Several months before he passed away, George Washington said that after his death, all his slaves should be freed. The first president of the United States had kept fellow humans as slaves for 56 years. Historians credited Washington for finally seeing the light. Today the name George Washington is associated with honesty, courage, and freedom. The runaway slave that Washington relentlessly hounded and hunted would beg to differ.
The Man Who Struggles To Be Human
When Marcos Rodríguez Pantoja was seven years old, his father sold him into slavery. Marcos was given to an elderly shepherd who lived on a remote mountain. Marcos’s new job was to take care of a herd of 300 goats. He slept under the stars and tried to ignore the worrying sounds of wild boars and wolves. One day the shepherd disappeared and never returned.
Civil War Superhero
Born into slavery in 1839, Robert Smalls grew up working on a South Carolina plantation. When he was old enough, the plantation owner sent him to work at the docks in Charleston Harbor. It was there that he learned everything about ships. By the time the Civil War came around, Smalls had become an experienced seaman and was sent to work on the Confederate Navy ship called The Planter.
Back Of The Bus
Imagine having to sit at the back of the bus, just because of your skin color. Less than 100 years ago, it was common in the United States to block African Americans from job opportunities, stores, and restaurants that were only for white people. They were also banned from many public services and forced to use lower quality public toilets, hospitals, and even schools.
Army of Nuns
There are places on this planet full of turmoil, where armies wage war against each other. But what many people don’t know is that another kind of army exists, and they don’t shoot guns. An army of nuns rescues victims of human trafficking around the world. They do this by disguising themselves as prostitutes and laborers.