Robins Journal
Dear Journal,
Last night a big event occurred. My owner, Adrian Hooglandt, and many other white owners were killed. It happened within minutes. A building was set to flames and when the whites came to put it out, they were attacked. Many enslaved Africans were accused of killing them but I was the main one they targeted. I didn’t do it, I swear. They were already planning my horrible death. I had the option to confess, save my life, but I didn’t do it. Why lie and deal with that for the rest of my life. Every Wednesday and Friday I get taught about Christianity by Elias Neau. He came to me, told me it’s not worth dying, tried to make me confess. I couldn’t do it. I will stay true to God. I knew about it, I knew they were going to be killed, but I wasn’t one of the ones who killed them. I didn’t do it. It’s always us being accused. The enslaved. If I were white, or rich, I would be the last person they accused. But I am only thought of as inhuman. I am more than just an object. I couldn’t leave my house without my master, I couldn’t get together with no less than four blacks, my skin color determined my whole life. What if I were white? I wouldn’t be accused of killing someone. If I don’t confess I will be brought to get killed, hanged in chains. Just because of my color, and my beliefs, and the fact that I changed to Christianity.

I was brought here on a slaver, chained to others. Each one of us had seven feet to move around. I was whipped, beaten, and harassed. I was brought from Bight of Benin, West Africa. There were many slave ports, one of which I was sold to here. Where I am accused of everything. I was sold into a life full of racism, lies, accusations, fear, power, discrimination, and oppression. I can still remember the smell of tobacco our ship carried with us. Before our journey a boatload of tobacco was brought. Every night as I fell asleep I smelled its strong scents. The boat rocking every second, the sound of whipping, and crying, and screaming. It was always dark on this boat. I got here and started my life of torture and abuse. My only friend was Elias Neau. He was the only one I felt comfortable with, the only one I was allowed to be truly Christian around. I could sing, and pray, and listen with him. He was my only family. When the attack happened he was at high risk of losing his job. Since I was learning about Christianity and I was accused they assumed Elias Neau had something to do with the attack. Elias Neau is godly He supported us from the very beginning when none of us knew English. He helped us and made it work. He treated me like I was important, and like I was human. He acted like my father. I never knew my father. When I was younger he was stolen from the Gold Coast and was taken to New Amsterdam. There he was sold to a family and I was left alone. I never knew my mother either. The day I was born our masters sold her through the Triangle Trade. For years it was just me. I constantly felt abandoned, now more than ever. And then I found Elias Neau when I came here.

Bye, Journal. Wish me luck for tomorrow. Let’s hope they believe I never did anything. If not, it’s been nice having someone to write to. If found please give this journal to Elias Neau. This my life on paper, all my secrets I was never aloud to say, and I only trust him.

Sincerely,
Robin

For this assessment we were each given a bio about a person in history. We were told to write a piece including facts from the bio, key terms from our studies about African in NY, and be creative. Along the way I learned a lot about my person and the way enslaved Africans resisted. My piece was actually a form of resistance for my character. There were some parts of this assignment I really liked, and some I really didn’t. I am better at creative writing than  factual. It was tough for me to add in key terms while making it creative. What made it easier for me was to write my piece the way I liked it, more creative. Then when I finished it I added in facts and key terms. This made it easier for me to have the two levels. Something that is always tricky for me in tenses. I usually mess up on those and don’t get them right. This project I did really well on tenses, meaning I wasn’t having as much trouble. Overall this was a project I enjoyed!