for those who are the descendants of slaves...

Today, the Congress of the United States erected comemorative plaques in honor of the enslaved that built the capitol building in Washington D.C.  Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said "In remembering the slaves who labored here, we give them in death some measure of dignity they were so cruely denied in life."  Thanks Mitch, they needed that.  Finally, the U.S. government has recognized a small portion of the work, put in by enslaved Black people in building this country.  Congressman John Lewis of Georgia, spearheaded the committee that pushed for this recognition and I'm glad he did. But, is this all we were?  Slaves.  What I perceive from these media blasts is simply 'a slave you were, and a slave you will be.'

Where are the documents that states ALL Blacks in the western hemisphere were slaves? Why do so many of us assume that we are all descendants of slaves?  John Locke of Baltimore was a hack owner and owned a  funeral business and was worth $75,000 during the late 1700's.  New Orleans, prior to the Civil War had the largest population of free Black people in the south.  Charleston, South Carolina was by far the most aristocratic city for Black people from the 1700's  up until 1860 when the Civil War began.  Many fled to Haiti to escape the war.  Memphis, Boston, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and Washington D.C., were all well known for having a population of middle class to upper class Black denizens, and in New York and Philadelphia were many aristocratic Black Caribbeans that made up the middle class to elites.  When will we see a celebration of free, educated and wealthy Black people during the slavery times?