Slaves occupied Wall Street

i read this BBC News item today "The African Foundations of New York"...
In some weird sort of way it made me think of the current "occupation" of Wall Street. And the past occupations of Wall Street (double meaning on "occupation" noted).

...
'Worked to death'
But these enslaved Africans helped create the city of New York. They worked as stevedores in the docks and as labourers building the fortification known as Wall Street, which protected the city against attack from Native Americans.
Evidence from the burial site revealed, for the first time, the enormous human cost of such work.
Half of the remains were of children under the age of 12. Women were usually dead by 40.
"It seems that it was cost effective for slave traders to work people to death and then simply to replace them, so they sought to get Africans who were as young as possible, but ready to work," said Mr Blakey.
...

news.bbc.co.uk...

Literally, Wall Street was built by slave labor, now 300 years later the modern "slaves to the wage" together are set to dismantle it... Well, perhaps not so much dismantle it as make sure it's not just a "One Way" street.

[ note to readers of the article: Don't make the mistake i did on my first reading and confuse "teeth filing" with "teeth filling" - one of my many "Duh" moments ]

But these enslaved Africans helped create the city of New York. They worked as stevedores in the docks and as labourers building the fortification known as Wall Street, which protected the city against attack from Native Americans.

I found this to be the one of the most disturbing parts of the article...

I had no knowledge that "wall Street" was a defense position at any time.

Yes it's not widely known that NYC in it's infancy not only used African slaves for building what would become Wall Street and surrounding areas but it was also a slave trading post, where they were bought and sold. It's estimated that about 15,000 slaves and there family were buried beneath Wall Street, the memorial is on Broadway near the financial district.

They did rebel in 1741, 18 were hung. In some respects I can see a similarity to the "occupation" going on now, this is a rebellion by the lowest social-economic order, and the police are suppressing it in typical violent manner. No one in government or politics is trying to resolve anything, they just want to knock heads and weather the storm, as soon as the "rebellion" is put down, they'll just go right back to do what they were doing in the first place.

Originally posted by mileysubet

But these enslaved Africans helped create the city of New York. They worked as stevedores in the docks and as labourers building the fortification known as Wall Street, which protected the city against attack from Native Americans.

I found this to be the one of the most disturbing parts of the article...

I had no knowledge that "wall Street" was a defense position at any time.

Yes, i found that out back in my highschool daze, it was litterally a wall... Also, there is something disturbing that it was built by Africans to keep local tribes out. Wall Street still uses one type of tribe against another type of tribe...

As it has been. From the dawn of time. Nothing to see here; move along.
Slaves.

Originally posted by redstorm
As it has been. From the dawn of time. Nothing to see here; move along.
Slaves.

edit on 2-10-2011 by redstorm because: (no reason given)

(i know it's supposed to be more than a one line comment but all i have to say is in the emoticons)