Why I Don't Believe the Story about the Slave Trade and Other Events in U.S. History

July 6, 2024, updated.

Due to the number of inaccuracies about the slave trade, I don't believe the story about it. A main goal in the study of black history is to distinguish between fact and fiction. This is because many of the myths, and legends, (and lies) about black history are similar to the myths, and legends, (and lies) about Native American history, which are evident in works of fiction such as The Last of the Mohicans, by James Fenimore Cooper, for example. Additionally, with black history, or more specifically, with the story about the slave trade, inaccuracies are numerous.

In the pictures, where are the cities? Where are the rest of the homes? Where are the stores? Obviously, they just drove out to the middle of nowhere, took these pictures, and made up the story about slavery. The KKK? Where were the police? There are just too many inaccuracies, so I don't believe those old stories. And it is clear that they were based on lies. Slaves from forts in Africa? How'd they get food? How'd they get fresh water? When was the formal declaration of war made? This method of questioning is a quick explanation why I don't believe the story about the slave trade and why I don't believe the stories about many other events in U.S. history.

Pictures don't depict African Americans working in the field in numbers of thousands, hundreds of thousands or millions; if they did, African Americans would have comprised a powerful military and social force. Also, housing, food, clothing, stores, roads and bridges would have been necessary, urbanization; so because of the lack of these details, I don't believe the story about the slave trade. Also, I don't believe that isolated forts on the coast of the continent of Africa could have provided the supplies necessary, such as fresh food and fresh water, for hundreds of years of self-sustainability. I also don't believe the story about the slave trade because of factors necessary for war (such as formal declaration of war, and food and lodging for troops). Additionally, I learned that many African Americans were given incentives (such as money) to make up lies about personal narratives about the slave trade, so I don't believe the story about the slave trade.

I don't believe the story about the slave trade for the reasons stated above. Additionally, because of the pattern of reasoning proving why I don't believe the story about the slave trade, I don't believe the stories about many other events in U.S. history either, and this contributes to a better view of the world.

Lastly, Bleak House, by Charles Dickens contains a passage that supports the thesis of this essay. Dickens writes,
"Bridges are begun, and their not yet united piers desolately look at one another over roads and streams, like brick and mortar couples with an obstacle to their union; fragments of embankments are thrown up, and left as precipices with torrents of rusty carts and barrows tumbling over them; tripods of tall poles appear on hilltops, where there are rumours of tunnels; everything looks chaotic, and abandoned in full hopelessness. Along the freezing roads, and through the night, the post-chaise makes its way without a railroad on its mind...as being exposed to the weather, and a primitive sort of perch more in accordance with her usual course of travelling.”