White slavery

by **Melissa, manager** Tue Nov 26, 2013 4:51 pm

American slavery is one of the most atrocious and cruel acts ever inflicted upon other human beings. We all have heard of African slavery. Some of us have heard of Native American slavery. But how many of us are aware of the hundreds of thousands of white slaves, many of whom were Irish? Would it surprise you to learn that 300,000 men, women, and children were shipped mainly to Virginia and Maryland in the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves? Some of them were kidnapped from brothels to provide "breeders" for colonies in Virginia. Some were criminals. Some were unwanted because for whatever reason they were viewed as an embarrassment to the country. Children were abducted from their homes.

Many suffered and died as a result. Some even experienced worse hardships than black slaves. When they died they were given no more regard than animals. Do you feel that we need to pay more attention to white slaves; these men, women and children, who for all intents and purposes, became the main ancestors of today's many Americans?