Michelle Obama: A Distant Daughter of Slavery

As you direct me to be objective, I direct you to pay attention.

My comment was:

"During the time Europe sought Africans for its trade (Author's note: The words 'it's trade' refers to the slave trade.) , the majority of wars waged by Africans against Africans on the continent of Africa were waged to prevent one's own people from being procured."

Many of the dates you mention are after the time period addressed by my comment, with colonialism's rule, influence and aftermath well documented as detrimental to the progress of Africa.

The trade in African flesh began during the 7th century when the Arabs began their trade on the east coast of Africa, a fact not known to many and highlighted in my article about Iraqis of African descent seeking civil rights entitled An African Connection in Iraq.

With the exception of Africans that arrived in parts of Asia and the Middle East as sailors, the majority of the African Iraqi descendants' ancestry is the result of the Arab Slave Trade, which focused primarily on acquiring African females for use as sex slaves, wet nurses and domestic workers.

Your bias has always prevented you from grasping the salient points of any commentary that discusses the period of chattel slavery and the forced migration of inhabitants of Africa and the unique character of these incidents and their consequences in the history of humankind. 

During the time Europe sought Africans for its trade, the majority of wars waged by Africans against Africans on the continent of Africa were waged to prevent one's own people from being procured.

As Rhonda states below at the end of this comment thread:

"It is important to note that a distinction needs to be made between slaves in the traditional sense (this story), and wage slaves and contract slaves as commented, as well as human trafficking. The Current situation across the world can be read here."

You may believe what you wish as well but, refrain from projecting your assessment regarding my reality and that of my family here, shaped and bent through your prism. 

An excerpt from the declaration of the World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance :

Sources, causes, forms and contemporary manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance

13. We acknowledge that slavery and the slave trade, including the transatlantic slave trade, were appalling tragedies in the history of humanity not only because of their abhorrent barbarism but also in terms of their magnitude, organized nature and especially their negation of the essence of the victims, and further acknowledge that slavery and the slave trade are a crime against humanity and should always have been so, especially the transatlantic slave trade and are among the major sources and manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and that Africans and people of African descent, Asians and people of Asian descent and indigenous peoples were victims of these acts and continue to be victims of their consequences;

14. We recognize that colonialism has led to racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and that Africans and people of African descent, and people of Asian descent and indigenous peoples were victims of colonialism and continue to be victims of its consequences. We acknowledge the suffering caused by colonialism and affirm that, wherever and whenever it occurred, it must be condemned and its reoccurrence prevented. We further regret that the effects and persistence of these structures and practices have been among the factors contributing to lasting social and economic inequalities in many parts of the world today;

Earlier in this thread, I referred to the European Colonial period, which may have caused you some confusion.

My intent was to indicate the period when Europe was displacing indigenous peoples around the world, establishing colonies elsewhere outside of Africa, mainly throughout the so called New World, using the wealth obtained through the slave trade to expand and 'settle' other lands.

I hope this caveat clears up any misunderstanding that may have contributed to your remarks.

I am aware the first major agreement among Europeans, dividing the African continent, to avoid infighting among themselves, began with the Berlin Conference.

And, I state again, your bias has always prevented you from grasping the salient points of any commentary that discusses the period of chattel slavery and the forced migration of inhabitants of Africa and the unique character of these incidents and their consequences in the history of humankind, one such consequence, the transformation of the peoples that inhabited the Caribbean prior to the imposition of the machinations of the TransAtlantic Slave Trade. 

It is not I who is confused about why the Berlin Conference met, as European powers set about carving up African land that was not theirs to carve up.

From the above linked reference, a listing of those participating in the conference:

Fourteen countries were represented by a plethora of ambassadors when the conference opened in Berlin on November 15, 1884. The countries represented at the time included Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden-Norway (unified from 1814-1905), Turkey, and the United States of America. Of these fourteen nations, France, Germany, Great Britain, and Portugal were the major players in the conference, controlling most of colonial Africa at the time.

