The Black Informant | African American Commentary, News and Community Building

“There are more slaves today than were seized from Africa in four centuries of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The modern commerce in humans rivals illegal drug trafficking in its global reach—and in the destruction of lives.” (Andrew Cockburn writing for National Geographic Magazine)

For the next few days (at least) I will be discussing the current slave trade that is going on in Africa. It is my hope that these series of postings will motivate you to take some action on this widely neglected issue here in the United States (especially within the black community). Because of the large amount of information that I have on this topic, I have no choice but to make this into a series of postings so that you as the reader can easily digest this information.

Dr. Samuel Cotton (pictured below) was a leader in the movement here in America to end slavery in Sudan and Mauritania. Here is his quick bio:

Columbia University lecturer and pioneering figure in the movement to end modern-day slavery in North Africa, first learned about contemporary slavery in Sudan and Mauritania while working as a freelance reporter for African-American newspapers in his hometown of New York City. Shocked to discover that thousands of black Africans were being held as chattel slaves, Sam became a leading advocate for their emancipation, even undertaking an undercover mission to aid slaves in Mauritania. He was the founder and executive director of the Coalition Against Slavery in Mauritania and Sudan (CASMAS).

In 1996, he testified before Congress about his findings and appeared on an NBC Dateline exposé of slavery in Sudan. In 1999, he produced a film and published a book, both called “Silent Terror,” documenting his trip to Mauritania and issuing a call to action for Americans, particularly African-Americans, to join the new abolitionist movement In addition to his activism , Sam also assisted Mauritanian and Sudanese refugees who came to New York in finding employment.”

Unfortunately, in 2003 he succumbed to a brain tumor; however his work continues to this day. Click here to find out more about The American Anti-Slavery Group

What has infuriated me about this whole issue is how most black politicians and political organizations have opted to completely ignore this whole issue while at the same time continue to persuade millions of black Americans that the petty racism that we may experience today is of a much greater importance. In 1995, Dr.Cotton wrote an article entitled Sorrow and Shame: Brutal North African Slave Trade. Here is an excerpt of that article; however you are encouraged to click on the following link to read it in its entirety.

One African stated that “African Americans have been at the forefront of the international campaign against apartheid. . . Yet as an African working in the field of human rights in Africa, I am constantly struck, and saddened, by the extent to which a combination of factors have discouraged the majority of Black Americans from speaking out about human rights abuses in sub-Saharan Africa.” Said Rakiya Omaar, a Somali, in the Washington Post. ” Each year, hundreds of Black Americans visit the famous island of Goree in Senegal, from which many of their ancestors began the painful voyage to enslavement. Yet, just a short distance north of Goree are villages and refugee camps providing sanctuary to thousands of blacks who ran away to escape slavery in Mauritania, some of them as recently as three months ago.”

Why don’t African Americans speak out about chattel slavery in the sub-Sahara? Why does Jesse Jackson’s office refuse to give a statement? The AASG has repeatedly, over the past months, mailed documentation and faxed material to the office of Jesse Jackson. Follow-ups with Jackson’s aide Lisa Gibson did not yield a response. The author faxed documentation on March 9, 1995, to the Rainbow Coalition at the request of aide Jeff Griffith. The fax was received, and Griffith said that “Jesse Jackson is busy with affirmative action, and like anybody else, Jesse gets tied up and can only speak on one issue at a time. Right now, slavery is not on his agenda.” However, I was told to call the following day for a statement. Sadly, Jeff Griffith met an untimely death and all the material was allegedly lost. His superior, Stephanie Gadlin, requested that I fax the material again and and call later for a statement. Ms. Gadlin felt that the slavery issue would be good for Reverend Jackson to have on his agenda, since he is scheduled to go to the Middle-East. No statement was issued.

Two years ago, on July 15, 1993, White Congressman Frank Wolf wrote a letter to Benjamin Chavis who was serving as the Executive Director of the NAACP. “Most recently, I received a copy of a very disturbing State Department cable containing reliable information that in Sudan, human rights abuses such as kidnapping, slavery and the export of women and children from southern and central Sudan are escalating dramatically, despite the denials and rhetoric from Sudanese government officials. . .I hope that you will speak out against the continuing cruelty which has caused the people of Sudan so much pain and suffering. The efforts of the NAACP could be the difference between life and death for millions of people.”

