[Ads-l] "slave"

[Laurence Horn]

> On Aug 31, 2016, at 11:02 AM, Joel Berson <berson at ATT.NET> wrote:
> 
> Sali,
> 
> Do you consider 1814, when "The Star-Spangled Banner" was written, as being during the colonial period of the US?  A very Anglo-philic stance, just what the British were still believing then?  :-)  I would say there were "enslaved African-Americans" in 1814.
> 
> Joel

Maybe it depends on whether to be an "X-American" you have to be an American citizens.  As late as the Dred Scott decision (1850s?) it was clear that legally slaves (or "enslaved persons") were not citizens, and thus perhaps on that basis were not (African-)Americans.  On the other hand, they would have been considered American slaves, where "American" is more of a place name than nationality.  This is all pretty hindsighty, of course.

LH
> 
> 
>      From: Salikoko S. Mufwene <s-mufwene at UCHICAGO.EDU>
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU 
> Sent: Wednesday, August 31, 2016 9:51 AM
> Subject: Re: [ADS-L] "slave"
> 
> Just a minor correction, JL. From a historical perspective, there were 
> enslaved Africans, not enslaved African Americans during the colonial 
> history of the US or of the 13 English colonies. During that time the 
> class of Americans was very restricted, even some Europeans did not 
> count as Americans.
> 
> Sali.
> 
> On 8/31/2016 7:06 AM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>> Former tennis star James Blake has explained to CNN that "The Star-Spangled
>> Banner" is "a song that advocates the killing of slaves."
>> 
>> The "hireling and slave" in the song, of course, are not enslaved
>> African-Americans but redcoats, Hessian mercenaries, and cringing Tories.
>> 
>> Proof? Read the lyrics.
>> 
>> Of course, as D----d T---p has demonstrated, words don't mean much anymore.
>> 
>> 
>> JL
>> 
> 
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