Also from the link:

In 1884 at the request of Portugal, German chancellor Otto von Bismark called together the major western powers of the world to negotiate questions and end confusion over the control of Africa. Bismark appreciated the opportunity to expand Germany's sphere of influence over Africa and desired to force Germany's rivals to struggle with one another for territory.

At the time of the conference, 80% of Africa remained under traditional and local control. What ultimately resulted was a hodgepodge of geometric boundaries that divided Africa into fifty irregular countries. This new map of the continent was superimposed over the one thousand indigenous cultures and regions of Africa. The new countries lacked rhyme or reason and divided coherent groups of people and merged together disparate groups who really did not get along.

I agree with most off what you put up and say, however in this particular case and as to what my point was and is, wish you failed totally to address and some what tried to miss lead for what ever reason. I say there is slavery still today even though it is officially abolished and that Slavery needs our attention today, the dead do not care much any longer for they are dead, however the living do care and the living slaves need and deserve to be free and have the same rights as any other free citizen does. You say that black African are not guilty and that only White African and European are or at least that is what you insinuate, I do not agree with that, Black, White or Yellow If selling, holding, trading, exploiting or using slaves are all guilty in the same way no matter what their colour may be or their religion or Nationality. There are guilty and I will not excuse either nor let them off the hook. What you trying to defend is no different then some trying to defend the SS soldiers killing Jews and Roma and Socialist, by arguing that they had to or would end up being Killed them self, I just say that is a lot of BS and pardon my languish here please. Same goes for the slave traders, may they be Back or white they are guilty all the same and I will not excuse either. I see Humans as Humans and do not divide into colours, races or religions, As you seem to do and wish in my view is racist.

I grow up with this and saw Slaves get beaten and stoned. My father did petition the UN on this and on the borders as you mentioned before, the response is simple the Veto Powers have made certain in 1948 with a resolution that this error i history will not be rectified and that no borders can be changed upon independence. Back then there was still one chance to rectify the error.

Be well.

You are mistaken, The European did not take control nor where interested in Africa until the 19th century, there for no African needed to fear nor did fear an invasion back in the time of the slave trade. There where a couple of ports on Islands yet not on main land and there was no such a fear at all. The European Colonial Powers did only invade Africa by the end of the third quarter of the 19th century and managed to control it only by 1930, the independence started by 1948. The colonial time was less then two centuries and yet the slave trade to the Americas stated in the 17th century. Slaves have been traded for over three thousand Years and made some war lords and Sultans as well as African Kings very rich. It was a lucrative business for them and they did not worry to much off being slaves them self. The Housa and the Tuaregs among some where famous for this slave trade since the Roman empire and some still practice it today. Who freed the slaves in the Americas? It was some of the former masters and governments that realized by the end of the 19th century that this was not humanitarian and that the Scriptures that allowed slavery may have been wrong in that regard. 

You seem to fail to see the reality off that era in Human History. For the last 4000 Years human where treated rather harsh by leading classes and War Lords or masters, slavery was as common as the daily bread and most people where owned by their Lord or master, this until the 18th century when things started to change radically in Europe and Asia. The Term "Leib Eigene" meaning owned body was to refer to slaves in the German Empire and only stopped or started to stop with Martin Luther in 1547, however the break through came with the 30 year war that followed and only by the beginning of the 17th century slavery was ended in a large part of Germany, those slaves where all German bzw. By 18th century slavery really was put to an end in Western Europe and later in the Americas. You only care to see one single aspect of the hole human history and fail to see the era and the suffering of the people over all.

Wet nurses and sex slaves where all over Europe until the 19th century and from all ethnical groups. You fail to see the reality of slavery and it extend still today. You are hold on to the idea that only African and black where slaves and wet nurses and sex slaves and that all the nice African that traded those slaves did it because there feared for them self, that however was not  the case and still s not. Slavery is wrong and yet still practised today especially in Africa by African onto African. 

Good Post, Thanks you Rhonda.

Makes you think. I may sound a bit off line here and yet I never understood why people that are free and who's ancestors had to suffer due to slavery are so indefferent to it as well.