Benjamin Chavis did not respond, and Rep.White wrote again to Chavis on August 19, 1993. “Since I last wrote to you, thousands more in southern Sudan have died. Please let me know if the NAACP is willing to step forward. Please let me know if you will personally become involved. This is not an easy task, but the combined efforts of many Americans — could result in saving the lives of tens of thousands of innocent people” There would be no response to this letter or a similar plea sent to Randall Robinson, Executive Director of TransAfrica, on August 19, 1993. [My input: Let me remind you that Randall Robinson is one of the leading advocates in the current reparations movement here in America]

The weight of the evidence indicates that Whites are really the only ones working to stop the slave trade, and that Black leaders have no real interest in stopping the buying and selling of Black Africans. This slave trade is common knowledge in Congressional circles and shamefully, Black leaders have not educated the African-American public on an issue central to their history. Are Black Americans playing at being Africans and in reality have no real love or attachment to Africa and African people? Could it be that African-Americans are in love with a fantasy Africa and do not possess any real understanding of African realities and world views? These questions require critical thinking that will move African-Americans past the kente cloth and fashion, to examine if there is a relationship between them and the African. The presence in the United States of the Mauritanians and the Sudanese refugees can be a spring board for the exploration of African realities. (more…)

Lester Kinsolving (a columnist, talk show host, reporter, and White House correspondent) writing for AFSI (Americans For A Safe Israel) has also observed this same avoidance of current slave trade issue by not only black leaner-ship,but the Episcopal church:

This may–or may not–have been also uncomfortable to a New Yorker named Edmond Browning who, this summer, accepted a medal from Arafat.

Surely his acceptance of this medal was embarrassing to those among the nation’s 2.4-million Episcopalians who still take seriously the commandment “Thou Shalt Not Murder.” For Browning, the Arafat Medalist, is their denomination’s ranking prelate, as Presiding Bishop.

The Episcopal Church News Service even put out a news release, pointing to Browning’s acceptance of this medal. (They did not mention that it came from the most accomplished serial killer of Jewish civilians since Heinrich Himmler.)

Bishop Browning’s acceptance of the Arafat Medal took place this summer during the denomination’s General Convention in Philadelphia. During one of this convention’s news briefings, I asked Browning about the fact that among 300 proposed resolutions, not one concerned the nearly one-quarter of a million black slaves held in bondage today in the African countries of Mauritania, Ghana, and Sudan.

When the bishop attempted to evade the question, I asked him if he was opposed to slavery. Most of those attending this press conference laughed–since a majority of them are diocesan flacks.

I then noted that the American Anti-Slavery Group has reported that liberal church denominations have refused to speak to the issue of slavery today. And Browning replied that he would be glad to meet with any such group.

“Meet with” is no commitment to taking a stand. And the American Anti-Slavery Group noted: “Black leaders are AWOL–or worse. The NAACP resolved to ‘come to the front of this battle’–but has not. The Congressional Black Caucus encouraged us–then went mute. Jesse Jackson’s office told us he wouldn’t touch the issue because it sounded ‘anti-Arab’ (We have three Muslims on our board).”

Episcopal Presiding Bishop Browning simply must have known of African slavery today–from Newsweek ‘s repeated coverage; from the Baltimore Sun ‘s sending two intrepid reporters to Sudan to buy–and then free–a black slave; or from his fellow Anglican bishops all over Africa.

But since the slave owners and slave traders are Arabs and Muslims, Arafat Medalist Browning deflected the question. And the Episcopal diocesan flacks laughed.

For the record, I have been very hard-pressed to find any firm position by black politicians/political organizations. Any position that I have found came after much pressure from front line individuals/organizations in war against modern slavery. Also, please note that there are some prominent black Americans that are giving voice to this issue (Danny Glover is one of them). Hopefully, I will be able to highlight their efforts in this series.

Throughout this series, I will be adding additional links that will provide you with additional information on this widely ignored issue.

Stay tuned…