher Esqr. at Boston, shall be well rewarded for his pains, and all reasonable charges paid besides.”
William Pepperrell was known to enslave at least 20 people at a time, and went on to become one of our most celebrated Mainers. His name is still all over the state. For instance, Saco — which was called Pepperrellborough until the early 1800s — still has Pepperrell Square in the heart of its business district.
“Peter,” however, was soon caught and re-enslaved.
But “Peter” was a human being and never lost his need to be free. It didn’t matter how many times he was brutalized or sold and sold again. “Peter” would never bow to a deliberately unjust and purposefully cruel world. He would, however, bide his time, and nearly a decade later, on June 13, 1714, the Boston News-Letter published this ad:
“Ran-away on Wednesday the 26th Day of May last at Beverly, from his Master Joseph Tuck, a Negro Man-Servant, Named Peter, a slim Fellow not very Tall, goes a little Lame, lost his Fore-upper Teeth, has on a close-bodied Coat, and Pale Copper-coloured Jacket, Coat and Jacket tarr’d in some Places, white Worsted Stockings, Leather Breeches, and French fall Shoe, the heels goes much back: He was formerly Servant to Mr. Pepperel of Kittery, Mr. Boreman Tanner in Cambridge. Mr. Morecock in Boston, and Mr. Hubbard of Middleton. Whoever shall apprehend the said Run-away, and him safely Convey to his said Master, or to Mr. Nathan Howell Merchant in Boston, or give any true Intelligence of him so as his Master may have him again, shall be Sufficiently Rewarded, besides all necessary Charges paid.”
The answer to that clichéd question of what we would do in a time of historic oppression is whatever we’re doing right now. There is a right and wrong side of history, and people like “Peter” will only ever be on the right side, no matter how many places still proudly bear the name of his enslaver.
Which side are you on?
Samuel James also writes “Banned Histories of Race in America” at samuelj.substack.com.
