The Future of the Colored Race in America: Being an article in the Presbyterian quarterly review of July, 1862Aikman, William
History
The Future of the Colored Race in America: Being an article in the Presbyterian quarterly review of July, 1862
Aikman, William
African Americans; Slavery -- United States
Passing these characteristics, common to the race both in Africa and
in this country, let us consider others, which have been superadded
by the residence of the negro in America. These are marked and
important. The residence of the Jewish people for some two hundred
years in Egypt, had a controlling influence over the whole national
character and destiny. The Hebrew would never have been the man he
was, nor would he have had the after history had he not known the
bondage in the land of the Pharaohs. So, we think, the negro will,
in all the coming time, be a man essentially different because of
these two hundred years of slavery in America. * Nor will it be a
temporary or limited effect; it will probably mould all the history
of the race on its native continent. Africa will in future times
look back upon slavery in America much in the same way that the
Jew did upon his Egyptian bondage, and will be able to trace the
wonder-working power of Divine Providence in the results which have
flowed from it.
*There are some curious analogies between the bondage in Egypt and
slavery in America. It seems as if slavery were about to come to
an end in this country after almost identically the same period of
existence. As far as the best calculations can fix the time, the
bondage in Egypt lasted something more than two hundred years, and
it is about that time since the first cargo of African slaves were
landed by the Dutch at Jamestown, in 1620. The Hebrews went out
suddenly and unexpectedly, under the pressure of tremendous judgments
Will it be so in America?
Strangely enough, one of the marked effects of the residence of the
black in this country has been to give a new and foreign element
to the mental and physical structure of the negro. It has created
an admixture of blood with a superior race. The natural effect of
slavery has been to infuse the best blood of the master in the veins
of the slave. This fact has not, perhaps, received the attention
which it deserves as having an influence upon the future of the
negro race. We do not speak of it in the way of sarcasm or reproach,
but as something which, while it cannot be concealed or denied,
ought not to be overlooked. It cannot be when the coming history
of this people is under consideration.
The intermingling of race has been extensive; so much so, that in
many places the pure-blooded negro is in the minority of the whole
colored population. Here is not the place to make any extended
observations on the intellectual and physiological effects of the
union of different races in the same people, to elevate and give
them tone and character. The facts are very familiar. We can see
that in the case before us these effects will be of the same general
character.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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