In Africa and Asia Slavery still exist and is well off and yet not one America I know that is of Slaves decent has ever spoken out against it nor done any thing either, all there did is complain about what they had to endure , well actually what there ancestors had to endure and not them self's. Why can none of them speak up against the ongoing slavery and just dwell on poor little me?? I do not mean to sound harsh here or belittle what has happen in the US but as a Euro-African I can not understand this, nor accept the indifference towards the slaves of today. 

This is the great news, it will help to restart the debate of contrling the NEO-Slavery across the world.

Classic slavery wolrdwide replaced by modern slavery.

Ourdays illegal immagrants have to work on the farm fields in the US and Europe most Spain. They have no rights, work for low salary. The difference in  the past slaves are bought by the owner, today slaves are self-employeed, prefinancing the $5000 for a trip to Europe with 5 years no income work for the trafficker. As bad as it was it did not got better much in reality. Governments play with human trafficking for low labor costs . In times of no work the modern slaves get blamed for the trouble.

rhonda, a most interesting post. ancestries and family trees indeed provide a lot of insight about all of us, and reading about the lineage of america's first-lady-to-be is indeed so. with the social graph for the family rising up up and up...the civil-rights movement at the helm of things but above all higher education from prestigious schools and jobs to match...and now one of the most coveted job waiting for her!

I;m glad that this story is getting so much attention today, both from humans and felines.

Do not speak of things of which you have no knowledge.

You do not know what I do regarding any issues beyond this site nor do I seek or welcome your thoughts on what I should do with my time.

You are solely responsible for your own misguided assumptions, incorrect as they are, none of which represent my point of view.

Thank you, Paschen. You are quite welcome. I don't find your comment harsh at all. I can only say that there will be those who take the PLOM position, those who will demonstrate complete indifference to it, and those who will speak out against slavery, in all of its forms.

I do find it interesting, however, that Mrs. Obama had little knowledge of her ancestry until Mr. Obama's campaign hired genealogists to research the family's roots at the onset of his presidential bid.  In fact, very interesting!

I think it's great that he had her roots traced, what a wonderful gift to her! 

We should all be proud of our heritage, whatever it may be.  People are all just a little bit of this, a little bit of that, not so much different from one another... but mixed together, it makes that flavour that is unique to oneself.

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The above comment was made by my cat walking across the keyboard. I would like to add, thank you, Rhonda for the story. And Bravo, Karen, for your comment.

My thanks to you, Will.

Karen, thank you for reading and for the additional information/links. Always appreciated!

Blue Crush, thank you for reading, commenting, and for the recommend!

I would like to add that I don't think that this was a gift  from Mr. Obama to Mrs. Obama for the reason that "Barack Obama's campaign hired genealogists to research the family's roots at the onset of his presidential bid, but aides largely have kept the findings secret." 

StandUpToRacism, thank you for reading and commenting. You are very welcome! An aside: Our kitten is running around here tonight too:) Not across the keyboard though:) Thanks again!

Amitjha, thank you for reading, commenting, and for the recommend. I don't know that it needs a "restart" in America. In other words, "The Untold History of Post-Civil War 'Neoslavery'.

The spreding globalisation has changed the way people work, particularly if you consider the outsourcing(BPO,KPO etc) and cost advatage related to work.the odd job hours and related health problem including lowest salary compared to west is nothing but a slavery.The salavery is accused when the model of job loses its economic significance then a movement begins, but of no use because a new type of slavery model is imposed in disguissed form.

Amitjha, I misunderstood your first comment (sorry) and thank you for expanding upon it.

It is really very interesting and demands the US president-elect to work hard for eliminating the traces of slavery in Africa and Asia as pointed out by Paschen.

Thank you everyone for reading, commenting, and the recommendations. I want to thank Amitjha again for raising the matter of neo-slavery today, and thank those who added comments related to it. It is important to note that a distinction needs to be made between slaves in the traditional sense (this story), and wage slaves and contract slaves as commented, as well as human trafficking. The Current situation across the world can be read here. Very interesting! Thanks again!