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Studying Atlantic Slavery from Qatar

The attempt to reconcile

“The Good Work” is an attempt by Georgetown students to remember enslaved people that were neglected from their opportunity of continuing their religious education and discontinuing their worship. Enslavers at that time broke their promises about keeping families together and allowing them to continue their religious education. The Jesuits falsely promised to the slaves and enticed them. When they agreed, the deal was broken, and this was a recurring them at the time. The theme of broken promises and false opportunities was prominent in the Atlantic world. “Indigenous people in rural area were forced to learn and dedicate themselves to Christianity. People were stripped of their opportunity to keep learning about their religion and forced onto another religion.”[1] These deals all started because of religious beliefs but bargaining with slaves and promises that were never carried out was prominent also. To entice the slaves and keeping their word and promise, this was in a sort of way accepted by enslaved people. The Jesuits could not even do that. That goes to show how cruel they were. “Slavery is included in many religions and was generally viewed as a normal action. This is the time to remember and reconcile. Religious figures such as the pope even views now that slavery was wrong.”[2] The important thing to remember here is that the Jesuits are very religious. So, it is expected that their word is their bond. A promise was not taken lightly. Breaking promises and verbal contracts were sacrilegious. They carried it out and it shows that superiority over slaves was worth more than their beliefs. Normally, enslavers would force their religion onto their slaves. Whereas here, enslaved people were treated well but not allowed to pursue their religious beliefs and have that connection to religion. People find peace in religion. “These slaves were not afforded that. Many leaders pursued lands and forced people to join The expansion of slavery in Arkansas and Missouri did not, in many people’s imagination, promise a diffusion of the black population away from the North as some hoped, but, quite the opposite, promised to flood the region with freed people of color.”[3]Jesuits fled to find lands where they can take advantage of slavery. The slaves could not fight back. Promises were made and that would deceive them that something good might come out of it. It all ended the same way. Horrific actions and families stripped away from them. The rule of the Jesuits remained over them. This was also found in the areas that this happened but eventually was forgotten. The main aim of enslavers here is greed and power. We can see here that these promises are an example of that. Promises meant nothing, especially to these slaves. Words that are meaningful were meaningless if it was between the slave and the enslaver. “Enslavers used force to bring slaves into the idea of Christianity, but bargaining was also present.”[4] These slaves were decent and well-mannered, but they only wanted the opportunity to connect to religion. Most of the people are connected to religion. The Jesuits used what the slaves loved and cared about to encourage them that these promises would better their situation. It did not and this source is an example of what they used to do to slaves. Promise that their loved ones would not be touched, and then strip them away. “These slaves that were torn apart from their families discontinued their religious beliefs due to the long periods without having the opportunity to connect.”[5] This is an approach by Georgetown students to remember these actions and the slaves that faced this in the region of Georgetown. To connect with the descendants of these slaves is an important step to recognize and remember the history of slavery. 

  

Mohammed Al-Thani

Sophomore, GUQ’23.

 

Bibliography:

 

Andrews, E. (2009). Christian Missions and Colonial Empires Reconsidered: A Black Evangelist in West Africa, 1766-1816. A Journal of Church and State, 51(4), 663–691. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcs/csp090

 

Casas, B., & Knight, F. (2003). An account, much abbreviated, of the destruction of the Indies, with related texts. Hackett Pub.

 

Dionne Jr, E.J. (1985). POPE APOLOGIZES TO AFRICANS FOR SLAVERY. The New York Times. https://nyti.ms/29wC02x

 

  Gigantino, J. (2019). Slavery and the Creation of Arkansas Territory: A Reconsideration. The Arkansas Historical Quarterly, 78(3), 231–247.

 

Maxwell, D. (2013). FREED SLAVES, MISSIONARIES, AND RESPECTABILITY: THE EXPANSION OF THE CHRISTIAN FRONTIER FROM ANGOLA TO BELGIAN CONGO. Journal of African History, 54(1), 79–102. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021853713000030

[1] Casas, B., & Knight, F. (2003). An account, much abbreviated, of the destruction of the Indies, with related texts. Hackett Pub.

[2] Dionne Jr, E.J. (1985). POPE APOLOGIZES TO AFRICANS FOR SLAVERY. The New York Times. https://nyti.ms/29wC02x

[3] Gigantino, James. “Slavery and the Creation of Arkansas Territory: A Reconsideration.” The Arkansas Historical Quarterly 78, no. 3 (October 1, 2019): 242.

[4] Maxwell, D. (2013). FREED SLAVES, MISSIONARIES, AND RESPECTABILITY: THE EXPANSION OF THE CHRISTIAN FRONTIER FROM ANGOLA TO BELGIAN CONGO. Journal of African History, 54(1), 79–102. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021853713000030

[5]  Andrews, E. (2009). Christian Missions and Colonial Empires Reconsidered: A Black Evangelist in West Africa, 1766-1816. A Journal of Church and State, 51(4), 663–691. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcs/csp090