Slavery, touchy subject, keep it civil

Yes, I get it, thread title and forum posited are ying and yang, but this thread is more of a thought I've had recently. I debated making a thread, and finally decided to do it. I put it in the pit so people could be more open with their opinions.

Slavery in the USA, and the impact it has on modern day society for blacks. That in itself is a sentence that can go about a thousand different directions, however I'd like to focus on a single aspect, the impact of slavery never existing in the USA.

As of 2019, the estimated black population of the USA is a little over 46 million, a little over 13% of the population. The number of African immigrants in the USA is around 2.1 million.

In the times of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, Africans were being shipped all over the world as slaves, not just to America. In fact, the America's, both north and south, were the least receiving of slaves of the times (with the exception of Portuguese Brazil). The majority of slaves were sold to European countries, a fact that often goes under the rug for some strange reason.

So I wonder, would the black population in the USA be as large as it is if slaves were never brought here?

It's clear from migration statistics that not many native Africans live here, it's less than 5% of the total number of blacks in America.

This is NOT a race baiting thread, please don't go there, ANYONE. I'm genuinely interested in people's opinion of whether slavery, while vile and horrific, might have actually benefited today's black society in the USA by creating the population numbers they have.

My Scottish Ancestor who was a slave in what later became New Hampshire doesn't count though 'cause he was white, right? he was a prisoner of war and that is how he became a slave.

a reply to: tamusan

Let's keep it civil, this is a thought project on a singular focus.

Of course I recognize that too, and it's just as important in my opinion.

a reply to: Vector99
point out the parts of my post that were not civil.

originally posted by: tamusan
a reply to: Vector99
point out the parts of my post that were not civil.

it was completely civil, but you mentioned the imprisonment and slavery of Scots, which could possibly trigger someone else.

Nothing more nothing less

originally posted by: tamusan
My Scottish Ancestor who was a slave in what later became New Hampshire doesn't count though 'cause he was white, right? he was a prisoner of war and that is how he became a slave.

I get it. On of my ancestors was an indentured servant (slave) and had to work it off over 20 years before he gained his freedom. Naturally, by that time he was "old" by the standards back then and only lived a few years more as a free man.

a reply to: schuyler

Mine had better fortune later in life. He won his freedom in the court and married the daughter of a man who owned several lumber mills. He was only 15 when he was, to use your words, made an indentured servant. But he lost over 20 years just the same. He was also kept past his contracted time.

No. It would be smaller.

what do I win?

Did the black man enslave the white man?

Egyptians were black, that’s why the white man blew off all the noses on all statues even the Sphinx

They enslaved the white man for thousands of years

Most people don't know the truth about slavery. They have a very superficial knowledge of it.
Here's a start.

So I wonder, would the black population in the USA be as large as it is if slaves were never brought here?

Historical records indicate that between 350,000-400,000 Africans were brought to America as slaves. I think it's accepted that most black people in America today are descendents of slaves.

For clarification, are you trying to suggest that slavery helped black society in America?

originally posted by: REDMORGAN
No. It would be smaller.

what do I win?

The invitation to discuss how that would impact modern USA

originally posted by: TzarChasm
For clarification, are you trying to suggest that slavery helped black society in America?

Black people (population wise), not society or cultures.

originally posted by: Vector99

originally posted by: TzarChasm
For clarification, are you trying to suggest that slavery helped black society in America?

Black people, not society or cultures.

You are saying slavery helped black people in population numbers?

I don't want to get the wrong idea here, you seemed so sincere but your message is confusing.

Did we make black Americans super human by breeding the best with the best

Giving us today’s NFL linebackers and NBA players

originally posted by: TzarChasm

originally posted by: Vector99

originally posted by: TzarChasm
For clarification, are you trying to suggest that slavery helped black society in America?

Black people, not society or cultures.

You are saying slavery helped black people in population numbers?

That's the theory I'm following.

Black people were originally only brought here as slaves, and only as slaves, the majority from Africa.

If slavery didn't happen, black people wouldn't have been brought here.

How large would the black population be in that case?

originally posted by: Vector99

originally posted by: TzarChasm

originally posted by: Vector99

originally posted by: TzarChasm
For clarification, are you trying to suggest that slavery helped black society in America?

Black people, not society or cultures.

You are saying slavery helped black people in population numbers?

That's the theory I'm following.

Black people were originally only brought here as slaves, and only as slaves, the majority from Africa.

If slavery didn't happen, black people wouldn't have been brought here.

How large would the black population be in that case?

Probably less population. So what's your point?

originally posted by: TzarChasm

originally posted by: Vector99

originally posted by: TzarChasm

originally posted by: Vector99

originally posted by: TzarChasm
For clarification, are you trying to suggest that slavery helped black society in America?

Black people, not society or cultures.

You are saying slavery helped black people in population numbers?

That's the theory I'm following.

Black people were originally only brought here as slaves, and only as slaves, the majority from Africa.

If slavery didn't happen, black people wouldn't have been brought here.

How large would the black population be in that case?

Probably less population. So what's your point?

that for every negative there is a positive

The start of my family in America came here from Sweden in 1898. Grandparents, Fathers side. Mother came here after WWII, English. Lincoln abolished slavery after the civil war - ~50 years before my family set foot here. They didn't have slaves. They had their sons to work the land.

Now the Swedes (Norse) did have slaves, but they were white from the peoples they conquered. Slaves in the Norse culture could earn their freedom and become land owners, merchants, shop keepers, etc. - even rise to local government. The Norse had a strict code of conduct for slave owners including decent living conditions, food, water, etc. and no abuse.

The English - Gee. I don't know. No black slaves as far as I know, but If you believe the 1619 Bullsh ... er... theory that the start of this country came from the importation of black slaves at that time, then it seems that the English were responsible for slavery in this country. Because at that time the British Empire was in control of the newly discovered continent.

In any case, I'm not responsible. That was a loooong time ago. And neither is 99.9999% of americans today.

Now, the Egyptians, Mesopotamians, Babolonians - pretty much all of the Middle East, had been importing black slaves for a thousand years before whites even knew blacks existed.

Shouldn't BLM be looking at the Middle East first for reparations?

Just a passing thought ...